Gig Young

Gig Young was born Byron Barr to parents John and Emma Barr in Minnesota, and raised in Washington, DC, where he developed a passion for theatre while appearing in high school plays. After gaining some amateur experience, he applied for and received a scholarship to the acclaimed Southern California's Pasadena Community Playhouse. While acting in "Pancho", a south-of-the-border play by Lowell Barrington, he was spotted by a Warner Brothers talent scout, leading to his signing contracts with the studio. Still acting under his given name, Byron Barr, he played bits and extra roles. He experimented with varying screen names because there was already another actor with the same name (see Byron Barr). In 1942, in the picture The Gay Sisters (1942), he was given the role of a character whose name was Gig Young, which he liked well enough to finally adopt it as his permanent stage name.

His intermittent roles and, therefore, income, required Young to supplement his income working at a gas station, but success in The Gay Sisters (1942) eventually allowed him the freedom to become a full-time actor. Although service in the U. S. Coast Guard during World War II interrupted his ascension, after discharge he quickly established himself as a reliable light leading man, usually the second male lead to stars who were established box office draws.

After not renewing his Warners Bros. contract in 1948, he subsequently signed with Columbia but was unhappy with their unfulfilled promises, and kept rejecting roles until he wore out his welcome there.

A dramatic part in Come Fill the Cup (1951) resulted in his being nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar; a second Supporting Actor nomination followed seven years later for his comedic performance in Teacher's Pet (1958). A prolific television career later complemented his film work.

Co-starred with Doris Day in 4 films: Young at Heart (1954), Teacher's Pet (1958), The Tunnel of Love (1958), and That Touch of Mink (1962).

Gig Young, in the "Studio One in Hollywood" production of "A Dead Ringer" (aired 10 March 1958), when arrested for killing his spouse, delivers the final line: "Do I look like a man that would murder his own wife?" On 19 October 1978, Gig Young did just that in life, shooting and killing Kim Schmidt, his bride of twenty-two days before turning the weapon on himself. A further note of dark irony is their meeting during the filming of "Game of Death," on which Ms. Schmidt was script supervisor. Moreover, Mr. Young's career must ever be concluded with the foreboding title, "Game of Death.".

First wife, Sheila Stapler, was an actress. His second wife, Sophia Rosenstein, was a drama coach he met while she was working at Warner Brothers and who died a little over a year later from cancer. Divorced also from actress Elizabeth Montgomery before her Bewitched (1964) fame. He had his only child, Jennifer Young, (born in 1964), from his fourth marriage to Elaine Young, a Realtor and sometime performer.

In 1969, his surprisingly seedy portrayal of a dance-marathon emcee in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) finally brought him that Supporting Actor Oscar. A succession of marriages, including one to actress Elizabeth Montgomery, failed.

Cast in Blazing Saddles (1974) as the Waco Kid. Replaced by Mel Brooks with Gene Wilder shortly after filming began because the alcoholic Young was suffering from delirium tremens on the set.

Was originally cast as the voice of Charles Townsend for the TV Series Charlie's Angels (1976), but was too drunk to record his lines and was replaced at the last minute by John Forsythe.

Dreaming of a comeback on Broadway, Young had recently appeared in a Canadian tour of the play "Nobody Loves an Albatross" by Ronald Alexander before his October 19, 1978 suicide.

Portrayed by Steve Hughes in James Dean: Race with Destiny (1997).

Once romantically involved with fellow alcoholic Elaine Stritch. Their destructive relationship is poignantly discussed in Elaine's Tony-winning one-woman show Elaine Stritch at Liberty (2002). He met actress Elizabeth Montgomery shortly after their aborted engagement.