The gangly York is best remembered as the first and most frustrated "Darrin Stephens" on the long-running TV series Bewitched. He left the series in 1969 due to a chronic back ailment. He later founded Acting for Life, a private fund-raising effort for the homeless, which he managed from his home where he was bedridden with a degenerative spine injury.
York first injured his back while working on the 1959 film They Came to Cordura. At the age of 15, York was the star of the network radio program "That Brewster Boy" Buried at Plainfield Cemetery, Rockford, Kent County, Michigan. Moved to Michigan in the mid-80s to care for his wife's ill mother, and was diagnosed with emphysema shortly after. Was left impoverished in 1976 after a real estate investment failed, and was on welfare for a time. Started a charity called "Acting for Life". He spent most of his time on the telephone raising money for the homeless and getting people to donate food and clothing. He and his family suffered during the depression from starvation and loss of money. York said that what had inspired him to start his charity Acting for Life which helped the homeless. Special furniture was used on the set of Bewitched for him due to his back problems. Other cast and crew members also helped him get around on the set. He had to leave the show when he suddenly collapsed one day on the set in 1969.