The Biography

John Otto "Buck" Young (April 12, 1920 – February 9, 2000) was an American actor who played the role as Sergeant Whipple on the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. TV series, and Deputy Joe Watson on The Andy Griffith Show. In 1944, during World War II, Young was drafted into the US Army Air Forces. He married actress Peggy Stewart in 1953 and had two children, Grey Young and Abigail Young who each acted in one film. He was the brother-in-law of Stewart's sister, Patricia O'Rourke, and her husband, Wayne Morris. In 1962, he appeared three times in James Arness's TV Western series Gunsmoke, playing “Carl” in S7E24’s “Coventry”, “Corporal Stone” in S7E27's “Wagon Girls” & “John” in S8E1’s “Call Me Dodie”. Buck Young took the part as Sgt Whipple in the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. TV series at the beginning of the show in 1964. He acted in a total of 95 films and the Gomer Pyle. U.S.M.C. series. Buck Young also played in Barnaby Jones in the episode titled “The Last Contract” (12/31/1974). Young died on February 9, 2000, in Los Angeles at age 79.