Young had a cameo in “Beverly Hills Cop III” (1994) reportedly at the behest of the film’s star, Eddie Murphy, a “Mister Ed” fan.
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His manager of 30 years, Gene Yusem, said that the actor died earlier this week at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, a Los Angeles retirement home specifically for veterans of the movie and TV industry.
Alan Young, the Canadian-English actor best known as Wilbur on CBS’ 1960s talking horse sitcom Mister Ed who also provided the voice behind Disney’s Scrooge McDuck for more than three decades, died Thursday at 96. The show, which also aired in the USA, led to an invitation to perform on American radio, where he had his “Alan Young Radio Show” from 1944-49.
Young with actress Connie Hines, who starred as his wife on “Mr. Ed.” The show later made the jump to television, debuting on CBS as a variety and sketch show in 1950. “That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed”. Eventually, the nylon strip was removed, and Mr. Ed learned to move his lips only after Mr.
Young also voiced Scrooge McDuck and numerous other animated characters, as well as guesting on dozens of TV shows.
He went on to appear in a series of films, in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, including “Mr. Belvedere Goes to College”, “Gentlemen Marry Brunettes” and “The Time Machine”. He was widely reported not to have let his financial success go to his head, instead underplaying his contribution to the show.
Young told the newspaper that Wilbur Post was bumbling while Mister Ed was wily.
The family moved to Canada when he was a child, and he began entertaining in Vancouver when he was 13.
Young was a Christian Scientist from his teen years.
In 1940, Young married Mary Anne Grimes and had a daughter, Alana, and a son, Alan Jr.
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Donations in his name can be made to the Motion Picture & Television Fund and to Y.E.S.
