Dennis Rush, the former child actor best known for The Andy Griffith Show and Man of a Thousand Faces, has recently died at age 74.
Here’s a concise summary of the latest reporting:
- Multiple outlets confirmed his passing in mid-May 2026, with sources citing a leukemia diagnosis prior to his death and noting he died while en route to a hospital in the San Diego area.[3][4][9]
- He is remembered for playing Howie Pruitt on The Andy Griffith Show and for an early screen appearance as a young Lon Chaney Jr. opposite James Cagney in Man of a Thousand Faces; he later stepped away from acting as an adult but remained a familiar presence to fans.[1][2][10]
If you’d like, I can pull more details from specific outlets or provide a brief timeline of his acting credits.
Sources
Dennis Rush, the beloved child actor best known for his role in The Andy Griffith Show, has passed away at the age of 74.
en.newsner.comDennis Rush, a former child actor best known for his roles in The Andy Griffith Show and Man of a Thousand Faces, has died. He was 74. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rush was diagnosed with leukemia last month while living near San Diego, California, and died en route to a hospital on May 9. […]
popculture.comDennis Rush, the child actor who played Howie on *The Andy Griffith Show* and appeared as a young Lon Chaney Jr. opposite James Cagney in *Man of a Thousand Faces*, died Saturday on the way to a hospital in the San Diego area. He was 74. Keith Thibodeaux said Rush died, recalling him as the boy who “played Lon Chaney Jr. in the James Cagney classic and Howie, one of Opie’s friends, on the beloved CBS sitcom.” Rush had been diagnosed with leukemia last month.
www.mogazmasr.comSee Dennis Rush's contact, representation, publicist, and legal information. Explore Dennis Rush's credits, follow attached in-development titles, and track popularity with STARmeter. IMDbPro — The essential resource for entertainment professionals.
pro.imdb.comThe news was confirmed by an I Love Lucy legend
www.express.co.ukDennis Rush died at 74 on Saturday on the way to the hospital after being diagnosed with leukemia last month. The former child actor was best known for playing a youngster opposite James Cagney in Man of a Thousand Faces and for appearing as Howie on The Andy Griffith Show.Man of a Thousand FacesRus…
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