Gig Young
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- November 4, 1913 in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, USA
- Died
- October 19, 1978
- Active Years
- 1940–2026 (87 Years)
- Total Credits
- 93 credits in database
Biography
Gig Young, born Byron Elsworth Barr on November 4, 1913 in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States, was an American male actor. Over a career that yielded ninety‑two credited performances, he was recognized for his work in film and television. Young received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in Come Fill the Cup (1952) and Teacher’s Pet (1959), and he won the award for his performance in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969). In addition to his birth name, he was sometimes credited simply as Byron. He died on October 19, 1978 at the age of 64.
Career overview
Gig Young, born Byron Elsworth Barr on November 4, 1913, in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, was an American actor whose career spanned several decades of film and television. He was credited under the name Byron as well as his stage name, and his body of work includes ninety‑two credited performances, reflecting a prolific presence in the industry. Young’s work was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on multiple occasions.
He received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Come Fill the Cup (1952) and again for Teacher’s Pet (1959). A decade later, his performance in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969) earned him the Oscar in the same category, marking the pinnacle of his critical acclaim. Throughout his career, Young was consistently listed under the “Acting” category in professional databases, underscoring his primary contribution to the medium.
Gig Young died on October 19, 1978 at the age of 64. His legacy endures through the extensive catalog of films and television programs in which he appeared, and his award‑winning and nominated roles continue to be cited as notable achievements in American cinematic history.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
93 titles- Elvis: A Life in Music (2026) as Self (archive footage)
- Remembering Gene Wilder (2024) as Self (archive photo/footage)
- The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration (2019) as Martin Sloan (archive footage)
- Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (2004) as Self (archive footage)
- Death In Hollywood (1990)
- Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies (1988) as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Bruce Lee, the Legend (1984) as Self
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Game of Death (1978) as Jim Marshall
- Spectre (1977) as Dr. Ham Hamilton
- Gibbsville (1976) as Ray Whitehead
- Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976) as Mortimer McGraw
- The Hindenburg (1975) as Edward Douglas
- The Killer Elite (1975) as Lawrence Weyburn
- The Turning Point of Jim Malloy (1975) as Ray Whitehead
- Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) as Quill
- The Great Ice Rip-Off (1974) as Harkey Rollins
- A Black Ribbon for Deborah (1974) as Ofenbauer
- The Neon Ceiling (1971) as Jones
- McCloud (1970)
- Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) as Hal Henderson
- They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) as Rocky Gravo
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- Companions in Nightmare (1968) as Eric Nicholson
- The Shuttered Room (1967) as Mike Kelton
- Hollywood Squares (1966) as Self
- Strange Bedfellows (1965) as Richard Bramwell
- Invisible Diplomats (1965) as Brad
- The Rogues (1964) as Tony Fleming
- The Hollywood Palace (1964) as Self
- Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963) as Hugo Myrich
- A Ticklish Affair (1963) as Key Weedon
- For Love or Money (1963) as Sonny Smith
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self (archive footage)
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Duke Marsden
- That Touch of Mink (1962) as Roger
- Kid Galahad (1962) as Willy Grogan
- Five Miles to Midnight (1962) as David Barnes
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Spiral Staircase (1961) as Stephen Warren
- Ninotchka (1960) as Leon Dolga
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Martin Sloan
- Ask Any Girl (1959) as Evan Doughton
- The Story on Page One (1959) as Larry Ellis
- Teacher's Pet (1958) as Dr. Hugo Pine
- The Tunnel of Love (1958) as Dick Pepper
- Desk Set (1957) as Mike Cutler
- The James Dean Story (1957) as Self
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Presenter
- Conflict (1956) as Self - Host
- The Desperate Hours (1955) as Chuck Wright
- Climax! (1954) as Edgar Holt
- Rear Window (1954) as Jeff's Editor (voice) (uncredited)
- Young at Heart (1954) as Alex Burke
- The Girl Who Had Everything (1953) as Vance Court
- City That Never Sleeps (1953) as Johnny Kelly
- Torch Song (1953) as Cliff Willard
- Arena (1953) as Hob Danvers
- Holiday for Sinners (1952) as Jason Kent
- You for Me (1952) as Dr. Jeff Chadwick
- Only the Valiant (1951) as Lt. William Holloway
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Jimmy Sampson
- Come Fill the Cup (1951) as Boyd Copeland
- Too Young to Kiss (1951) as John Tirsen
- Target Unknown (1951) as Capt. Reiner
- Slaughter Trail (1951) as Ike Vaughn aka Murray
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Tony Marino
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self
- Lux Video Theatre (1950)
- Hunt the Man Down (1950) as Paul Bennett
- Lust for Gold (1949) as Pete Thomas
- Tell It to the Judge (1949) as Alexander Darvac
- Studio One (1948) as Philip Adams / Alan Fredericks
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- The Three Musketeers (1948) as Porthos
- Wake of the Red Witch (1948) as Samuel 'Sam' Rosen
- The Woman in White (1948) as Walter Hartright
- Escape Me Never (1947) as Caryl Dubrok
- Air Force (1943) as Co-Pilot
- Old Acquaintance (1943) as Rudd Kendall
- Breakdowns of 1942 (1942) as Self
- The Male Animal (1942) as Student (uncredited)
- The Gay Sisters (1942) as Gig Young
- The Mad Martindales (1942) as Peter Varney (as Byron Barr)
- Sergeant York (1941) as Marching Soldier (uncredited)
- They Died with Their Boots On (1941) as Lt. Roberts (uncredited)
- Dive Bomber (1941) as Abbott - Guinea Pig 2 Experiment 32 (uncredited)
- You're in the Army Now (1941) as Soldier
- One Foot in Heaven (1941) as First Groom Asking for Dog Licence (uncredited)
- The Tanks Are Coming (1941) as Jim Allen
- Misbehaving Husbands (1940) as Floor Walker (as Byron Barr)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Gig Young best known for?
Gig Young is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Death In Hollywood (1990), Bruce Lee, the Legend (1984), Game of Death (1978), Monsturd (2003).
When and where was Gig Young born?
Gig Young was born on November 4, 1913 in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, USA. They passed away on October 19, 1978.
How many credits does Gig Young have?
Gig Young has accumulated over 93 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1940 to 2026.
What is Gig Young's background in cinema and television?
Gig Young, born Byron Elsworth Barr on November 4, 1913 in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States, was an American male actor. Over a career that yielded ninety‑two credited performances, he was recognized for his work in film and television. Young received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his...
Gig Young by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Martin Sloan — aged about 45
- Rear Window (1954) as Jeff's Editor (voice) (uncredited) — aged about 40
- The Rogues (1964) as Tony Fleming — aged about 50
- Bruce Lee, the Legend (1984) as Self — aged about 70
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Duke Marsden — aged about 48
- Hollywood Squares (1966) as Self — aged about 52
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