{{Short description|American actor (1965–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Mark York | image = Marcus A. York.png | image_size = 220 | alt = A middle-aged man smiling towards the camera | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{birth date|1965|11|27}} | birth_place = Arcanum, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|5|19|1965|11|27}} | death_place = Dayton, Ohio, U.S. | other_names = Marcus A. York | occupation = Actor | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Mark York''' (November 27, 1965 – May 19, 2021), also known as '''Marcus A. York''', was an American actor best known for his role as Billy Merchant in NBC's ''The Office''. He also had roles in ''CSI: NY'', ''8 Simple Rules'', and ''A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' (2001).
==Early life== Mark York, also known as Marcus A. York, was born on November 27, 1965, in Arcanum, Ohio.<ref name="Fox" /><ref name="Independent dn" /><ref name="NYT obit" /> He was raised in Ohio and graduated from Arcanum High School in 1986.<ref name="RT obit" /><ref name="Correction 2010" /> In 1993, he was accepted into Anderson University in Indiana.<ref name="Huffman 2010" /> While attending university, he appeared as an extra in the film ''Going All the Way'' (1997).<ref name="Burroughs 2006" /> He graduated in 1997 with three majors in psychology, sociology, and social work.<ref name="Huffman 2010" /> In July 1999, York moved to Hollywood, California to pursue an acting career.<ref name="Complex dn" /><ref name="Independent dn" /><ref name="RT obit" /><ref name="Huffman 2010" />
==Career== York was best known for his role as Billy Merchant, the no-nonsense building manager for the Scranton business park, in NBC's ''The Office'' and appeared in four episodes.<ref name="Complex dn" /><ref name="People 2010" /><ref name="NYT obit" /> He first played Merchant in the twelfth episode of the second season entitled "The Injury", and later reprised the role in that season's finale episode "Casino Night".<ref name="RT obit" /> After his portrayal of the character, York received several positive fan letters, who praised his performance as the straight man in a hectic work environment.<ref name="People 2010" /> He reprised the role in two further episodes: "Fun Run" and "Dream Team".<ref name="RT obit" /><ref name="e online" />
York also had roles in ''CSI: NY'', ''8 Simple Rules'', ''Passions'', ''Mind of Mencia'', ''Six Feet Under'' and an uncredited appearance in ''A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' (2001).<ref name="RT obit" /><ref name="Independent dn" /><ref name="Huffman 2010" /><ref name="NYT obit" /><ref name="Burroughs 2003" /> He has appeared in independent films such as ''A Man in the Dark'', ''An Unchanged Melody'', and ''Wounded Rose'', along with television advertisements for companies like AT&T and Verizon.<ref name="Burroughs 2003" />
York spoke of the need for more acting roles for people in wheelchairs. "If they're not in the script, the casting director doesn't have balls enough to cast someone in a wheel chair," he said. "It's a character type that's not written for a lot, and they don't reflect true America – 20 percent of Americans have one or more disabilities, but yet 0.05 percent speaking roles on television reflect that community."<ref name="Cotton 2010" />
==Personal life== From 1988 until his death, York had been a paraplegic and used a wheelchair due to an automobile accident.<ref name="RT obit" /><ref name="People 2010" /> He said of the accident, "I reached in my back seat for my gym bag and, with my left hand, inadvertently pulled up on the steering wheel too much." He had been driving 60 miles per hour, and his car hit a ditch, flipped, and landed in a cornfield.<ref name="Burroughs 2003" /> He was an avid sports fan supporting the Cincinnati Reds, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Kentucky Wildcats.<ref name="people mag" /> York served as the Southern California representative for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Research Advancement, to help find a cure for spinal cord injuries with non-embryonic stem cells.<ref name="People 2010" /> In January 2010, he and Will Ambler, founder of the organization, met with Kareem Dale, then Barack Obama's special assistant for disability policy and proposed changes surrounding such policy.<ref name="NYT obit" />
He died on May 19, 2021, aged 55, at Miami Valley Hospital, Ohio, due to "a brief and unexpected illness".<ref name="Independent dn" /> Montgomery County coroner's office said he died of natural causes.<ref name="NYT obit" /> Fellow ''The Office'' actors Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, and Angela Kinsey paid tribute.<ref name="RT obit" /> He was survived by his mother, father, and his three brothers.<ref name="Variety dn" />
==Filmography== ===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+ {{sronly|List of television roles}} !scope="col"|Year !scope="col"|Title !scope="col"|Role(s) !scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes !scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row" |2004 |''8 Simple Rules'' |Construction Guy |Episode: "Daddy's Girl" |style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="RT obit" /> |- ! scope="row"|2006–2009 |''The Office'' |Billy Merchant |Four episodes: "The Injury", "Casino Night", "Fun Run", "Dream Team" |style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="NYT obit" /> |- ! scope="row" |2006 |''CSI: NY'' |Richard Keith |Episode: "Love Run Cold" |style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="RT obit" /> |}
===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+ {{sronly|List of film roles}} !scope="col"|Year !scope="col"|Title !scope="col"|Role(s) !scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes !scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row"|1997 |''Going All the Way'' |Soldier with Tom |Uncredited |style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="Burroughs 2006" /> |- ! scope="row"|2001 |''A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' |Flesh Fair |Uncredited |style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="RT obit" /> |- ! scope="row"|2007 |''Fighting Words'' |Big Al | |style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/the-office-actor-mark-york-dies-at-55/AV2WDPD2ZBGQ3NATKGH7XQP5OU/|title='The Office' actor Mark York dies at 55|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |last1=Service |first1=Tribune News }}</ref> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Burroughs 2003">{{Cite news|last=Burroughs|first=Virginia|date=October 30, 2003|title=Actor treasures his Miami Valley roots|page=12|work=Dayton Daily News|location=Dayton, Ohio|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78298454/marcus-a-york-article-2003/|access-date=May 26, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525165020/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78298454/marcus-a-york-article-2003/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Burroughs 2006">{{Cite news|last=Burroughs|first=Virginia|date=January 8, 2006|title=Disability hasn't slowed success of Marcus A. York|page=51|work=Dayton Daily News|location=Dayton, Ohio|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78298606/marcus-a-york-article-2006/|access-date=May 26, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525165020/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78298606/marcus-a-york-article-2006/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Huffman 2010">{{Cite news|last=Huffman|first=Dale|date=August 8, 2010|title='Office actor supports spinal cord injury research|page=52|work=Dayton Daily News|location=Dayton, Ohio|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78298700/marcus-a-york-article-2010/|access-date=May 26, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525165018/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78298700/marcus-a-york-article-2010/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Correction 2010">{{Cite news|date=August 10, 2010|title=Corrections|page=2|work=Dayton Daily News|location=Dayton, Ohio|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78366122/marcus-a-york-correction/|access-date=May 26, 2021|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=May 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526185517/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78366122/marcus-a-york-correction/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Cotton 2010">{{cite news|last=Cotton|first=Karen|title=Win a trip to Hollywood and the set of "The Office" - Marcus A. York, a recurring actor on the show, is offering fans a chance to visit the set for a good cause|work=Wyoming Tribune Eagle|date=August 23, 2010|page=D1}}</ref>
<ref name="People 2010">{{cite magazine|last=Benet|first=Lorenzo|title=The Office Star's Own Health-Care Reform Mission|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20351156,00.html|magazine=People|access-date=June 16, 2012|date=March 14, 2010|archive-date=November 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120204714/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20351156,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!-- DNs/ obits -->
<ref name="RT obit">{{Cite web|title=The Office stars pay tribute to Billy Merchant actor Mark York following his death aged 55|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/mark-york-dead-the-office-tributes-newsupdate/|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=Radio Times|language=en|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525150010/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/mark-york-dead-the-office-tributes-newsupdate/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Complex dn">{{Cite web|title=Mark York, Known for Billy Merchant Role on 'The Office,' Dead at 55|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/mark-york-known-role-the-office-billy-merchant-dead|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=Complex|language=en|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525150045/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/mark-york-known-role-the-office-billy-merchant-dead|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Independent dn">{{Cite web|date=May 25, 2021|title='The Office' actor Mark York dies aged 55|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/mark-york-the-office-dead-billy-merchant-b1853227.html|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=The Independent|language=en|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525145852/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/mark-york-the-office-dead-billy-merchant-b1853227.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Fox">{{Cite web|last=Young|first=Julius|date=May 24, 2021|title='The Office' actor, Marcus A. York, dead at 55|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/the-office-actor-mark-york-dead|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=Fox News|language=en-US|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525005509/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/the-office-actor-mark-york-dead|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Variety dn">{{Cite web|last1=Ferme|first1=Antonio|date=May 25, 2021|title=Mark York, Who Played Billy Merchant in 'The Office,' Dies at 55|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/mark-york-dead-the-office-billy-merchant-1234980718/|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525082114/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/mark-york-dead-the-office-billy-merchant-1234980718/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="e online">{{Cite web|date=May 25, 2021|title=The Office Actor Mark York Dead at 55|url=https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1273171/the-office-actor-mark-york-dead-at-55|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=E! Online|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525145854/https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1273171/the-office-actor-mark-york-dead-at-55|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="people mag">{{Cite web|title=Mark York, Known for His Role as Billy Merchant on The Office, Dead at 55|url=https://people.com/tv/mark-york-dead-the-office-billy-merchant/|access-date=May 25, 2021|website=People|language=en|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525150013/https://people.com/tv/mark-york-dead-the-office-billy-merchant/|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="NYT obit">{{Cite web|last=Jett|first=Jennifer|date=May 25, 2021|title=Mark York, Actor on 'The Office,' Dies at 55|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/arts/mark-york-dead.html|url-status=live|access-date=May 26, 2021|website=The New York Times|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525231717/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/arts/mark-york-dead.html}}</ref>
}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|1328495}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:York, Mark}} Category:1965 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Male actors from Ohio Category:Anderson University (Indiana) alumni Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male television actors Category:People with paraplegia