Jeff York
Jeff York | |
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![]() Jeff York (1952), in The Lady Says No | |
Born |
Los Angeles, California, United States | March 23, 1912
Died |
October 11, 1995 83) Woodland Hills, California, USA | (aged
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1937-1967 |
Spouse(s) | 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 Scofield. He was also sometimes credited as Jeff Yorke.
Career
York served in the United States Army during World War II. 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 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 (2 episodes), Waterfront, Studio 57, Medic, Fireside Theater, You Are There (2 episodes), The Californians, Peter Gunn, Bronco, Lawman (2 episodes), Cheyenne, The Rifleman, Outlaws, Perry Mason (3 episodes), Daniel Boone, Zorro (3 episodes), and The Iron Horse.
He co-starred as "Reno McKee" with Roger Moore, Dorothy Provine, and Ray Danton in the 1959 ABC/Warner Brothers western television series, The Alaskans.
Among his three appearances on Perry Mason, York played roles as the defendant in two 1961 episodes: Pete Mallory in "The Case of the Difficult Detour," and Scott Cahill in "The Case of the Traveling Treasure." In 1964 he played murderer and title character Ross Walker in "The Case of the Arrogant Arsonist."
Filmography
- 1967 Tammy and the Millionaire - Grundy Onyx Purewater Tate
- 1963 Savage Sam - Bud Searcy
- 1957 Old Yeller - Bud Searcy
- 1957 Johnny Tremain - James Otis
- 1956 Davy Crockett and the River Pirates - Mike Fink
- 1956 Westward Ho, the Wagons! - Hank Breckenridge
- 1956 The Great Locomotive Chase - William Campbell
- 1955 It's a Dog's Life - John L. Sullivan
- 1954 Demetrius and the Gladiators - Albus
- 1952 Kansas City Confidential - Captain McBride (uncredited)
- 1952 The Duel at Silver Creek - Abe Cooney (uncredited)
- 1951 The Lady Says No - Goose
- 1951 The Unknown Man - Jail Guard (uncredited)
- 1951 The Redhead and the Cowboy - Lt. Wylie (uncredited)
- 1950 Father of the Bride - Policeman (uncredited)
- 1950 The Asphalt Jungle - Policeman (uncredited)
- 1950 Surrender - Canning
- 1949 The Inspector General - Guard (uncredited)
- 1949 Samson and Delilah - Spectator at Temple (uncredited)
- 1948 The Paleface
- 1946 The Postman Always Rings Twice - Blair
- 1945 They Were Expendable - Ens. Tony Aiken
- 1942 Kid Glove Killer - Henchman (uncredited)
- 1942 Nazi Agent - Keeler (uncredited)
- 1940 Li'l Abner - Li'l Abner
- 1940 Terry and the Pirates - Pat Ryan
- 1938 Start Cheering - Student (uncredited)
- 1937 That Certain Woman - Reporter (uncredited)
- 1937 Kid Galahad - Reporter (uncredited)