David Roberts Young (November 4, 1911 – November 3, 1969)[1][2] was an American director, producer and actor, in radio and on the stage, known as the longtime director of Family Theater.[3]
In September 1936, Young was promoted from chief announcer to program director and production manager at Don Lee's KGB in San Diego,[7] where he remained until March 1939, when he succeeded Z. Wayne Griffin as continuity editor for Lee's L.A. station, KHJ.[8] In 1942, he was promoted to production manager for the entire Don Lee Network.[9]
In 1947, Young replaced Mel Williamson as director on Family Theater.[10] He continued in that capacity through May 1949, reappearing only sporadically and infrequently over the following five years.[11]
Young's roles in other radio programs can be seen in the table below.
On New Year's Day, 1940, Young and fellow KHJ staffer Eddie Albright co-hosted and narrated what was reported to be the first-ever live telecast of the Tournament of Roses Pageant on W6XAO.[38] On June 27, 1949, Young produced West View Review, a star-studded 90-minute fund-raiser—hosted by Garry Moore and featuring, among others, Ella Fitzgerald, Kay Kyser, Benny Carter and Dorothy Dandridge—airing on KTLA, in support of a proposed like-named interracial hospital,[39][40] to be constructed at 5334 South Main Street in Los Angeles.[41]
Miscellany
On February 15, 1939, Young was the guest speaker at the San Diego branch of the League of American Pen Women. His talk stressed the importance of playwrights keeping their characters clearly delineated and of always reading aloud one's own work beforehand to ensure that no dialogue prove unduly difficult to voice.[42]
Honors
In June 1949, at the 20th annual commencement exercises of the Pasadena Playhouse School, Ernest A. Batchelder, chairman of the school's board of directors, presented Young with the Fannie E. Morrison Award "for having achieved special distinction in his career in the world of theater." It was also noted that "his achievement in radio has been through his own persistence and hard work."[43]
Personal life and death
Young was married twice: from February 27, 1936 until their divorce in October 1966, to fellow thespian—and occasional co-star—Vivian M. Merrill,[44][45][13][46] and from 1968 until his death, to Dorothy M. Dodge.[47][48] The first marriage produced a daughter, Janis, and son, David Ross Young.[49][50]
On November 3, 1969, one day before his 58th birthday, Young died of undisclosed causes in San Diego, California.[48] The following year, David Ross Young, then a graduate student at Scripps Institute of Oceanography,[51] dedicated his dissertation to his father's memory.[52]
References
^"California, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGF9-WFGH : Sun Mar 10 07:01:57 UTC 2024), Entry for David Roberts Young and Vivian Merrill Young, 16 October 1940.
^"California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHC-KQ3 : 26 November 2014), David R Young, 03 Nov 1969; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
^"Late Personal and News Notes". Broadcasting. March 15, 1939. p. 82. ProQuest1014927671. David Young, for more than two years program director of KGB, San Diego, Cal., has been appointed continuity editor of the Don Lee Broadcasting System. He succeeds C. Wayne Griffin, who resigned in March to join the Hollywood staff of BBDO.
^Willen, Jac (September 9, 1942) "Los Angeles". Radio Daily. p. 4.
^"Production". Broadcasting. September 1, 1947. p. 56.
^Owen (July 8, 1939). "Program Reviews: 'Hollywood Laff'n Swing Club'". The Billboard. p. 10. ProQuest1032190372. Produced by David R. Young, the half hour moves swiftly from the opening gun to the close. Others who contribute are Charlie Lung, Jack Dorrance and Virginia Gregg, of the Swinging Strings.
^"War Program Ideas: 'We Pay You' Quiz". Radio Daily. November 18, 1942. p. 5. "New quiz show entitled 'We Pay You' will have its premiere on KHJ, Los Angeles today and will be heard weekly thereafter from the stages of the Independent Theater Group with patrons of the theaters contesting for cash prizes. Jack Bailey and Dave Young will be co-emcees on the broadcasts. The program was placed through the Allied Advertising Agency and extends through next February 10."
^"Radio Reviews: Follow-up Comment". Variety. March 31, 1948. p. 28. ProQuest1285924528. Rev. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., impresario of 'The Family Hour,' provided for the faithful on MBS Sunday afternoon (28) an hour of Easter service that was even better than his reverential event of last Christmas Eve. This session was as star-loaded as the previous one, but the music itself seemed to have a superior tonal and emotional appeal. [...] David Young's direction was faultlessly smooth.
^"Betrothed Maid". The Daily Herald (Utah)|The Daily Herald. September 13, 1936. p. 5.
^"California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPYW-WKV : 27 November 2014), Vivian Merrill and David R Young, Oct 1966; from "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Orange, California, Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.
^ ab"United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPBZ-HGW9 : Thu Mar 07 21:55:51 UTC 2024), Entry for David R Young and Dorothy, 6 November 1969.
Owen (May 20, 1934). "Show Given as Benefit at Coronado: Crippled Children's Pool Fund Aided by Debs". Los Angeles Times. p. B1. ProQuest163203155. The melodrama, 'The Drunkard,' was revived by the Barn Players, who gave a performance in the ballroom of Hotel del Coronado Saturday evening for the benefit of crippled children's pool fund. David R. Young of Coronado was seen in a leading role. The performance was sponsored by a group of debutantes, including Misses Barbara Schumann-Heink, Elsie Moon, Barbara Davis, Jane Henley, Kathleen fitch, Theodora Cameron and Perram Green.