Alan Young, RIP

Alan Young, veteran character actor, has passed.

Alan Young — who answered to the name “Willburrrrrrrrrrrrr” on Mister Ed, the wacky 1960s sitcom that revolved around a talking horse — has died. He was 96.

Young — who for six seasons played straight man to a golden palomino, a gelding who was named Bamboo Harvester — died Thursday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Home in Woodland Hills. He was there for more than four years.

Young himself was the voice of a talking bird, playing Scottish miser Scrooge McDuck (the uncle of Donald Duck and great uncle of Huey, Dewey and Louie) on the 1987-1990 syndicated series DuckTales. ...

Alan Young was a sturdy character actor and a top-notch vocal performer. He portrayed Hiram Flaversham in The Great Mouse Detective, and a bit later the long-running voice role of Scrooge McDuck (a character he first limned in the featurette Mickey's Christmas Carol. He did the part with an impeccable Scottish accent, but then he was born in Scotland so why not?

Mr. Young was prepared, professional and good-humored on Detective, and played his part well. His was a long life well lived. Condolences to the Young family.

Add On: Deadline memorializes Alan Young here.