Alan Young, star of 1960s sitcom 'Mr. Ed,' dies at 96

Friday, May 20, 2016
Alan Young, who played straight man to a talking horse in the 1960s sitcom "Mister Ed," has died.

Jaime Larkin, a spokeswoman for the Motion Picture and Television Home in Los Angeles, says that Young died Thursday. He was 96.
[Ads /]
"Mister Ed" premiered in 1961 and ran for four seasons. It was one of a rash of sitcoms in that era with elements of fantasy that included a visiting Martian, a witch married to a mortal and a talking car.

Young was already a well-known radio and TV comedian when he landed the role. He supposedly got the part after someone said he "looks like the kind of guy a horse would talk to."

IN MEMORIAM: Celebrities and notable figures who have recently passed away

Copyright © 2026 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.