Who Did Mark York Play in ‘The Office’?
Mark York appeared in multiple episodes of The Office. This is who the actor played and how he reacted to Steve Carell improvising in their scene together.
Actor, Mark York died at age 55
York died at the age of 55 on May 19, 2021, at Miami Valley Hospital. He had an unexpected illness, according to his obituary. He had paraplegia since 1988.
The actor worked in television on shows like CSI New York and 8 Simple Rules, according to IMDb. He also appeared in the movies Going All the Way, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Fighting Words, and Profile. One of his biggest roles was in The Office.
Who did Mark York play in ‘The Office’?
York played Billy Merchant in The Office. His first appearance was in the episode “The Injury” in season 2. Michael Scott (Carell) burns his foot on a George Foreman grill. The rest of the episode shows him trying to get his employees to help him and take the injury seriously.
Billy then has a meeting with the employees as the property’s manager. He wants to talk about the parking lot, but Michael interrupts him. Billy uses a wheelchair, so Michael asks about his experience being in a wheelchair to make a point about helping people with disabilities. But Michael repeatedly talks over Billy and undermines him. He also compares his injury to Billy’s disability.
“So Marcus said they really stuck to the script, him and Steve for this scene,” Angela Kinsey, who plays Angela Martin, said on the Office Ladies podcast. “But then Steve threw an improve at him.”
That improv led to how Billy leaves the scene. “So he said that Steve said, ‘Well, you know we have a lot in common.’ And then he says ‘I’m gonna stop you right there and leave.’ That’s all scripted. But then Steve improvised,” Kinsey said. “‘Who me?’” Jenna Fischer, who plays Pam Beesly said. “And Billy goes ‘No, me. Right now,’” Kinsey said.
Kinsey said York wasn’t ready for that, but he naturally reacted at the moment. The actors talked about how hard it was not to laugh in the scene. But the people in the front row, including Fischer and Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor, are seen breaking characters in that scene.
What is Billy Merchant’s last episode?
The actor also appeared in three more episodes. He’s seen in “Casino Night,” “Fun Run,” and his final appearance was “Dream Team.”
That episode showed Michael teaming up with Pam to create their own paper company. Michael talks to Billy about getting an office space. Billy offers the storage closet in Slough Avenue Business Park, and he sadly takes it.
