Some film actors found steady work and more exposure with the advent of television.
Dick
York (1928-1992)
For
those who remember actor Dick York, he has been pigeon-holed as
Darrin Stephens, the mortal, suffering husband of Samantha on the
fantasy-comedy series, Bewitched (1964-69).
His comedic double-takes, being frequently frustrated, and often
angry with the physical transformations thrust upon him by his
ungrateful mother-in-law, were classic trademarks of the character.
Without his perfect comedic timing, the series would not have been
the hit that it was. But there was much more to the versatile actor.
Born
in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and growing up in Chicago, Dick York
eventually handled drama and comedy with equal ease. After a stint in
radio, his movie roles gained momentum by 1950, and four years later, he was cast as a teenager in the classic science fiction film, Them!.
He co-starred in three famous movie productions in the Fifties and
Sixties, notably They Came to Cordura (1959) with Gary Cooper,
The Last Blitzkrieg that same year with Van Johnson, and a
visible role as a teacher for Inherit the Wind a year later.
By
far, his television work brought the most notoriety, however. He
performed on the most popular series of the era. There were multiple
appearances on the Kraft Television Theatre, Studio One, Playhouse
90, The Twilight Zone, and six episodes for Alfred Hitchcock
Presents that provided some comedic and dramatic stand-outs. 1959
was a pivotal year for York. While filming the Cooper film above, he
completely severed his right lower back muscles during a physical
scene. An injury that would plague him the rest of his life, and
eventually force him to bow out of Bewitched in
1969.
Note:
Before television dominated the airwaves, radio reigned supreme. The
above inset is a capture of fifteen-year-old Dick York in the
situation comedy, “That Brewster Boy” (1941-45). York was the
third Joey Brewster, following in Eddie Firestone Jr. and Arnold Stang's footsteps.
To his right is co-star Jane Webb.
