Frank Young was born Francis John Young, Jr., December 8, 1911 in Manhattan to Francis J. Young (1880-1913), a stockbroker and Irish immigrant, and Agnes Fox Young (born 1882), a native of Brooklyn. Raised in New York, Young attended Adelphi Academy and Manual Training High School and graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1934 with majors in journalism and English.
Young began his journalism career as a reporter for a Washington radio news service until he joined the United Press as a copy boy. In 1935 Young was transferred to UP's New York bureau, where he worked as a reporter, rewrite man, feature writer, and assistant night editor supervising the preparation and distribution of foreign and domestic news to clients. As a feature writer, Young specialized in theater, motion picture, and nightclub personalities. In 1940, he applied for a commission in the Naval Reserve, and in 1941 he was called to active duty in the Press Section of Radio and Cable Censorship in New York. He served as Night Watch Officer in charge of a field station, and later worked in the historical office of the Third Naval District until his discharge in February 1946.
Following the war, Young joined Jerry Devine Productions, where he handled publicity for two radio shows, Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre and This Is Your FBI. From November 1947 until February 1948, Young was an editor for the New York News, supervising preparation of news copy for radio station WNEW. From 1948 to 1950, Young was public relations manager of WPIX television station, where he created a publicity department, wrote promotional brochures and advertising copy, handled audience relations, and helped produce The Gloria Swanson Show, The Truex Family, Four Star Talent, and Broadway First Nights. In 1949 WPIX won the Billboard award for the best television press department in New York.
Young joined NBC in 1951 as director of the press department and public relations representative, and in 1954 he moved to Screen Gems, Inc. as press director. At Screen Gems, Young helped publicize all company activities and programs, including Father Knows Best, Ford Theatre, Rin Tin Tin, Damon Runyon Theatre, and Circus Boy. He was credited with orchestrating the great public opposition to the 1955 cancellation of Father Knows Best that led to the show's return. For a short time in 1957 Young was publicity director of National Telefilm Associates, Inc., where he developed the press campaign launching its unsuccessful “fourth network” of television stations. Next Young worked for Benton and Bowles, Inc., as television publicity supervisor for its wholly-owned subsidiary, General Public Relations, Inc. There, Young directed publicity for such shows as The Danny Thomas Show, Zane Grey Theatre, December Bride, The Loretta Young Show, and The Ann Sothern Show.
From 1960 to 1963, Young worked for Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp., parent company of WNEW radio and television stations, as assistant director of publicity and special events. Subsequently he joined McFadden, Strauss, Eddy, Irwin, and Goodman, as head of its New York television department, which served such clients as Lucille Ball, Van Heflin, George Peppard, Joseph Cotten, and Anthony Quinn.
Frank Young succumbed to throat cancer in 1968.
