York, Dick
From Astro-Databank
| Name |
| ||
| Birthname | Richard Allen York | ||
| born on | 4 September 1928 at 01:00 (= 01:00 AM ) | ||
| Place | Fort Wayne IN, USA, 41n07, 85w07 | ||
| Timezone | CDT h5w (is daylight saving time) | ||
| Data source |
| ||
| Astrology data |   11°26'   05°52 Asc. 09°06'
|
Biography
American actor who played the first Darren in "Bewitched," a popular long-running series starring Elizabeth Montgomery. He left the show because of illness, and though the series continued, it fell dramatically in the ratings unitl it was ultimately cancelled.
York's career did not begin with the show. His family had moved to Chicago when he was five, and when he was niine his parents enrolled him in a children's dramatic school and he landed roles on local radio shows. In 1943, at age 15, got his first professional role in a show called "That Brewster Boy." From there he landed a role in "Jack Armstrong" and ultimately had his own weekly variety show in 1946 for a teenage audience.
In 1950, he moved to New York, moving into the YMCA. He played a young drug addict in a radio show, "Michael Shayne" and his performance was so impressive that he was sent to Elia Kazan who was casting for "Tea and Sympahty." He got a part and made his stage debut in 1953. In 1955 he began to appear on TV programs while continuing his work on radio and on stage.His first movie was "My Sister Eileen" in the mid-'50s, followed by "Three Stripes in the Sun." He balanced stage and screen appearing in TV, movies, and plays. In 1959, during a production of "They Came to Cordura" he injured his back, and during the rest of his career, he worked with great pain from the injury which never healed properly. He battled an addiction to painkillers. He landed the part in a new series, "Bewitched" in 1964 and starred as the main character's husband for four years until 1968 when his back injury and emotional problems forced him to resign. His life after that seemed to be in a downward spiral. He gained weight, at one time ballooning to 300 pounds. He was nearly broke and had to resort to cleaning houses for a living. Just as he began to land a few parts in TV episodes, he was diagnosed with emphysema. Home-bound, he founded an organization, Acting For Life, a private fund-raising effort for the homeless
He married his wife Joan on November 17, 1951 and during their 39-year marriage, they had five children. He died on the afternoon of February 20, 1992 from emphysema. He was 63.
Events
- Death by Disease 20 February 1992 (emphysema)
- Relationship : Marriage 17 November 1951
- Work : Fired/Laid off/Quit 1968 (left "Bewitched")
- Work : Begin Major Project 1953 (stage debut)
- Work : New Career 1943 (first professional radio show role)
- Family : Change residence 1950 (from Chicago to NY)
- Health : Accident (Non-fatal) 1959 (serious back injury)
Source Notes
Stephen Przbylowski quotes birth certificate in hand
Categories
- Diagnoses : Major Diseases : Emphysema
- Diagnoses : Psychological : Abuse Drugs (painkillers)
- Family : Relationship : Marriage more than 15 Yrs (39 years)
- Family : Parenting : Kids more than 3 (Five)
- Family : Childhood : Disadvantaged (grew up poor)
- Lifestyle : Work : Travel for work
- Personal : Death : Illness/ Disease
- Vocation : Entertainment : Child performer
- Vocation : Entertainment : Actor/ Actress
- Diagnoses : Body Part Problems : Accident/Injury
