Tony Young (actor)

Carleton L. Young, known as Tony Young (June 28, 1937 - February 26, 2002), was an American character actor in film and television. In 1961, he starred at the age of twenty-three in the title role of "Cord" in the 12-episode CBS western television series, Gunslinger, a replacement for Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater.

Background

Young was born in New York City, the son of Carleton G. Young, a film and television character actor and the radio voice of the original Ellery Queen detective program. The Youngs moved to California in the 1940s, and Tony graduated from Los Angeles City College. He served in the United States Air Force.^[1]

His first acting roles were in 1959 in three western series, NBC's Fury and two highly acclaimed ABC productions, Lawman and Maverick.

Acting career

In 1960, he appeared as The Sabine Kid in the episode "The O'Mara's Ladies" of the short-lived NBC western series, Overland Trail, starring William Bendix and Doug McClure. That same year he also appeared on Bourbon Street Beat detective series set in New Orleans, Tombstone Territory, and The Deputy, as Tweed Younger in "The Fatal Urge."^[2]

In 1960, Young portrayed an outlaw, Clem Reeves, in the episode "Queen of Diamonds" of NBC's Laramie western series, with fellow guest stars Julie London and Claude Akins.^[3] Young also appeared twice on the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, Bronco, with Ty Hardin, and Cheyenne, starring Clint Walker.^[2]

In 1963, Young was cast as Herb Clark in a short-term stint on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. He also appeared on 77 Sunset Strip, Wagon Train, the syndicated western anthology series, Death Valley Days, Bonanza, The Virginian, and Dale Robertson's The Iron Horse. He also appeared on many other series, including Star Trek (as Kryton in the episode "Elaan of Troyius"), Love, American Style, Medical Center, Fantasy Island, Starsky and Hutch, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy, Mission: Impossible, The Rookies, Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, Gemini Man, Spider-Woman, and Knight Rider.^[2]

Among the films in which Young appeared were the Dan Duryea western He Rides Tall (1964), and Taggart (1964), based on a Louis L'Amour novel. As the title character, Kent Taggart witnesses his parents being killed in a cattle stampede arranged by a corrupt rancher. Taggart kills Rusty Bob Blazer, played by Peter Duryea, the son of the rancher responsible for the stampede. Rusty Bob's father, Ben Blazer, as he lies dying from his wounds in the confrontation, places a $5,000 bounty on Taggart's head. And Peter Duryea's real-life father, Dan Duryea, as Jay Jason, sets out into Apache country to apprehend Taggart. Stuart Randall appears in the film in his customary role of a sheriff. David Carradine made his film debut in Taggart.^[4]

His last screen appearance was on March 2, 1993 as John Huston in the episode "Goodbye Norma Jean - April 4, 1960" of the series Quantum Leap. In the segment, series character Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) plays the chauffeur of Marilyn Monroe, who saves her life and assists with her final film, The Misfits, with Clark Gable.^[5]

Marriage and Death

Young was married from 1962 to 1970 to actress Madlyn Rhue.

Young died of lung cancer on February 26, 2002, at the age of sixty-four at his home in West Hollywood, California.^[1] He left behind two siblings. Penny Y. Gossner (his sister) and Stephen Young (his younger brother).

References