Leave It to Beaver: Frank Bank Dies; So Long Lumpy Rutherford

Actor Frank Bank died this morning, one day after he turned 71. Today is his friend and former co-star Tony Dow’s 68th birthday. (The photo above, from Jerry Mathers’ Facebook page, was taken in June 2012 and shows co-stars Ken Osmond, Bank, Dow, and Mathers.)

Bank was primarily know for his role as Clarence “Lumpy” Rutherford on the Leave It to Beaver sitcom in the 1950s and 60s. He reprised his role as Wally Cleaver’s friend in the Still the Beaver TV movie and the 1980s sequel series, The New Leave It to Beaver, joining most of the original sitcom’s surviving cast.

Bank made a brief cameo in the 1997 film Leave It to Beaver as “Frank.”

In addition to Beaver, Bank appeared on several 1950s and 60s TV shows and also played comic book character Archie Andrews in the Life with Archie TV movie in 1962.

His autobiography, Call Me Lumpy: My Leave It To Beaver Days and Other Wild Hollywood Life, was published in 2002 and was currently a bond broker in Los Angeles.

UPDATE: On his Facebook page, Beaver star Jerry Mathers wrote, “I was so sad to hear today of the passing of my dear friend and business associate Frank Bank, who played Lumpy on Leave it to Beaver. He was a character and always kept us laughing. My deepest condolences to Frank’s family.”

What do you think? What will you remember about Frank Bank’s work?