Wally Cox, the mild-mannered actor best known for the 1950s sitcom “Mr. Peepers” and as the voice of the cartoon hero Underdog, lived a private life that stood in sharp contrast to his on-screen persona. Born Wally Maynard Cox on December 6, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, his early years were shaped by his parents’ divorce, after which he was raised by his mother, mystery author Eleanor Blake, and his younger sister. When Cox was ten, the family moved to Evanston, Illinois, where he met a neighbor who would become a lifelong friend: a spirited boy named Marlon Brando.
The two formed an immediate bond, sharing secrets and mischief during a childhood marked by constant movement. The family later spent time in New York City before returning to Detroit, where Cox graduated from high school. As World War II broke out, the family moved back to New York. Cox briefly attended the City College of New York before enlisting in the U.
S. Army, serving for just four months. After returning to civilian life, he enrolled at New York University while supporting his ailing mother and sister by handcrafting and selling jewelry from a small shop. To unwind, Cox performed offbeat comedy monologues at parties, and his quirky tales soon landed him nightclub gigs, beginning with the Village Vanguard in 1948.
Around this time, his old friend Marlon Brando became his roommate and encouraged him to study acting under legendary coach Stella Adler. Cox’s big break came in 1949 on CBS radio’s “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts,” where his humorous routine—a mumbled punk kid story capped with a yodeling song—nearly won the night and earned him a record deal. He went on to appear in Broadway revues, nightclubs, and early television variety shows. By 1952, Cox was starring as the shy teacher in the hit NBC sitcom “Mr.
Peepers,” which ran for three successful years and made him a household name. He later became the voice of the heroic cartoon character Underdog, was a regular on “Hollywood Squares,” and took memorable film roles, including a preacher in “Spencer’s Mountain” and a sonar operator in the 1964 film “The Bedford Incident. ” He also appeared in Marilyn Monroe’s unfinished final film, “Something’s Got to Give,” in 1962, and guest-starred on classics such as “The Twilight Zone,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” and “Lost in Space. ”
But Cox’s pedantic, high-pitched screen persona—complete with thick glasses—belied a more adventurous reality.
Off camera, he was athletic and handy, often working in his own workshop and even wiring his own home. On shows like “I’ve Got a Secret,” he surprised audiences by racing around assembling furniture. Cox married three times and had two children, but his deepest connection remained with Marlon Brando. Their childhood friendship endured the pressures of fame, and the two were roommates and confidants.
Rumors about the intensity of their bond circulated for years. Brando once told a journalist, “If Wally had been a woman, I would have married him and we would have lived happily ever after. ” On another occasion, he reportedly told a different journalist that Cox was the love of his life. Cox’s life ended far too soon.
On February 15, 1973, he was found dead in his Los Angeles home from a heart attack caused by coronary occlusion. He was just 48 years old. He had requested no funeral, and his ashes were initially said to have been scattered at sea.
Later reports, however, claimed his ashes were mixed with those of Marlon Brando and friend Sam Gilman and dispersed over Death Valley.
