Alex Carson
David White is a television actor famous for portraying the character of Larry Tate on the series Bewitched. David portrayed the character over the course of the beloved series’ entire run, and also had success outside of the show acting in both films and other television series. Sadly, despite David’s success as an actor, his life fills with tragedies. Join Facts Verse as we take a look at how Bewitched star David White died in seclusion after years of suffering.
David White In United States Marine Corps
David White was born in Denver, Colorado, on April 4, 1916. While he was still young, David’s family moved to a borough in Philadelphia by the name of Phoenixville. After graduating high school, David moved to California with the dream of becoming an actor. He began attending school at Los Angeles City College. When he isn’t studying, David is in honing his acting skills at the Pasadena Playhouse.
When World War II came around, David White took a break from pursuing his dreams to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Following his time in service, David went to New York City and managed to secure a role on Broadway. The aspiring actor made his debut on the Broadway stage in 1949, acting in a play by the name of Leaf and Bough. David’s big break on Broadway paved the way for the future star to break into television, with him making various notable television appearances over the course of his career both before and after his tenure as Larry Tate on Bewitched.
Some of the many television series that David White made appearances on before joining the cast of Bewitched include One Step Beyond and Perry Mason. David played a cop on the former series, while he played two separate characters on two different episodes of the latter show. The first episode of Perry Mason that David appears in, “The Case of the Madcap Modiste”, premiers in 1960. In it, he plays a character by the name of Henry De Garmo.
“The Case Of The Witless Witness”
Several years later, David played an antagonistic newspaper editor by the name of Victor Kendall in a subsequent Perry Mason episode, this time by the name of “The Case of the Witless Witness”. Another show that David appeared in two episodes of was The Twilight Zone, with him playing the character of Detective Burr in an episode by the name of “An Out for Oscar” and a character by the name of Lance Hawthorn in “The Dark Pool”. The many other television series that the actor appeared in before his breakout turn in Bewitched include The Fugitive, Peter Gunn, Mission: Impossible, My Favorite Martian, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Bonanza.
While most of David White’s most memorable work was on television, the actor also appeared in films several times over the course of his career. Before joining the cast of Bewitched, he can saw in the films Sweet Smell of Success, The Apartment, and Sunrise at Campobello. It is in 1964 that David plays in the role of Larry Tate. Of course, Larry Tate is the boss of the main character Darrin Stephens on the series Bewitched. While two different actors played Darrin over the course of Bewitched’s run, David White played Larry Tate the entire time.
Darrin Stephens On Bewithed
Both of the actors who play Darrin Stephens on Bewitched were named Dick. The first is actor Dick York, who replaces by actor Dick Sargent later on in the series run. Besides Dick York, Dick Sargent, and David White, Bewitched also starred Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, and Paul Lynde. Elizabeth Montgomery was the true star of the series, portraying the character of Samantha Stephens. In the series, Samantha was a witch trying to hide her supernatural powers to fit into the world of her mortal human husband. Agnes Moorehead played the character of Samantha’s mother, while Paul Lynde played the fan-favorite character of Uncle Arthur.
Later on in the show’s run, a new cast member adds in the form of Erin Murphy. When couple Samantha and Darrin receive a child, Erin Murphy is the child actor role with playing their new daughter. Of all the show’s main cast members, Erin Murphy is the only one that is still around. She appeared in 103 episodes, while David White portrayed the character of Larry Tate in a total of 191 episodes.
Bewitched From 1964 To 1972
There are 254 episodes of Bewitched, meaning that both David and Erin with a relatively large presence on the series over the course of its run. However, few characters remain quite as iconic as Larry Tate. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! Also, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
While the character of Larry Tate won audiences over with his comical bad behavior, David White couldn’t have been a nicer person! David claimed that he wouldn’t have been able to get his gig on the series if he had been as rude of a person as Larry Tate, though the actor certainly did a good job performing in the role. Bewitched lasted from 1964 to 1972, during which time filming of the program was actor David White’s main focus. After the series came to an end, the actor continued performing in the entertainment industry for well over a decade before his life turned tragic towards it’s end. Following the end of Bewitched, some of the many television series that David could be seen making subsequent guest appearances on include The Rockford Files, The Love Boat, The Odd Couple, and Dallas.
Besides continuing to star in live-action television, David White also did some voiceover work in the late 1970s. He could be heard performing the role of J. Jonah Jameson in the pilot for the 1977 animated series The Amazing Spider-Man. He also continued his sporadic film career after Bewitched’s end, appearing in the film Snowball Express the same year that the series came to an end, and the comedy film The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington in 1977.
David White In “Dynasty”
With a decades-spanning career behind him, David White made his very last acting appearance in a 1986 episode of the show Dynasty. A few years later, tragedy would strike when the star lost his son in a notable terrorist attack. David was married two times over the course of his life, with his first wife being a notable Broadway actress by the name of Mary Welch. Mary was quite the Broadway star over the course of the 1950s, having made her debut in a 1944 production of Little Women. She also acted in films, having debuted on the medium with the 1952 feature Park Row.
Sadly, David White and Mary Welch’s marriage ended up proving short-lived, and for all the wrong reasons. Three years into their marriage, the two welcomed a son into their lives. However, while Mary was pregnant with the couple’s second child, she sadly passed away as a result of complications with her blood. Mary’s death was arduous, with the esteemed actress suffering for weeks in the hospital before eventually succumbing to her struggle.
The Death Of His First Wife, Mary Welch
Upon the death of first wife Mary Welch, David White found himself a single father to son Jonathan. However, the death of Mary Welch wouldn’t be David’s only brush with familial tragedy. Despite the massive impact that the death of his first wife had on him emotionally, David remarried only a year after the event. David’s second wife was a woman by the name of Lisa Figus, who was also an actress. Lisa appeared on The Rockford Files, and could also be seen in several episodes of General Hospital. After the two tied the knot, they remained married until David’s 1990 death. Lisa herself went on to live until 2017, passing away at the age of 93. However, her lasting acting credit was in a 1994 episode of the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.
With his new wife Lisa, David White likely thought that he’d carved out a nice future for himself. However, things took a dark turn when a second familial tragedy came crashing down upon the star. In 1988, Jonathan White passed away in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. The notable terrorist bombing occurred on December 21 of that year, and killed 270 people. The event, occurring over Scotland, instantly became known as the most devastating terrorist attack to have ever occurred in the United Kingdom.
The Death Of His Son In 1988
After the death of his son in 1988, David White was devastated. He went into a period of seclusion, and this period of seclusion ended with the actor dying of a heart attack in 1990. The actor’s death occurred just days before the second anniversary of his son’s death. David’s second wife and their daughter survived him. David White had always had an incredibly close bond with his son, especially considering the fact that Mary Welch had passed away while attempting to give birth to their second child. They both bonded over the loss of the woman, and David likely felt as if he had let Mary down when Jonathan passed away himself.
At the time of David White’s death, the beloved television star was 74 years old. He was cremated, and his remains are currently at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Before his death, David White shared some of his favorite episodes of Bewitched. According to the actor, his favorite scene was in the fourth season episode “Toys in Babeland”, which saw the character of Larry Tate sharing a drink with a life-size toy come to life. Although David had plenty of other roles, he remains best know for playing Larry Tate.
Despite the success that David White managed to find on television, he sadly had a personal life filled with tragedy. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that Bewitched star David White’s son passed away in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, and that the actor himself passed away from a heart attack not long after? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!
