Dennis Rush Dead: ‘Andy Griffith Show’ Child Actor Was 74 – The Hollywood Reporter

Dennis Rush, a child actor recognized for his roles in the 1957 film Man of a Thousand Faces and the television series The Andy Griffith Show, has died at the age of 74.

According to reporting from The Hollywood Reporter, Rush passed away on May 9, 2026, while on the way to a hospital. He had been living in the San Diego area.

The news was shared by actor-musician Keith Thibodeaux, who also appeared as one of Opie’s friends, Johnny Paul Jason, on The Andy Griffith Show and is well known for his role as Little Ricky on I Love Lucy. Thibodeaux stated that Rush had been diagnosed with leukemia in April 2026.

Early Career and Man of a Thousand Faces

Rush made his professional onscreen debut at age four in the 1957 Universal-International film Man of a Thousand Faces. In the production, he portrayed Creighton Chaney, the childhood version of silent film star Lon Chaney, appearing opposite James Cagney.

As the character of Creighton grew older within the film’s narrative, Rush was succeeded by a series of actors, including Rickie Sorensen, Robert Lyden and Roger Smith, the latter of whom eventually embarked on a career as an actor using the stage name Lon Chaney Jr.

Television and Westerns

During the early 1960s, Rush appeared in several Western series produced by Revue Studios for NBC. From 1960 to 1962, he appeared in seven episodes of Wagon Train, including one episode directed by John Ford.

Rush also appeared in three installments of Laramie between 1962 and 1963.

From 1963 to 1965, Rush appeared on the CBS series The Andy Griffith Show over the course of three seasons. He played the role of Howie Prewitt, one of the friends of Opie, played by Ron Howard.

In 2022, Rush recalled his time on the series, noting, I got to be in eight episodes over about a 2 1/2-year period.