Among the many names that come to mind when we think of Hollywood legends, this is one that doesn't get heard too often, but should be, for he was not only a fantastic actor, he was a great humanitarian and an all around super-nice guy. His name was Dick York and most of you reading this will remember him as the first Darrin on Bewitched.

Toadily Toads wishes to honor Dick York with our prestigeous new award we call, "The Toadily Toads Earthian Award".

Now you might be wondering what Mr. York might have done to help toads and be honored here on this site. Well, while I am sure he would have been as kind to a toad as he was to all beings, this virtual award is for people who did some real good in the world. By making the world a better place, in any way, we believe you deserve recognition (and I can make a connection, sort of off-handedly in this case).

There are tons of surplus items laying around in warehouses all over the country. Blankets, coats, clothes, food and much more, much of which are in army surplus warehouses. Now think of all the chemicals and pollution involved in manufacturing the items, but then to store them in a warehouse while they do no one any good? Its a disgrace. If you're going to pollute the air and water in manufacturing, at least have the decency to be sure the surplus is used well. Dick York worked to get lots of supplies out of warehouses and to the homeless and poverty stricken people of this country and he did it while strapped to an oxygen tank, literally dying.

Mr. York was only 63 years old when he died in February of 1992 of emphysema caused by cigarette smoking, but during his life he helped many people in different ways. So how did he help toads? Well, by helping to get food, clothing, coats (and much more) to the people that really needed that stuff, he helped to at least justify the pollution made during the making of those items. That pollution destroys ponds and streams where toads come to breed and causes amphibians to be born deformed as a result of the exposure. Ok, so that is really indirect, but do I really need to justify choosing Dick York as one of our Toadily Toads Earthian Award recipients? In our book, anyone who does good works and makes the world a better place, even if for just one person, (much less thousands), deserves from us a big TWO FLIPPERS UP!!!!!!!!!

So here's to Richard Allen York. One man who helped so many with nothing more than a telephone in the pre-internet era. Here's to a great person who believed in good karma and the power of everyone of us to make changes that would benefit others. We thank him for his efforts and his love. The world should be filled with such loving, selfless people and it would be a really great place to live. Everytime I see him on Bewitched I get teary at first, but then I thank him again for the timeless laughs he gave the world, too, because that is also a gift to mankind. We love you, Dick York.