Dennis Rush, the former child actor known for The Andy Griffith Show and Man of a Thousand Faces, has died at age 74. He passed away while being taken to a hospital near his home in the San Diego area after a recent leukemia diagnosis.
Born in 1951 in Philadelphia and raised in Los Angeles, Rush got into acting by chance when James Cagney discovered him and cast him in Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), where he worked for about six months as a child actor.
He is best known for playing Howie Pruitt, one of Opie’s friends on The Andy Griffith Show alongside Ron Howard, appearing in eight episodes from 1963 to 1965. He also appeared in shows like Leave It to Beaver, The Donna Reed Show, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
After leaving acting, Rush served in the U.S. Marines. In later years, he lived outside the spotlight and reflected fondly on his time in television.