ROBERT YOUNG
Name: Robert George Young
Born: 22 February 1907 Chicago, Illinois U.S.
Died: 21 July 1998 Westlake Village, California
Robert George 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.
After appearing on stage, Young was signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) the
studio that had more stars than in the heavens and 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 rarely lauded performances, and
once remarked that he was assigned only those roles which Robert Montgomery and
other A-list actors had rejected.
After his contract at MGM ended, Young starred in light comedies as well as in
trenchant dramas for studios such as 20th Century Fox, United Artists, and RKO.
From 1943, Young assayed more challenging roles in films like Claudia, The
Enchanted Cottage, They Won't Believe Me, The Second Woman, and Crossfire. His
portrayal of unsympathetic characters in several of these latter films which
seldom occurred in his MGM pictures was applauded by numerous reviewers.
Young appeared in 100 movies in a film career that spanned 1931 to 1952.
Young is best known for his role in Father Knows Best (1949-1954 on radio, 1954-1960
on television), for which he and his co-star, Jane Wyatt, won several Emmy
Awards. Young then created, produced, and starred in the TV series Window on
Main Street (1961-1962) which only lasted six months.
Young later became famous for Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969-1976) for which he won an
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. He continued making television commercials until the late
1980s.
Young has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for film at 6933
Hollywood Blvd and one for television at 6358.
Name: Robert George Young
Born: 22 February 1907 Chicago, Illinois U.S.
Died: 21 July 1998 Westlake Village, California
Robert George 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.
After appearing on stage, Young was signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) the
studio that had more stars than in the heavens and 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 rarely lauded performances, and
once remarked that he was assigned only those roles which Robert Montgomery and
other A-list actors had rejected.
After his contract at MGM ended, Young starred in light comedies as well as in
trenchant dramas for studios such as 20th Century Fox, United Artists, and RKO.
From 1943, Young assayed more challenging roles in films like Claudia, The
Enchanted Cottage, They Won't Believe Me, The Second Woman, and Crossfire. His
portrayal of unsympathetic characters in several of these latter films which
seldom occurred in his MGM pictures was applauded by numerous reviewers.
Young appeared in 100 movies in a film career that spanned 1931 to 1952.
Young is best known for his role in Father Knows Best (1949-1954 on radio, 1954-1960
on television), for which he and his co-star, Jane Wyatt, won several Emmy
Awards. Young then created, produced, and starred in the TV series Window on
Main Street (1961-1962) which only lasted six months.
Young later became famous for Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969-1976) for which he won an
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. He continued making television commercials until the late
1980s.
Young has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for film at 6933
Hollywood Blvd and one for television at 6358.