BURT MUSTIN

February 8, 1884

Burton Hill Mustin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1884. Mustin graduated from Pennsylvania Military College with a degree in civil engineering, in 1903. He worked as an engineer but later decided to go into sales. In 1921, he became the first announcer for Pittsburgh’s then newly established KDKA radio station. He appeared in productions in the Pittsburgh Savoyards (a Gilbert and Sullivan troupe) and the Pittsburgh Opera. He was also a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, making his first trip to California in 1925 although he had no intention of having a film career. 

He didn’t make his screen debut until 1951, when he was 67 years old.  That year he was uncredited in The Last Outpost, Detective Story, and made his television debut in an episode of “The Adventures of Kit Carson.” 

From then on, he was never without work – mostly playing little old men on TV and films.  He first worked with Lucille Ball on “Main Street U.S.A.” (TLS S5;E17) the first of a two-part musical episode of “The Lucy Show” aired on January 23, 1967.  Mustin played Old Uncle Joe, the town of Bancroft’s resident checker-playing old codger.  

A week later, the second part was aired, titled “Lucy Puts Main Street on the Map” (TLS S5;E18).  Mustin repeated his role as Uncle Joe.  The character is supposedly 105 years old, although Mustin was a mere 82 at the time! 

On “Here’s Lucy” Mustin played Mr. Robertson, Juror #3, when “Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty” (HL S6;E9) aired on November 5, 1973.  

In 1974, Mustin played Uncle Jeff in Lucy’s Mame. Uncle Jeff was one of Beau’s relatives in the scene set on the Beauregard plantation. Lucille Benson and Ruth McDevitt played more of Mame’s soon-to-be in-laws. 

From 1953 to 1955, Mustin did five episode of “Our Miss Brooks”, filmed at Desilu, playing five different characters.  He did a 1956 episode of Desilu’s “December Bride” a 1963 episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, 5 episodes of “My Three Sons” (1962-70) and 14 episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-66, above), nearly all as Jud Fletcher – all filmed at Desilu Studios.  

In 1975 and 1976, Mustin had recurring roles on “Phyllis” and “All In the Family” but his final role was in the film Baker’s Hawk in 1976. 

Mustin married Frances Woods in 1915. The couple remained together for 54 years, until her death in 1969, and had no children.

On January 28, 1977, Mustin died, less than two weeks before his 93rd birthday.