Robert Young (actor)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Robert Young | |
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| Birth name | Robert George Young |
| Born | February 22, 1907 Chicago, Illinois USA |
| Died | July 21, 1998 (age: 91) Westlake Village, California |
| Years active | 1931-1988 |
| Spouse(s) | Betty Henderson (1933-1994) |
| Notable roles | Marcus Welby, M.D. in Marcus Welby, M.D. Jim Anderson in Father Knows Best |
| Emmy Awards | |
|---|---|
| Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama Series 1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. 1957 Father Knows Best 1956 Father Knows Best |
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Robert Young (February 22, 1907 - July 21, 1998) was a popular American actor, best known for his leading roles in two long-running television series, Jim Anderson, the father of Father Knows Best, and Doctor Marcus Welby in Marcus Welby, M.D.
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[edit] Hollywood career
After appearing on stage, Young was signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)βthe studio that had more stars than heavenβand in spite of having a "tier B" status, he co-starred with some of the studio's most illustrious actresses such as Margaret Sullavan, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Helen Hayes, Luise Rainer, and Helen Twelvetrees, among many, many others. Yet most of his assignments comprised B-movies, also known as programmers, which required a mere two to three weeks of shooting. Actors who were relegated to such a hectic schedule appeared, as Young did, in some six to eight movies per year.
He received one of his most rewarding roles late in his MGM career, in H.M. Pulham, Esq., featuring one of Hedy Lamarr's best performances, and once remarked that he was assigned only those roles which Robert Montgomery and other A-list actors had rejected. So precarious was the lot of an MGM contract player that, when Young was instructed to appear in two movies filmed in Britain in the mid-30s, one of which co-starred the mythic actress/dancer, Jessie Matthews, he assumed that his termination from the studio was inevitable (he was mistaken).
After his contract at MGM ended, he continued to thrive, with starring roles in light comedies as well as dramas for studios such as 20th Century Fox, United Artists, and RKO. From 1943, Young assayed more challenging roles which revealed a dramatic depth and acting versatility untapped by MGM. Claudia, The Enchanted Cottage, They Won't Believe Me, The Second Woman, and Crossfire were among his many latter films which were not only well received by the public but were also critically acclaimed by many. His portrayal of unsympathetic characters in several of these latter films β which seldom occurred in his MGM pictures β was applauded by numerous reviewers.
Young appeared in 100 movies in a film career the spanned the period from 1931 to 1952.
[edit] Transition to television
He then started his television career, which extended to 1988. He is best known for his roles in Father Knows Best (1954 to 1963) for which he and his co-star, Jane Wyatt, won several Emmy Awards, and Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969 to 1976) for which he won the Emmy for best leading actor in a drama series. Young became so well identified with his wise doctor persona that he became famous as the commercial spokesman for an aspirin product, saying, "I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV" while wearing a lab coat.[1] He continued making television commercials until the late 1980s.
Robert Young has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for film at 6933 Hollywood Blvd and one for television at 6358.
[edit] Personal life
Young was the son of an Irish immigrant father and an American mother. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, California.
He was married to Betty Henderson from 1933 until her death in 1994. They had four daughters.
Despite the fact that he portrayed happy, well-adjusted characters, Young suffered from depression and alcoholism, which contributed to his suicide attempt in 1991.
Young died at his home in Westlake Village, California at 91 from respiratory failure. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California.
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Television
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[edit] Film
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[edit] Resources
- ^ Rex Smith. "Principles, ethics in journalism", Times Union, 26 February 2005. Retrieved on 2007-02-02.
- Eames, John Douglas (1986). The MGM Story. New York City: Crown Publishers. ISBN 0517523892.
- Gartside, Michael (2000/2001). Robert Young's British Films. Muscatine, IA: Films of the Golden Age.
- Jewell, Richard B.; Harbin, Vernon (1982). The RKO Story. New York City: Crown Publishers.
- Katz, Ephraim. The Film Encyclopedia. New York City: Harper Perennial.
[edit] External links
- Robert Young at the Internet Movie Database
- Robert Young at The New York Times
- Robert Young CNN Obituary
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Young, Robert |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 22, 1907 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 21, 1998 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Westlake Village, California |
