Actor Dick York’s career took a dramatic turn after a severe on-set injury, leading him to a state of “financial and physical destitution,” according to an author. York, who rose to international fame playing Darrin Stephens in “Bewitched,” faced significant challenges in the years leading up to his death in 1992 at the age of 63. In celebration of the show’s 60th anniversary, a new documentary explores York’s life, his legacy, and the circumstances that forced him to relinquish his iconic role.
In the documentary, “The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery” and “Twitch Upon a Star” author Herbie J Pilato recounts the “very difficult” final years of York’s life. “Yes, Dick York was financially and physically destitute,” Pilato told Fox News. “He had no money left. His career had come to a halt. His health was deteriorating rapidly. There were no more acting opportunities. It was heartbreaking to witness.”
Pilato, who started as a fan and later became a friend, described York’s struggle: “He tried to stay positive, but he also knew he needed to earn a living. So, he ended up cleaning apartments to make ends meet.” York’s descent from being a star of one of television’s biggest shows to cleaning toilets was a humbling experience, one he never complained about, but it was a fate that should never have befallen him, according to Pilato.
York’s life began to crumble in 1959 during the filming of the Western movie “They Came to Cordura.” On the second to last day of production, while shooting a scene involving a railroad handcar, York was the only one who didn’t let go when the director called “cut,” causing the vehicle to fall on him. The resulting accident twisted his spine and tore the surrounding muscles. York, however, did not seek immediate medical attention and continued working through the pain for years.
Eventually, his spine discs failed, leaving him permanently hunched. “He never fully recovered from the pain,” Pilato said. “He missed 14 episodes of ‘Bewitched.’ What’s ‘Bewitched’ without Darren, without the central conflict of, ‘No honey, don’t do the magic?’” York became addicted to painkillers in the years following the accident and was heavily reliant on them by the time “Bewitched” premiered in 1964. Five years later, his career came to an abrupt end when, while filming an episode of “Bewitched,” York collapsed from the pain and suffered an epileptic seizure.
He never returned to the show, and his character was subsequently portrayed by Dick Sargent. “They had no choice but to replace him,” Pilato explained. “He felt terrible about it. He didn’t want to jeopardize the jobs of everyone working on the series.” York believed that if he had the summer of 1969 to fully recover, he might have been able to finish the show. Before his death, York described that day as “the worst day of my life.”
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