Washburn started his career singing on local radio in San Francisco. During the
Korean War, he served in the
United States Army at
Fort Ord, where he entertained soldiers three to four times a day. That summer, he also performed the roles of Carl Van Dam in
The Red Mill and Jack Negley in
My Maryland. A
Sacramento Bee review of
Fanny at San Francisco's
Curran Theatre called Washburn "a strong and handsome actor with an impressive tenor voice who ought to go very far in the musical theater". In 1963, Washburn appeared on Broadway again, originating the role of Youssein Davair in
Irving Berlin's
Mr. President. Playing a "caddish" diplomat who courts the character played by
Anita Gillette, he had a solo, "Don't Be Afraid of Romance". Although
Mr. President was initially panned by critics, it proved popular with audiences, and the original cast album was lauded as a success.
Other works In 1959 Washburn was one of the actors in the film
The Black Orchid starring
Sophia Loren; His other theatre credits acting alongside major stars included
Annie Get Your Gun with
Patti Page;
Sweet Charity with
Chita Rivera; as well as
Forty Carats,
Dial M for Murder, and
Cactus Flower with
Joan Fontaine. In the 1960s and 1970s, he appeared frequently in local productions in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and in Lambertsville, New Jersey. == Personal life ==