| Jeff York | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 23, 1912 Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Died | October 11, 1995 (aged 83) Woodland Hills, California, USA |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1937-1967 |
| Spouse | Moselle Kimbler (1936-1941) (divorced) |
Jeff York (March 23, 1912 - October 11, 1995) was an American film and television actor who began his career in the late 1930s using his given name Granville Owen Schofield. He was also sometimes credited as Jeff Yorke.
During his early career, the tall, dark haired actor was a natural to play characters such as Pat Ryan in the 1940 serial Terry and the Pirates and was given the lead in the 1940 film Li'l Abner. However, he is perhaps most remembered for his role as Bud Searcy in Disney's classic Old Yeller and its 1963 sequel Savage Sam. Beverly Washburn played Lisbeth Searcy, Bud's daughter. York also appeared in The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, and Johnny Tremain which were all part of Walt Disney's productions.
York attracted considerable attention in the mid-1950s with his television portrayal of Mike Fink, the flamboyant keelboat operator in two episodes of Disney's hugely popular Davy Crockett miniseries in the episodes "Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race" and "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates." York was cast opposite Fess Parker in the role. The first episode featured a memorable boasting contest and a keelboat race, with Fink's boat named The Gullywumper; in the second, Crockett and Fink join forces to fight a band of river pirates who blame their depredations on local Native Americans.
| “ | Girls run and hide, brave men shiver...I'm Mike Fink, king of the river! | ” |
He also starred as mountain man/fur trapper Joe Crane in two different Disney series, The Saga of Andy Burnett, adapted from the Stewart Edward White novel The Long Rifle and Zorro.
| “ | You see before you Joe Crane, as big as life and twice as nasty! | ” |
In addition, York was a guest star of The Lone Ranger, Waterfront, Studio 57, Medic, Fireside Theater, You Are There, The Californians, Peter Gunn, Bronco, Lawman, Cheyenne, The Rifleman, Outlaws, Perry Mason, Daniel Boone and The Iron Horse. He also co-starred as "Reno McKee" with Roger Moore in the 1959 Warner Bros. television series The Alaskans.