8. Rod Taylor : Hollywood Time Traveller
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As the gin-soaked wreckage of Errol Flynn was being swept off the Hollywood landscape in the late 1950s, a younger but more stable Aussie Adonis was training hard down on Santa Monica beach. A former lifeguard and amateur boxer, his name was Rod Taylor and movie critics of the day quickly got to the core of what the sandy-haired, blue-eyed newcomer was all about. He was soon being described as “solid”, “ruggedly handsome’, “charming” and, after proving himself in a string of successful pictures, “reliable”.
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An accomplished all-round sportsman, Taylor's athletic physique was regularly featured during his rise to Hollywood stardom. (Right) Rod takes a high dive into his swimming pool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s11bc3JLrUI |
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| Early days in Sydney : With Mona (left) Rod and pooch (center) Out and about with William Taylor (right)(CRTS) |
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| Rod and some of his creations (CRTS) |
He started at Sydney’s Independent Theatre in 1950 as a Roman Senator in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar’. He then switched to the Mercury Theatre before diversifying into the more intimate medium of radio drama. Possessing a creamy and seductive voice together with a good ear for accents, Taylor was well suited to broadcasting and excelled in many different roles.....
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| Up and coming radio and stage star in Australia (left) Rod in The Sturt Expedition (1951)(right)(CRTS) |
Opening title of the film (center)
Movie fans pack into an Australian cinema for the premiere of King of the Coral Sea (right)
King of the Coral Sea promotional interview - YouTube
Another important chance came along when the American director Byron Haskin arrived in Sydney to shoot Long John Silver (1954), a sequel to Disney’s Treasure Island (1950). Impressed with Taylor's performance in the film as a mentally deranged castaway, Haskin made arrangements for him to meet with several industry heavyweights across the Pacific.
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(Left and Centre) Taylor as the sun-stroked madman, Israel Hands, in Long John Silver (1954) (Right) Rod with star Robert Newton (CRTS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5DoLeux2NI (Taylor at 82.00 minute mark) Long John Silver (film) - Wikipedia Hollywood - Ep 1: The Pioneers (Byron Haskin at the 14.07 mark shares his memories of Hollywood's silent era) |
Initially billed as Rodney Taylor, some of his earliest Stateside employment came via casual work in TV shows such as "Playhouse 90", "General Electric Theatre", "Cheyenne" and "The Twilight Zone". The movie offers rolled in once again in 1955, however, when he was given small parts in The Virgin Queen with Bette Davis, Hell on Frisco Bay with Edward.G.Robinson and Top Gun with Sterling Hayden. He featured more prominently in the science fiction opus World Without End (1956). As the character Herb Ellis, Taylor was one of four researchers who crashed through the time barrier on their way back from Mars. Shot in Cinemascope and color, the picture was an ambitious undertaking for the humble Allied Artists studio. Although essentially a rubber monster escapade, its special effects were a cut above the average and its theme would later provide Taylor with his passport to stardom.
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| (Left to right) Top Gun (1955)(IMDB) Hell on Frisco Bay (1955) with Alan Ladd (CRTS) "Twilight Zone" episode titled And When the Sky was Opened (1959)(CRTS) Sterling Hayden - Top Gun (1955) Full Western Hell on Frisco Bay (1955) Trailer Frisco Bay And When the Sky Was Opened - Wikipedia And When The Sky Was Opened - Twilight-Tober Zone  World Without End (1956) With Nancy Gates (centre) Mizz Gates tries hard to maintain eye contact while Hot Rod flashes some prime Australian beefcake in her direction. And (right)Taylor does battle with a giant spider World Without End 1956 Trailer (reconstructed) World Without End-Rod Taylor Shirtless Scene |
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| Paul Fix (left) Elizabeth Taylor and Rod Taylor (center) Carolyn Craig (right) in Giant (1956) (DVD Talk) |
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| Montgomery Clift (left) and Rod Taylor (right) on the set of Raintree County (1957) (Facebook) Raintree County - Trailer | IMDb The Making of Raintree County Featurette |
His momentum stalled momentarily at Universal with Step Down to Terror (1958), a forgettable remake of Hitchcock's murder mystery Shadow of a Doubt (1942). But he bounced back when he supported Burt Lancaster, David Niven and Deborah Kerr in Separate Tables (1958), a multi award-winning adaptation of Terrence Rattigan's play about the goings-on at an English coastal resort. Directed by Delbert Mann, Audrey Dalton and Taylor were young lovers who felt trapped in the claustrophobic environment of suppressed emotions and dark secrets. Rounding out the decade, he continued with Niven and was joined by Gig Young as one of three would-be suitors who pursue Shirley MacLaine in the bubbly romantic comedy Ask Any Girl (1959).
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| (Left) With Audrey Dalton in Separate Tables (1958) (Right) Rod, Shirley MacLaine and Jim Backus in Ask Any Girl (1959) (IMDB) Interview with Rod Taylor on 'Separate Tables' (Rod talks about director Delbert Mann) - FILM: Ask Any Girl, Jak zdobyć męża Tłumaczenie polskie napisy tekst (fragment) |
Ideally cast as George, the strong-willed inventor in late Victorian London who speculates about the possibility of being able to travel through the fourth dimension to the future, Taylor struck gold. In an effort to realize his ambition, he builds an amazing machine, a wondrous creation of brass rails, ivory and rock crystal with a red velvet seat.
Launching himself in a spectacular blaze of flashing colored lights, he hurtles away and, after a blistering burst of speed, he arrives in the year 802,701 where he comes across what looks like a paradise on earth.
Populated by a society of beautiful young people known as the Eloi, the air is fresh and clean and magnificent fruit grows in abundance. But he soon discovers that all is not well. The gentle Eloi are, in fact, being held virtual prisoners by a brutal colony of mutants called the Morlocks who run the place from their underground hideaway. After falling for Weena, a particularly cute Eloi girl, George snaps into hero mode and with, the damsel's life at stake, he decides to save her people from the evil ones. However, there are matters he has to attend to back in his own world. What follows is a study of divided loyalties and a moral dilemma which stretches between the ages.
Movie novice Yvette Mimieux played Weena and provided just the right look of wide-eyed innocence and vulnerability for the brave and chivalrous Taylor to defend. Other cast members included TV regular Alan Young as the inventor's closest friend David Filby together with Sebastian Cabot, Tom Helmore and Whit Bissell.
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| Whit Bissel (left), Taylor (center) and Sebastian Cabot (right). George , the inventor, explains how his full-size machine will work using a scale model |
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| George's fantastic journey into the future begins on New Year's eve1899 (left). He moves steadily forward at first, stopping at various points along the way (center) But then he suddenly decides to increase speed which makes for a rough ride (right) (Pinterest & CRTS) |
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| Crash landing(left) in the year 802,701 (center) at an unknown location (right) |
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| George gets his first look at the Eloi (left) as they cavort by a river (center). He then joins them for lunch (right) |
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| (Left) Weena (Yvette Mimieux) explains to George how the Eloi became slaves to the Morlocks. (Right) A Morlock explains to Weena that he can't get girls to go out with him and that he's becoming desperate. Weena suggests that it could be because he doesn't have a car. Then she starts to sing for no apparent reason |
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| George makes a shocking discovery that reveals the full extent of the Morlock's evil (left). He then convinces the non-aggressive Eloi that they will have to fight to get away from their tormentors (center) and he sets about organizing a rebellion (right) |
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| The time comes for the Eloi to make their escape and George leads the uprising (left). The Morlocks use whips to keep their prisoners in line and George gets a taste of the leather (center) But quickly manages to get the upper hand (right) |
Unsure about making another foray in science fiction, Taylor was swayed after he met George Pal as he explained in the July, 1986 edition of "Starlog" magazine. "George was a genius. He had a marvelous talent for illustration and | was fascinated by his pre-production drawings".
Writer David Duncan supplied an intelligent and imaginative script while veteran cameraman Paul Vogel did the cinematography and Russell Garcia handled the music.
Released on August 16,1960, The Time Machine became an overnight sensation at the box office, with the special effects by Gene Warren and Tim Baer going on to win an Oscar.
Now considered to be a classic of the genre, both the picture in general and Taylor's contribution in particular were hailed by the critics. Pauline Kael, of the New Yorker later described it as being "one of the best of its kind". Bosley Crowther of the New York Times drew attention to the standard of the photography, saying that "The color lends exciting hues to everything from Victorian wine glasses to the Morlocks flashing green eyes". Variety called Taylor's characterization "a gem".
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| Taylor (center) with (left to right) Tom Helmore, Alan Young, Sebastian Cabot and Whit Bissell |
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| Conferring with George Pal (left) and enjoying a playful moment on the set with co-star Yvette Mimieux (Pinterest) The Time Machine - Trailer | IMDb The Time Machine (1960) Opening Titles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz3Mb7nw1k0 ⏳ Rod Taylor’s passionate performance in THE TIME MACHINE (1960) #hgwells #thetimemachine |
Running hot, the Aussie he-man made his first important move into television on September 28, 1960 with the ABC drama series "Hong Kong". As Glenn Evans, a “two-fisted” news correspondent who had been assigned to cover the Orient, Taylor was equally adept at solving crimes and romancing lovely ladies. In a strange twist of fate, the show took out a Golden Globe award. Yet, American viewers did not cotton to its upmarket leanings and brought about its rapid demise by staying loyal to NBC's "Wagon Train".
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| "Hong Kong" TV series (1960). With co-star Lloyd Bochner (top right) and cast member Mai Tai Sing (lower left) Hong Kong (TV series) - Wikipedia Classic TV Theme: Hong Kong (Rod Taylor) Rod Taylor - Rhonda Fleming romantic scene Hong Kong (1960) TV Pilot - Blind Justice |
It was a minor disappointment as Taylor's overall career prospects and personal good fortune surged ahead.
To start with, there is no "Colossus" anywhere in the picture, not even a passing reference to such a character. Taylor co-stars opposite muscle man Ed Fury and the duo play a couple of gladiators (Pirro and Glauco respectively) who are captured by Amazon women. They quickly fall in love (with the Amazon women that is.... not with each other... although..) and they save the girls from some pirates.
Dubbed into English (even the obviously English - speaking stars were dubbed !), it's a genre-crossing, gender - bending, role reversing hodgepodge of the most head - spinning type. Apparently intended to be some sort of action thriller comedy, it features a partly boogie woogie soundtrack, a modern jazz ballet sequence, an orgy scene and a Western style cavalry charge at the climax (complete with covered wagons). The Amazons have gay male servants who spend much of their time tut-tutting about the mess that their female superiors make around the villa and even Taylor and Fury have some fun with a few fruity bits along the way. Presumably, it was supposed to be a send up of.....something....But, unfortunately, most of it is about as funny as a serious outbreak of cholera.
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| Glauco (Ed Fury) and Pirro (Taylor - with dark hair) consider their predicament (lower left).Glauco faints when he gets captured by the Amazons but enjoys the view when he wakes up (center). Realizing that, despite their fearsome reputation, the Amazons are "just sheilas", Rod decides to turn on the charm - Bronzed Anzac style (right) |
However, it does seem that Rod was there to provide the comic relief. Not that it was a big job given the fact that it's frequently near - impossible to tell where the laughs are meant to end and the drama begins. But it's only Taylor's knack for visual comedy and his priceless double takes that make the whole thing even remotely watchable. The two stars couldn't speak a word of Italian and none of the girls spoke English.
The October, 1964 edition of Taylor's fan newsletter, "Rod-Lore", asked him when he made the picture and how he felt about it being shown on American television. In response to the first part of the question he said "obviously, when I had a lapse of sanity". And to the second part he replied "very embarrassed".
However, he had a good reason for taking the gig as he explained to a magazine reporter when the creaky little epic was released on home video in the US years later. "You found the skeleton in my closet" Taylor confessed. "To be honest, I had a devious motive for making that movie . I was having an affair with Anita Ekberg and it gave me an excuse to get a free airline ticket to Italy to see her. I've been trying to hide that fiasco ever since. Releasing it now on tape is like digging up a porno film out of my past" (Starlog magazine, May, 1987)
Colossus & The Amazon Queen : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Colossus and the Amazon Queen (1960) - IMDb
By 1961, he had formed his own company, Rodlor Productions and had bought a colonial style mansion in Beverly Hills. After his relationship with Ekberg, he became romantically involved with "Hong Kong" actress France Nuyen.
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| With Anita Ekberg (left) (Pinterest) & France Nuyen (right) (Foto Time) |
More recognition came when he was selected by Walt Disney to give voice to the main character of 'Pongo’, a lonely pooch looking for a mate, in 101 Dalmatians (1961) which is still ranked as being one of Hollywood's highest grossing animated features.
Going on location to Italy, he crafted a stern but frequently humorous portrayal of Sir Francis Drake as he and fellow Australian Keith Michell battled the Spaniards in the breezy Seven Seas to Calais. The film's release in March, 1963 introduced Taylor's busiest year on the silver screen.
101 DALMATIANS Clip - "Pongo Meets Perdita" (1961) Disney
Redefining the Line: The Making of 101 Dalmatians
Original Theatrical Trailer | Seven Seas to Calais | Warner Archive
In the same month, he experienced his second taste of substantial success when he opened in Alfred Hitchcock's oddball thriller, The Birds, a nightmarish tale about the avian world inflicting a terrible vengeance on their human tormenters.
Taylor later recalled that he secured the part of Mitch Brenner, a bachelor lawyer, during a meeting with the master of suspense at his Universal production office. "He told me that he didn't want an elegant actor like Cary Grant. He wanted someone with balls" (goodness!).
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| Melanie Daniles (Tippi Hedren) gets her feathers ruffled by Mitch Brenner (Taylor) at the pet shop (left) Melanie's peace offering (center). The Birds of Bodega Bay seem to get angry as soon as Melanie arrives in town with her caged travelling companions (right) |
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| The first major incident occurs when a flock of seabirds terrorize a children's birthday party which Melanie attends (left and center). Trying to make sense of the bizarre goings-on: Suzanne Pleshette, Jessica Tandy, Veronic Cartwright, Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor (right) |
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| Hundreds of birds invade the Brenner living room through the chimney (left)Melanie gets pinned to the fireplace (center) Mitch tries to defend himself with a tea towel that be bought for Lydia at Australia's "famous" Currumbin Bird Sanctuary (it has birds on it) |
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| The Bodega Bay school comes under attack(left). Mitch and Melanie rush to the local diner to raise the alarm regarding the incident (center).But their concerns are swept aside. Mrs Bundy (Ethel Griffies), an ornithologist, accuses Melanie of making up stories about the birds (right) |
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| Suddenly, they're back and complete chaos erupts, this time right in the middle of town. A fire starts and Melanie becomes trapped in a phone box |
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| Cathy Brenner had been taken to the home of her schoolteacher, Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette) (left) for safety after the attack at the school. When Melanie and Mitch go to pick up Cathy, they discover that Annie's house has been targeted by the birds and the teacher has been killed (center). But Cathy is OK. Mitch, Melanie and Cathy then go back to the Brenner home (right) |
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| Mitch boards-up the windows (left) Lydia, Mitch, Melanie and Cathy brace themselves for another onslaught (center) Trouble soon starts again (right) |
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| A bird breaks through the window boards and attacks Mitch (left) The power gets cut off and when Melanie goes upstairs to investigate a strange noise she walks into a darkened room where she gets ambushed by dozens of angry birds that have got in through the roof (center and right) |
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Melanie needs urgent medical treatment so Mitch decides that all of them have to escape (left) But when he opens the front door he discovers that the house is surrounded by birds. They seem to be momentarily calm. Yet he knows that the slightest sudden movement could trigger another frenzied attack (center). Finally he gets Melanie, Lydia and Cathy into the car |
The Birds premiered in March, 1963 to somewhat mixed reviews. The public, however, showed no such ambivalence and (dare | say it ?), ‘flocked’ to cinemas across America to partake in the quirky horror that was on offer.
Crowther playfully warned his readers to "Take in the bird bath and the feeder! A threat of unspeakable horror is latent in our feathered friends". Commenting on the players, he noted that "Hedren is pretty, bland and wholesome as the disruptive girl. Rod Taylor is sturdy as the mother-smothered son". Variety saw the movie as being "Cinematically masterful but dramatically little more than a shocker-for-shock's sake". Likewise, Kael supported the popular view by saying that the "Effects are frightening but the script is weak".
Still, working with Hitchcock was an invaluable experience for Taylor as he confirmed in the April, 1997 edition of the Palm Beach Post "What separates a great director from a not-so great director is their vision.... They can look at a thing and compose it as well as Cezanne. With Hitchcock everything was planned. He was an architect rather than a fluid painter”.
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| Behind the Scenes: Hitchcock's cameo at the beginning of the movie (top left) Suzanne Pleshette and Rod take a break during filming (top center) Hitchcock directs Taylor and Pleshette (top right) Tippi Hedren make up camera test (lower left) Cast and director on the set (lower center) Shooting the final scene with the iconic silhouette of the master in view (lower right) |
Staying with the high-fliers, Taylor was reunited midway through ‘63 with Rock Hudson and director Delbert Mann for the Air Force picture, A Gathering of Eagles. Co-incidentally, aeronautical subjects would provide the storylines for six of Taylor's future films.
Barely touching down, MGM sent him to England for The V./.Ps (1963), a glitzy affair about the international jet-set in which he was an Australian business tycoon with Maggie Smith as his super-efficient but love-struck secretary. Meanwhile, Taylor's own champagne lifestyle hit the headlines when he married Vogue model Mary Hilem in June, '63. The following year, they celebrated the birth of their daughter, Felicia
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| Taylor and Rock Hudson in Gathering of Eagles (1963) (left) and with Maggie Smith in The VIPs (1963) |
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| Newlyweds: Rod and Mary Hilem (left)(Facebook) The Taylors with daughter Felicia (CRTS) ROD TAYLOR - SOUND (Rod and Mary visit Australia for the premier of The VIPs) |
And he also dashed into the new year by making a strong comeback to romantic comedy. Displaying his flair for visual humor, he teamed up the equally witty Jane Fonda, Robert Culp and Cliff Robertson for the bright and sassy Sunday in New York, a Norman Krasna sex romp.
Rejoining Twentieth, Taylor was the doomed pilot of a crashed airliner in Fate is The Hunter. Then Metro called him home for the intriguing 36 Hours (1965) in which he ably equipped himself as a German American psychiatrist who was pressed into service by the Nazis.
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| With Jane Fonda in Sunday in New York (left) Lobby card for Fate is the Hunter (pictured with Nancy Kwan) (center) Eva Marie Saint, James Garner and Taylor in 36 Hours (right) Sunday in New York | IMDb Preview Clip | Sunday In New York | Warner Archive Fate Is the Hunter - Official Trailer | IMDb Fate Is The Hunter 1964 Full Movie 720P Glenn Ford & Rod Taylor | Nancy Kwan | Suzanne Pleshette 36 Hours | IMDb 36 Hours (1964) Rod Taylor & Eva Marie Saint. I don’t own the rights. |
Keen to gain a more secure foothold in the field of drama, he travelled to Ireland with John Ford as his director to take the lead in Young Cassidy (1965), a biopic about the writer and rebel Sean O'Casey. When Ford had to pull out due to ill-health, English cinematographer-turned director Jack Cardiff took over the helm. Also in the cast was Michael Redgrave, Edith Evans and new sensation Julie Christie with Maggie Smith back as the star's lady love.
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| With Philip O'Flynn (left) Maggie Smith (center) and director John Ford |
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| Lobby card (left) Taylor (as character John Cassidy) battles with the police during the 1916 Dublin riot (center) Flora Robson (right) played Cassidy's mother Original Theatrical Trailer | The Young Cassidy | Warner Archive Sean O'Casey: Spirit of Ireland |
The movie had much to recommend it, including what critic Leonard Maltin has described as being “Taylor’s best role”. Yet, his versatility immediately led him back to a trio of comedies.
Perhaps thinking of the festive season, however, he arrived at the door of the Giggle Palace just before Christmas, 1965 with a very large turkey. As Doris Day's new screen husband in Twentieth's Do Not Disturb, Taylor stood knee-deep in what proved to be a relentlessly unfunny snooze-fest about a couple of bumbling Yanks who relocate to England. Happily, the talented pair got a second chance and a better vehicle at another studio gave them a sizeable hit.
With The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) for MGM they at least had something to work with that was reasonably novel, fast paced and, most importantly, topical. Despite being unashamedly slapstick, it was bubbly, innocuous and visually attractive. As an added bonus, several big names from TV such as Robert Vaughn, Dick Martin and Arthur Godfrey also came aboard for the fun. Advertised as a "spy comedy", it rode into the movie theatres of the world on the wave of satirical humor that had been developing for some time in response to the James Bond phenomenon.
Doris played Jennifer Nelson, a zany widow and public relations expert who owns a menagerie of assorted pets. She spends her nights at school and her days at Nasa where she's employed as a tour guide. On weekends, she climbs into a mermaid suit and swims beneath her father's glass bottom boat to give the tourists a chuckle.
Taylor was Bruce Templeton, a Nasa scientist who has an ultra-modern home full of space-age gadgets, most of which seem to have minds of their own. While out fishing one day, Bruce accidentally hooks the tail end of Dottie's costume and, as he reels her in, the laughs and romance begin.
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| Hooked (left) Rod momentarily puzzled by his strange catch (center) Until Doris bobs up and demands that her outfit is returned |
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| Rod shows Doris one his latest inventions (left) On the set of The Glass Bottom Boat |
Directed by Frank Tashlin and written by former Lucy and Desi wordsmith Everett Freeman, the picture was shot around Catalina Island and quickly made a healthy profit of $5 million from American cinemas alone.
The Glass Bottom Boat | IMDb (trailer)
The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) (Full movie)
Taylor continued with more of the same when he was bundled back to England for The Liquidator (1966), another 007 Spoof in which he was a clumsy accidental hero who saved Trevor Howard's life. Once again directed by Jack Cardiff, it was a vaguely amusing but otherwise forgettable programmer.
The run of inconsistent material threatened to jeopardize press support for Taylor's work. However, he regained favor in 1967 as the manager of Warner's plush Hotel.
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| With Jill St John in The Liquidator (1966)(left) and with Merle Oberon in Hotel (right) |
But he was starting to grow restless. With middle age looming, he had already decided on a complete change of image and in July of '67 he opened in what was to be the first of several action movies.
In Chuka, a Western which he wrote and co-produced in association with Paramount, Taylor was a gunslinger who tried to be a peacemaker between some Indians and a bunch of undisciplined soldiers from a nearby fort.
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| A long-haired Taylor in Chuka (1967) (Cool Ass Cinema) |
Kicking off in July, 1968 he turned up in three full-blown actioneers back to back. As Captain Bruce Curry, a mercenary commander in Metro's Congo war drama, The Dark of the Sun (AKA The Mercenaries), he was thoroughly convincing, decked out in a sweaty fatigue uniform and toting a machine gun. Filmed in Jamaica due to lack of co-operation in the Congo, it was Taylor's third picture with Cardiff and his second with Yvette Mimieux.
He paused during the shoot to talk to a reporter from "Photoplay" magazine. "I no longer have any yearning to be the next Olivier " he explained. " | think audiences prefer me as the wild guy who is tough with men and tender with women".
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| As Captain Bruce Curry in Dark of the Sun (1968)(top left) Much of the action took place around the train that was used to rescue the towns folk (top center) Yvette Mimieux and Jim Brown (top right) Taylor and Brown on the attack (lower left) Opening titles of the movie (lower center). Chainsaw fight with Peter Carsten (lower right) Dark of the Sun - Trailer [EN] | IMDb Preview Clip | Dark of the Sun | Warner Archive - YouTube Dark of the Sun (1968) Title Sequence Chainsaw Battle - Dark of the Sun 1968 (HD) Dark of the Sun - You Need Him |
In August, he covered much the same territory with Universal's Hell with Heroes and he closed the year with The High Commissioner (AKA Nobody Runs Forever). As Scobie Malone, a raw-bone detective from the Australian outback, he was sent to London to arrest a diplomat (Christopher Plummer) for murder.
He made no appearances at all in 1969 but he did get divorced from Mary Hilem. It had been the actor’s second try at marital bliss having been previously married to Sydney model Peggy Williams in the early '50s.
As he rounded the corner into 1970, Taylor found himself staring at some rather ominous writing on the wall when he came back to the screen behind two unknowns in the experimental Zabriskie Point. The first Stateside movie for Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni, it was intended to be a cutting observation of youth alienation and the evils of big business in the Land of the Free.
Non-professional actors Mark Frechette and Daria Halprin starred as a couple of drifters who meet in the desert. After Mark returns to LA, Daria drives off to participate in an orgy with her boss, real estate tycoon Lee Allen, portrayed by Rod. The plot made about as much sense as taking a pair of snow shoes to Honolulu.
Arriving in US cinemas on February 9, 1970, Zabriskie Point was unenthusiastically received by most reviewers and its overtly art-house leanings didn't exactly cause a ticket- buying stampede down on Main Street.
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| Marck Frechette and Daria Halprin were featured on the poster (left) (IMDB). Taylor and Halprin in Zabriskie Point (1970)(right) Zabriskie Point - Trailer | IMDb Zabriskie Point - part 1 |
Six months later, Taylor returned in something far more commercial as the hard-hitting, self-styled detective Travis McGee in the taut mystery thriller Darker Than Amber (1970) with Suzy Kendall. Set in the picturesque surrounds of Miami and Nassau, it was directed with considerable panache by Robert Clouse (Enter The Dragon).
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| Rod gives a bad guy the boot (top) Suzy Kendall gets a sort of "funky froog thing" happening on Rod's houseboat in Darker than Amber (1970) Darker Than Amber Trailer |
In April, '71 he made another attempt to gain a permanent spot on television with the nostalgic CBS series "The Bearcats !" With the story unfolding in America's dusty Southwest in 1914, it featured Taylor and Dennis Cole as characters Hank Brackett and Johnny Reach respectively, a pair of trouble shooters for hire. Loaded with period charm, the show took its name from the majestic and sporty roadster in which Reach and Brackett went about their business - a yellow Stutz Bearcat. As with "Hong Kong", the venture faced stiff competition when it was programmed against NBC's well established "Flip Wilson Show" and it lasted only thirteen weeks. TV would always remain an unrewarding market for Taylor.
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| Memories of the action adventure TV show "Bearcats!". Opening titles (top left) Taylor (with mounted machine gun) and co-star Dennis Cole (top right) The famous Stutz Bearcat (lower image) Powderkeg (1971) Rod Taylor, Dennis Cole | Action, Adventure, War | Full Movie (The TV movie that was the pilot for the series that followed called "Bearcats"!) Classic TV Theme: Bearcats! (+ Bonus!) |
His only offering the following year was Family Flight (1972), a good telemovie in which he reprised his earlier role as the pilot of a crashed plane. In regard to the big picture, however, his career was starting to run out of steam as evidenced by the number of misfires he was experiencing.
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| Janet Margolin (left) Kristoffer Tabori (center) and Taylor (right) in Family Flight Family Flight (1972 TV Movie) Rod Taylor, Dina Merrill |
As it turned out, 1973 would be a transitional year for him. Somewhat deceptively, it began on a comparatively high note in February when he opened in The Train Robbers, a lightweight but pleasant Western for Warner Bros. Co-starring opposite John Wayne and Ann-Margaret, it was to be Taylor's last hurrah as far as box office success was concerned. With his next release, the golden apple which he had been carrying on his journey through Movie Land for two decades suddenly turned into a lemon.
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| Taylor, Ann-Margaret and John Wayne (center)(IMDB) Taking a break with the Duke during the filming of The Train Robbers (1973) (CRTS) |
The trouble began in June when he bobbed up in Metro’s Trader Horne, an ill-considered remake of the 1931 Harry Carey picture. As the famed explorer of darkest Africa, Taylor had to lead a safari of day workers from Central Casting through an obstacle course of every conceivable B-movie cliché. There were rampaging natives, tangled vines, quick-sand and assorted wildlife - all of which materialized via a disconcerting gaggle of all-too-obvious stock footage and back projection. It looked liked the former surfing champ had accidentally walked in front of a home movie screen while his brother-in-law was running a bad 1940s travel documentary .All that was missing was a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.
But the knockout blow came in December, '73 with The Deadly Trackers, a brutal and uninspired revenge Western. The New York Times called it "viciously senile" and warned that it contained little more than "fireworks and gore". Representing another confusing about face, even Leonard Maltin, a frequent advocate for Taylor, has dismissed it as being just plain "dreadful". The whole grisly mess spelled disaster in any language.
As his films grew progressively more violent, attendance figures dwindled accordingly. By the mid-'70s he had become trapped on a runaway train to cinematic oblivion. His sidetrack into action flicks had produced no long term benefits and his decision to stick with the dying genre of Westerns only added to his woes.
Still, things weren't all doom and gloom during this period. In the midst of the career downturn, Taylor finally stumbled across his ideal soul mate in 1974 when he married his third wife, Carol Kikumura, a former "Hong Kong" extra. The couple married in 1980 and remained together until Rod's death.
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| Taylor (left) in Trader Horn (1973) The Deadly Trackers (1973)(center) Rod and Carol Kikumura (right) |
With his stay at the top seemingly over, he would be increasingly called upon to do nothing more than lend his name to a string of low budget obscurities. Some were fair. Most were unworthy of his talent with such tedious offerings as Germicide, A Matter of Wife and Death and another short-lived television series The Oregon Trail (all in 1976) becoming the norm.
He also went back to Australia for three assignments. He was a travelling movie huckster in the The Picture Show Man (1977) and provided some minor chills as a paid killer in On the Run (1983). Later, as the foul-mouthed redneck "Daddy-O" in the excessive black comedy Welcome to Woop Woop (1997) he bemused most of the critics on both sides of the Pacific but delighted fans of cult cinema.
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| The Picture Show Man (1977) (left)(CRTS) On the Run (1982)(IMDB)(centre) Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)(CRTS)(right) PICTURE SHOW MAN Trailer Rod Taylor Starring in On The Run (full movie ) - YouTube (lousy sound, unfortunately) Welcome to Woop Woop | IMDb Welcome to Woop Woop clips - YouTube http://www.rodtaylorsite.com/sixtyminutes.shtml |
Better chances came his way on the small screen via guest shots and support roles. He scored well in the Irish-made action thriller The Cry of the Innocent (1980) and won solid reviews as Jackie Kennedy's father in the ABC biopic Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (1981). He also starred in two more series, Masquerade (1983), a secret agent yarn for ABC and Outlaws (1986), another Western for CBS. In the late '80s, he settled into a secure, if somewhat undemanding, niche as character Frank Agretti in the popular soap opera Falcon Crest.
Cry of The Innocent (1980) | Action Thriller Movie | Rod Taylor, Joanna Pettet
Falcon Crest Season 8 Rod Taylor scenes 7/8
During the '90s, Taylor moved into semi-retirement. Enjoying a comfortable lifestyle in the same Beverly Hills home which he had owned since 1960, he eagerly set about pursuing his lifelong passion for arts and crafts activities.
One of his more notable efforts in latter years was the little seen Open Season which premiered in May, 1996. A sharp-edged send-up of commercial television, it featured Taylor as Billy Patrick , an egomaniacal programming wizard who drew his inspiration directly from God. Maltin called it a 'smart, funny satire", describing Taylor's performance as being strikingly "pungent" while Stephen Holden of the New York Times believed that it displayed "just the right tone of self importance". After a brief stint on the TV show Walker Texas Ranger , Taylor was coaxed up to Canada by producer Gordon Yang for the telemovie KAW (2007). Revisiting the idea of killer birds turning on their human tormentors, it was a decidedly modest affair compared to Hitchcock's original version of the same tale but, at least in Yang's update, the cause of the disturbance was discovered by Taylor who played the town's doctor.
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| Open Season (1996) (left) "Walker Texas Ranger" (1990s) (center) Kaw (2007)(right) Open Season Trailer 1996 Kaw (2007) SyFy Promo |
And with a touch of professional Deja vu, the veteran actor must have felt a sense of having come almost full circle. Indeed, it would have been an obvious and entirely appropriate note on which to call it quits. However, a powerful member of the new Hollywood elite had a much more high profile and prestigious cinematic send off in mind for the Australian.
In 2007, Taylor got a surprise call from Quentin Tarantino; someone whose work he respected but had never met. The Oscar - winning screen writer and director of such box office hits as Pulp Fiction (1994) was in the process of casting his latest production, the "satirical" World War II drama Inglorious Basterds. And he was a big fan of Rod's old action movies. In fact, he had screened Dark of the Sun , at his Austin Film Festival.
Taylor later recalled in a video interview (see below) that he and the director enjoyed a long chat during which they exchanged memories and compliments in regard to their respective movies before Tarantino finally got down to business : "I want you to play Winston Churchill"
Just the phone call, much less the job offer, came as quite a shock. Rod hadn't been involved in an A-grade picture for years. He had retried and didn't really expect any of the younger shakers and movers in the industry to even know who he was.
The Churchill gig was a small but important role - a cameo involving just one scene. But it had to make an impression. And so it did.
Filming of Taylor's part went off without a hitch and when the production wrapped, Tarantino made a very respectful gesture of leading the cast and crew in a round of applause for the man whom he described as "the great Rod Taylor". Embracing the director, returning the applause and waving to the group, Taylor walked off the set and into retirement. Starring Brad Pitt and produced for around $30 million , the picture went on to gross in excess of $300 million internationally. Tarantino had seen to it that Rod's career went out on a high note.
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| Bowing Out: Taylor, as Winston Churchill, bids farewell to the cast and crew on the set of Inglorious Basterds while director Tarantino (right) draws special attention to one of his favorite actors |
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| Rod had nothing but the highest praise for Tarantino |
In the end, it may have been Taylor's sheer versatility and his need for variety that prevented him from developing the kind of distinctive image that tends to be a prerequisite for super stardom. There again, there's little evidence to suggest that he ever wanted to attain such a lofty position. His prolific career in theatre, radio, film and television spanned six decades. His range and skill as an actor was extraordinary. He not only attempted but excelled in almost every conceivable genre of the cinema from westerns to romantic comedies, science fiction to suspense thrillers, crime pictures to historical costume dramas and even animation. It had been a crazy rollercoaster ride that started way back in the humble co-op theatres of Sydney just after the Second World War and then soared to the dizzying heights of Hollywood stardom in the 1960s. From there, he travelled on through the rapidly changing cinema landscape of the '70s, '80s and '90s and then into the new century.
Like all performers who have managed to reach his level in the industry, it wasn't always plain sailing even after he got to the top. Inevitably, he had his share of highs and lows, both professionally and personally. However, even after his big career had run its course, he continued to work. And, amidst all the run of the mill paycheck jobs, there were still good projects here and there that gave Taylor the chance to, once again, display the special qualities and charisma that had made him a star in the first place.
As he moved into his final years, he spent his remaining time doing the things that he loved best - cooking, painting and talking about movies. Happily, he was able to look back on a colourful life which had included many highlights. When he died at his Beverly Hills home on January 7, 2015, just a few days prior to his 85th birthday, Australia and the world lost one of its most accomplished, unique and classy screen talents. As his daughter, Felicia, explained at the time of his passing " My dad loved his work. Being an actor was his passion. He called it an honourable art and said that it was something that he couldn't live without".
But let's allow the man himself to have the last word...
Closing an interview on the cable TV show Movie Talk in the late 1990s, Rod Taylor gave his thoughts about the past, present and future: "I had a wonderfully interesting and sometimes wild youth. At that age I was working with the most talented and beautiful people in the business. But I have always lived for today and I look forward to what's coming next"
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| Rod's first LA home (circa 1950s) at 19210 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu (CRTS) |
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| A Rod around the house - Pics from a "Photoplay" magazine article that was published in March, 1957 https://rodtaylorblog.com/2022/01/10/malibu-bachelor-pad/ |
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| Stardom: All images Complete Rod Taylor website |
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| Entering a swimming pool - Rod Taylor style (Photographed at Rod's Beverly Hills home that he owned from 1960 to his death in 2015) %20crop.jpg) Rod's daughter, Felicia (1964 - 2023) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicia_Taylor#Biography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s8QChfvt3E |
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| At home with his wife Carol |
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Rod seated between his parents Bill and Mona Taylor while they were visiting Los Angeles with Rod's wife, Mary (far right)(Complete Rod Taylor Site) |
The above piece is based on a magazine article that I wrote some years ago. I remain most grateful to Diane Tomasik, creator of The Complete Rod Taylor website, and Australian movie historian Garry Stewart for the assistance and invaluable information that they provided when I was doing my research.
Further reading and viewing:
The Complete Rod Taylor Site : An American based website which is entirely devoted to the life and work of Rod Taylor. Without doubt , the most comprehensive and authoritative source of information on the internet when it comes to "All things Rod". Well organized, easy to read and navigate , it includes dozens of links to original, archival newspaper and magazine articles as well as reviews together with many video clips and audio segments. Covers absolutely everything from Taylor's earliest days in Sydney radio and theater along with all of his appearances on both the big and small screens. Every stage production, radio serial, movie, TV show and special project that Rod ever took part in is included. The site is regularly updated with news of DVD releases and other information that's of interest to fans.
The Complete Rod Taylor Site: Home Page
Rod Taylor : An Aussie in Hollywood : An excellent biography by Australian writer Stephen Vagg. Published in 2010 by Bear Manor Media of the US.
Rod Taylor : Pulling no Punches: An award-winning Australian documentary now available on DVD. Distributed by Beyond Entertainment. Visit the Complete Rod Taylor website for more information.
Copyright © 2022 Bruce Corneil
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