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Duke York

{{short description|American actor (1908–52)}}

{{distinguish|Duke of York}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Duke York

| image = DukeYork headshot.jpg

| caption = Duke York, mid-1940s

| birth_date = {{birth date|1908|10|17|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Danby, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1952|1|24|1908|10|17}}

| death_place = Hollywood, California, U.S.

| years_active = 1932–1952

| spouse = {{marriage|Frances Miles|1930|1941|end=div}}

| partner = Catherine Moench

| birth_name = Charles Everest Sinsabaugh

| othername = Duke Owl

}}

Duke York ({{ne}} Charles Everest Sinsabaugh; October 17, 1908{{spaced ndash}}January 24, 1952), was an American film actor and stuntman who appeared in nearly 160 films between 1932 and 1952. He was also known as Duke Owl.{{cite news |title=Couple to Wed Sunday Before Prologue Cast |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41632854/the_los_angeles_times/ |access-date=January 4, 2020 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=March 31, 1932 |location=California, Los Angeles |page=27|via = Newspapers.com}}

Early years

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Sinsabaugh,{{cite news |title=Five generations under one roof |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41574193/stargazette/ |access-date=January 3, 2020 |work=Star-Gazette |date=October 23, 1908 |location=New York, Elmira |page=5|via = Newspapers.com}} York was born in Danby, New York.

Career

Modern viewers will remember York for his portrayals of grotesque monsters, ape men, or other scary goon-like characters in Three Stooges short films such as Three Little Twirps, Idle Roomers, Three Pests in a Mess, Shivering Sherlocks, and Who Done It? His most prominent non-monster role was as Kelly in Higher Than a Kite. York also played the role of King Kala in the serial Flash Gordon.{{cite journal | last = Cappello | first = Bill | title = Duke York: A Brief Biography | journal = The Three Stooges Journal | issue = 63 | pages = 6–7, 14 | publisher = The Three Stooges Fan Club, Inc. | location = Gynedd Valley, Pennsylvania | date = Fall 1992 | url = https://threestooges.net/journal/view/63 | access-date = July 8, 2019}}

In the 1930s, York worked as a combination lifeguard and bodyguard for actress Ida Lupino.{{cite news |title=Lupino's Lifeguard in Bouncer's Role |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21500708/duke_york/ |work=Detroit Free Press |date=March 27, 1934 |location=Michigan, Detroit |page=18|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = July 2, 2018}} {{Open access}}

Personal life and death

In the 1930s, York married movie stuntwoman Frances Miles, but the union ended in divorce in 1941. Several years later, York was dating Beverly Hills brunette Catherine Moench. They planned to marry, but she called it off, saying that he was "quite jealous and had misunderstood various actions" of hers in the past. York eventually admitted to Moench that he was wrong, and wanted to get back together, but she refused.

On January 24, 1952, during a three-hour phone call to Moench, York threatened suicide several times stating he could not live without her. He then shot himself in the head while on the phone with Moench. His body was discovered by friend and fellow actor George Cleveland.{{cite news |title=Brunette Describes Duke York Suicide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21500217/duke_york/ |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=January 26, 1952 |location=California, Los Angeles |page=3|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = July 2, 2018}} {{Open access}}

Selected filmography

File:Idlerumors.jpg film Idle Roomers (1944).]]

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References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Portal|Biography}}

  • {{IMDb name|id=0948657|name=Duke York}}
  • {{Find a Grave|7939}}

{{ThreeStooges}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:York, Duke}}

Category:1908 births

Category:1952 deaths

Category:Suicides by firearm in California

Category:American male film actors

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:People from Tompkins County, New York

Category:Male actors from New York (state)

Category:1952 suicides