RIP: 1919-2016 Age: 96
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Shadow2700 — 9 years ago(May 20, 2016 06:08 PM)
(CNN)Alan Young, who played the hapless yet protective owner of a talking horse on the popular television comedy "Mister Ed," has died at age 96, according to officials at the Motion Picture & Television Home in Woodland Hills, California.
He died Thursday of natural causes with his children at his side, the organization said.
Young also was a well-received voice actor, with appearance238s as Scrooge McDuck in many Disney productions and also as Farmer Smurf and other characters in the 1980s-era cartoon.
Young appeared on several shows before being cast as Wilbur Post on "Mister Ed," which became one of the most popular shows in the early 1960s. One of his previous shows, "The Alan Young Show," won a prime-time Emmy.
According to a 1990 story in the Los Angeles Times, famed comedian George Burns financed "Mister Ed" and told his co-owner they should cast Young because "he looks like the kind of guy a horse would talk to."
Youb68ng told the newspaper that Wilbur Post was bumbling while Mister Ed was wily.
"I think it's the same chemistry that made Laurel and Hardy, and Jackie Gleason and Art Carney," he said. "It's the one guy making a fool of the other guy." The show, which ran weekly from 1961 until 1966, featured a horse who talked (with help from a never-seen human voice actor) but Mister Ed spoke only to his owner, much to Wilbur Post's frustration.
Young had 101 acting credits, according to the Internet Movie Database, including the 1960 science fiction film "The Time Machine." He made many guest appearances on television after taking a long break after the end of "Mister Ed."
Young was born in England in 1919 as Angus Young and grew up in Scotland and Canada. He began his entertainment career on the radio at age 13. He had his own show when he was 17.
He was married three times to Mary Anne Grimes, Virginia McCurdy and Mary Chipman and had four children.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/20/entertainment/alan-young-obit/index.html -
Shadow2700 — 9 years ago(May 20, 2016 07:28 PM)
Another Hollywood veteran gone. Alan Young, who starred as Wilbur Post on the 1960s sitcom Mister Ed, died on Thursday, May 19. He was 96.
The actor died of natural causes at the Motion Picture and Television Home in Woodland Hills, California, a spokesperson for the retirement community told the Associated Press.
Young was best known for his role alongside the iconic talking horse on the hit CBS series, which aired from 1961 to 1966. He also played the voice of Scrooge McDuck in several Disney films and TV series, including DuckTales and Mickeys Christmas Carol.
In 1951, he earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role on The Alan Young Show. The self-titled series started as a radio show, but eventually moved to television as a variety show in 1950. It aired until 1953 and also took home the Emmy Award for Best Variety Series in 1951.
Young was a regular guest on many other TV shows over the years. He appeared on The Love Boat, Murder, She Wrote, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and ER. He also provided the voices for multiple characters on The Smurfs and played Hiram Flaversham in The Great Mouse Detective.
The legendary actor passed away at the Motion Picture and Television Funds Villa on Vitas Hospice with his children by his side.
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/alan-young-dead-star-of-mister-ed-dies-at-96-w207366 -
WhWm — 9 years ago(May 20, 2016 09:18 PM)
I am very sad and cannot stop crying that Alan Young has passed away. I loved him very much. I've talked with him several times during the past few years and he was charming, delightful, funny and sweet.
I recorded these calls with Alan and shared them with just "family and friends" so they could also hear what a wo2000nderful man Alan was. I shall cherish these recordings as a momento of Alan.
It does comfort me to know Alan is in heaven but I'll definitely miss him very much. Alan had stated that he started every day with God and now he is with Him.
God bless you, Alan. -
OldDood — 9 years ago(May 21, 2016 02:55 AM)
Yes, I remember Mr Ed all to well
I also remember the Studebaker Commercials when it aired in the early 1960's.
You can watch them with the cast of the show on YouTube.
Also Alan Young was well known for his Radio Show: The Alan Young Show.
Which became a TV show in the early 1950's. -
flickersfan — 9 years ago(May 21, 2016 04:53 AM)
RIP, Mr. Young, one of the last of my childhood TV icons and probably the oldest. 96 1/2 to the day you had a great run. In the 60's my sisters and I knew we could make each other laugh by just doing our best, "Wilburrrrrrrrrrrrr".