Dennis Rush, known to classic TV fans for playing one of Opie’s friends on The Andy Griffith Show, has died.
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His death was announced on Instagram by his longtime friend, actor Keith Thibodeaux, who shared a photo of Rush. Thibodeaux, known for playing Little Ricky on I Love Lucy and also an actor on The Andy Griffith Show, told The Hollywood Reporter that Rush died on May 9.
“I just got word that my old buddy Dennis Rush, a fine actor and a great friend, passed away. What a shock. He was with us as one of Opie‘s buddies. He’s the one sitting down,” Thibodeaux wrote alongside the photo. “I will miss him at the Andy Griffith festivals, as we had so many stories to tell.
Thibodeaux also recalled the last time he saw Rush.
“I’m just glad that I was able to pray with him last month at one of the festivals when he found out that he was diagnosed with leukemia. Mayberry has lost a great citizen and a great friend!”
Rush was 74.
Dennis Rush Made His Acting Debut Opposite James Cagney
Born June 10, 1951, in Philadelphia, Rush’s first screen credit was in the 1957 film Man of a Thousand Faces, starring James Cagney. In it, he played four-year-old Creighton Chaney, son of silent film star Lon Chaney. Of course, Creighton would later become horror icon Lon Chaney Jr.
Rush played Howie Prewitt on The Andy Griffith Show for three seasons, from 1963 to 1965. “I got to be in eight episodes over about a 2 1/2-year period,” he said in 2022, per THR. “It was just the best of the best.”
According to IMDb, Rush also appeared in TV shows like Wagon Train, Laramie, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Lucy Show, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Meanwhile, after outgrowing his child roles, Rush joined the U.S. Marines. Upon completing his service, he discovered his parents had spent all his acting earnings, which he said was as much as $500 a week.
After graduating from Notre Dame High School and San Diego State in 1977, he began a career in the hotel and restaurant industry. He was also a frequent and popular guest at the Mayberry Lucy fest and the annual Mayberry Days convention in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
“Dennis was an absolute joy to be around. One of the sweetest men you could ever meet,” a tribute on the Mayberry Days Facebook page reads in part. “It was always a pleasure to welcome him to Mayberry Days. He shared smiles, stories, hugs, and kindness with fans from all over the world.”
He is survived by his siblings, Sally, Monica, Patrick, and Megan. His brother, Jack, died in February.