Could modern medicine have healed Dick York's back condition - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 08-28-2018, 04:45 AM

Did he ever get surgery or any other treatments to help alleviate his back condition or did he just masked the problem with pain killers? I know that after he left Bewitched, he didn't get another acting job for roughly a good 10-15 years. And he only got two more jobs (after he presumably, got his pain killer addiction under control), a guest starring spot on Simon and Simon and a spot on Fantasy Island. I wonder if Dick York would've been able to keep his comeback going had he not fallen ill with emphysema?

tcr1701 · 08-29-2018, 09:39 PM

He did indeed mention that he did not get any kind of surgical or immediate treatment after the injury. Dick said he was young and thought he could just get through it. Over the years it got worse and that's when he needed pain pills- which was a common "fix" for things in the 1960s.

Dick also mentioned that he would have continued acting in the 1980s but there was some kind of mix-up with his agent and casting agents couldn't get in touch with him. But before that could be cleared up he and Joey moved to Michigan to care for an ailing relative and he retired from acting. Family came first.

Larry Tate · 08-30-2018, 11:05 AM

The reason his career ended was that due to his physical condition he was uninsurable and therefore unhireable.

All of this was not public knowledge but those in the industry knew about all of this.

He did make two appearances on TV in the 80's but then re injured his back and that was that.

By the time of Bewitched his condition had become arthritic and no longer treatable other then to simply manage his pain, if he had surgery after he was first injured .......??????.........well none of us are doctors.

08-28-2018, 04:45 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,496	Could modern medicine have healed Dick York's back condition Did he ever get surgery or any other treatments to help alleviate his back condition or did he just masked the problem with pain killers? I know that after he left Bewitched, he didn't get another acting job for roughly a good 10-15 years. And he only got two more jobs (after he presumably, got his pain killer addiction under control), a guest starring spot on Simon and Simon and a spot on Fantasy Island. I wonder if Dick York would've been able to keep his comeback going had he not fallen ill with emphysema?
	Last edited by TMC; 11-21-2025 at 04:20 AM.

08-29-2018, 09:39 PM	#2
tcr1701 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2012 Posts: 461	He did indeed mention that he did not get any kind of surgical or immediate treatment after the injury. Dick said he was young and thought he could just get through it. Over the years it got worse and that's when he needed pain pills- which was a common "fix" for things in the 1960s. Dick also mentioned that he would have continued acting in the 1980s but there was some kind of mix-up with his agent and casting agents couldn't get in touch with him. But before that could be cleared up he and Joey moved to Michigan to care for an ailing relative and he retired from acting. Family came first.

08-30-2018, 11:05 AM	#3
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	The reason his career ended was that due to his physical condition he was uninsurable and therefore unhireable. All of this was not public knowledge but those in the industry knew about all of this. He did make two appearances on TV in the 80's but then re injured his back and that was that. By the time of Bewitched his condition had become arthritic and no longer treatable other then to simply manage his pain, if he had surgery after he was first injured .......??????.........well none of us are doctors.