Alan Young, Wilbur on "Mister Ed," dead at 96

cnn.com ^ | 05/20/2016 | Steve Almasy

[massmike]

Alan Young, who played the hapless yet protective owner of a talking horse on the popular television comedy "Mister Ed," has died at age 96, according to officials at the Motion Picture & Television Home in Woodland Hills, California.

He died Thursday of natural causes with his children at his side, the organization said.

[kiryandil]

Neigh, Wilbur!

[Bubba Gump Shrimp]

There’s a guy I would have thought dead years ago, glad he lived a long life, always like Mr. Ed.

[Bobalu]

"The Time Machine" 1960

[daler]

Showing my age here...I remember him in the original “Time Machine.”

[ExNewsExSpook]

Ironically, those are the same “kids” who have been fighting over their father’s estate for several years, well before his final illness. Mr. Young had a long and successful career dating back to radio and film during Hollywood’s Golden Era. He deserved better.

[daler]

Ha! Beat me to it!

[clearcarbon]

Liked him best as Filby in The Time Machine". He performed well relative to fellow veteran character actors Sebastian Cabot and Whit Bissell

[daler]

Seemed a very decent fellow.

I'm certain he never listened to the "Mr. Ed" theme song backwards.

[greene66]

Aw, gee. I was hoping he might make it to 100. Never really cared much for “Mister Ed,” but I liked Young. Had a nice chat with him and his daughter one time at a Masquers Club event in Hollywood. I remember asking him about his 1940s radio-series, and some of the Armed Forces Radio Services discs of it that had survived. Seemed to be a pretty nice, affable guy.

[jonsie]

RIP

[The Antiyuppie]

That was a great movie in its time. The Time Machine itself, IMO, is the archetype of steampunk and as much an icon of science fiction as Robby the Robot and The Enterprise.

[silverleaf]

Oh Wilbur....
Rip

[mrsmith]

Co-starred with this filly AND lived to 96, died in bed with his family around him...

What a good life!

[Farmer Dean]

She was more attractive than Kim Kardasian could ever hope to be.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Connie Hines had it goin’ on!

[littleharbour]

They run episodes of the Allan Young Show on Radio Classics Sirius-XM. Clever and witty guy.

[Impala64ssa]

AWWW c’mon Wilbur, pleeese don’ send me to th’ glue factory!

[OrangeHoof]

In the first episodes of Mister Ed, producers "made the horse talk" by pulling clear wires attached to his lips. Before long, though, Ed figured out to move his lips and pretend to talk on a queue so he didn't need to wear those painful wires.

Obviously, he didn't supply the voice. He just needed to flap his lips when his trainer off-camera motioned him to do so.

[Shortstop7]

Sad news. Always loved Mr. Ed and Willllllllburrrrr!! Ridiculous show...but made me smile. As a young horse lover, I was fascinated.