THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?

(Drama - PG/13)

Gig Young won his Supporting Oscar for playing the dissipated dance marathon emcee.

About Gig Young (1913 - 78)

Gig Young's real name was Byron Barr, but he changed it in 1942 after being given the role of Gig Young in the picture The Gay Sisters, which was his first prominant movie role.Young had wanted to change his name because there was another actor at the Warner Bros. Studio also named Byron Barr.

Gig Young developed his love of performing while in high school. After appearing in several high school plays and getting some experiance, Young got a scholarship to the Pasadena Community Playhouse.It was there, while starring in the play Pancho, that Young and co-star George Reeves were discovered by a Warner Bros. talent scout in 1941. They were both signed to supporting player contracts with the studio.

By the 1950's Gig Young really hit his stride and perfected playing the 'other man' characters in the era's cheeky sex comedies (he was nominated for playing just such a character in Teacher's Pet). But Young shocked audiences more than once with his acting depth. Gig Young got his first Oscar nomination for playing the role of an alcoholic in Come Fill the Cup (1951) and then later won the Oscar for another dramatic role in the 1969 film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Gig Young had a troubled personal life, married five times, three of the marriages ending in divorce, one widowed. In 1978, Young shot and killed his wife of three weeks, German actress Kim Schmidt, before killing himself.

Gig Young's Best Supporting nominations, are:

COME FILL THE CUP (51)
TEACHERS PET (58)

Gig Young's other films include:

MISBEHAVING HUSBANDS (1940)
THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON (1941)
THE GAY SISTERS (1942)
OLD ACQUAINTANCE (1943)
THE WOMAN IN WHITE (1948)
THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1948)
COME FILL THE CUP (1951)
YOUNG AT HEART (1954)
DESK SET (1957)
ASK ANY GIRL (1959)
THAT TOUCH OF MINK (1962)
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (1965)
LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS (1970)
THE HINDENBERG (1975)
THE KILLER ELITE (1975)
THE HINDENBURG (1975)
BRUCE LEE, THE LEGEND
GAME OF DEATH (1978)

Gig Young's television credits include:

WARNER BROTHERS PRESENTS (TV Series)
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1959)
THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1961)
THE ROGUES (64, series) (TV Series) 1964-1965
THE NEON CEILING (TV movie) (1971)
COMPANIONS IN NIGHTMARE (1968)
THE GREAT ICE RIP-OFF (1974)
THE TURNING POINT OF JIM MALLOY (TV Movie) (1975)
SHERLOCK HOLMES IN NEW YORK (1976)
GIBBSVILLE (TV Mini-Series) (1976-1977)
SPECTRE  (TV Movie) (1977)