Skip Young (actor)

Ronald Bix Plumstead (March 14, 1930 – March 17, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for playing "Wally Plumstead" in the American sitcom television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet from 1957 to 1966.[2]

Skip Young
Young in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, 1962
Born
Ronald Bix Plumstead

(1930-03-14)March 14, 1930
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 17, 1993(1993-03-17) (aged 63)
Apple Valley, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm and television actor
Children1[1]

Life and career

Young was born in San Francisco, California.[1] He began his career at the age of four, in which he appeared in the 1934 short film No More West, having to appear with Bert Lahr.[1] Young later made his debut on television in 1952,[3] in which he originally acted on radio for eight years,[4] later winning the role of "Wally Plumstead" in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, staying and appearing on the television program on its ten seasons, in 1954.[1]

Young won the role of "Wally Plumstead", after being hired by Ozzie Nelson for the role.[5] Seeing his work in 1956 on the summer, with his performace on "McDonald's Farm" in Buena Park, California at the amusement park Knott's Berry Farm, in which Young played an town marshal, where he returned in a western town and also seeing the people turning into farm animals.[5] Alongside with him was Jack Hudson who played the role of "Tom", the town's marshal friend.[5] Young's character on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, was originally called as "Chubby", but then later became known as "Wally Plumstead", with his legal surname "Plumstead" at the end of the name.[5]

After the series ended in 1966, Young guest-starred in television programs, including, Green Acres, Custer, Adam-12, Starsky & Hutch and Growing Pains. He also appeared and co-starred in films, such as, A Cold Wind in August, WUSA and Lobster Man from Mars. In 1973, Young later moved to Apple Valley, California, where he lived near his only daughter.[3] He spended his life, as Young was a radio personality on a talk show in a radio station.[3] He was also a judge on beauty pageants[2] and chili cook-offs, with also Young participating on numerous community events.[3]

Death

Young died in March 1993 of natural causes, in which he also had complications of diabetes and a heart disease,[1] at his home in Apple Valley, California, at the age of 63.[6][4] He was buried in Riverside National Cemetery.[6]

References
  1. "'Ozzie and Harriet' Actor Dies at 63". The Deseret News. March 19, 1993. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  2. Associated Press (March 19, 1993). "Skip Young, Actor, 63". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  3. "Skip Young; Co-Starred in 'Ozzie & Harriet'". Los Angeles Times. March 21, 1993. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  4. Variety Staff (March 18, 1993). "Skip Young of 'Ozzie & Harriet' dies". Variety. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  5. Holmes, John (September 28, 2021). The Adventures of Ozzie Nelson: The Life and Career of America's Favorite Pop. McFarland. pp. 178–179. ISBN 9781476643694 – via Google Books.
  6. Wilson, Scott (August 22, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 834. ISBN 9780786479924 – via Google Books.
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