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Don Taylor is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter and Producer American born on 13 december 1920 at Freeport (USA)

Don Taylor

Don Taylor
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Nationality USA
Birth 13 december 1920 at Freeport (USA)
Death 29 december 1998 (at 78 years) at Los Angeles (USA)

Don Taylor (December 13, 1920 – December 29, 1998) was an American actor and film director. He co-starred in 1950s classics, including Stalag 17, Father of the Bride, and the 1948 film noir The Naked City. He later turned to directing films such as Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Tom Sawyer (1973), and Damien: Omen II (1978).

Biography

Early life and work
Born in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on December 13, 1920, Taylor studied speech and drama at Penn State University and hitchhiked to Hollywood in 1942. He was signed as a contract player at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and appeared in small roles. Drafted into the United States Army Air Forces (AAF) during World War II, he appeared in the Air Forces's Winged Victory Broadway play and movie (1944), credited as "Cpl. Don Taylor."


Acting career
After discharge from the AAF, Taylor was cast in a lead role as the young detective, Jimmy Halloran, working alongside veteran homicide detective Dan Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) in Universal's 1948 screen version of The Naked City, which was notable for being filmed entirely on location in New York. Taylor was later part of the ensemble cast in MGM's classic World War II drama Battleground (1949). He then appeared as the husband of Elizabeth Taylor in the comedies Father of the Bride (1950) and its sequel Father's Little Dividend (1951), starring Spencer Tracy. Another memorable role was Vern "Cowboy" Blithe in Flying Leathernecks (1951). In 1953, Taylor had a key role as the escaping prisoner Lt. Dunbar in Billy Wilder's Stalag 17. His last major film role came in I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955).


Directorial career
From the late 1950s through the 1980s, Taylor turned to directing movies and TV shows, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the short-lived Steve Canyon, starring Dean Fredericks, and Rod Serling's Night Gallery. One of his memorable efforts, in 1973, was the musical film Tom Sawyer, which boasted a Sherman Brothers song score. Other films that Taylor directed are Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Echoes of a Summer (1976), The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday (also 1976), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) starring Burt Lancaster, Damien: Omen II (1978) with William Holden, and The Final Countdown (1980) with Kirk Douglas.

Taylor occasionally performed both acting and directing roles simultaneously, as he did for episodes of the TV detective series Burke's Law.


Personal life
Taylor was married twice.


His first wife was Phyllis Avery, whom he married in 1944; they divorced in 1955, but not before the births of their daughters Anne and Avery.
His second wife was Hazel Court, whom he married in 1964 and stayed with until his death; they had a son, Jonathan, and a daughter, Courtney.
Death
Taylor died on December 29, 1998 at the University of California Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, of heart failure.

Best films

The Final Countdown (1980)
(Director)
Stalag 17 (1953)
(Actor)
The Naked City (1948)
(Actor)

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Don Taylor (46 films)

Display filmography as detailed form
YearNameJobRoles
2010Holy WarsActorHimself
1998The Truman ShowActor
1994That's Entertainment! IIIActor(archive footage)
1984The ManhuntActor
1982Drop-Out FatherDirector
1980The Final CountdownDirector
1980The Promise of LoveDirector
1979The GiftDirector
1978Damien: Omen IIDirector
1977The Island of Dr. MoreauDirector
1976Echoes of a SummerDirector
1976The Great Scout & Cathouse ThursdayDirector
1974Honky TonkDirector
1973Tom SawyerDirector
1971Escape from the Planet of the ApesDirector, Scriptwriter
1969The Five Man ArmyActor, DirectorPoker Player (uncredited)
1968Something for a Lonely ManDirector
1967Jack of DiamondsDirector
1964Ride the Wild SurfActor, Director
1961The Savage GunsActorMike Summers
1961Everything's DuckyDirector
1960The City of the DeadProducer
1960The Hands of OrlacProducer
1960The Hands of OrlacProducer
1957Love Slaves of the AmazonsActorDr. Pete L. Masters
1956The Bold and the BraveActorEwald "Preacher" Wallister
1955I'll Cry TomorrowActorWallie
1954The Men of Sherwood ForestActorRobin Hood
1954Johnny DarkActorDuke Benson
1953Destination GobiActorJenkins
1953Stalag 17ActorLt. James Dunbar
1953The Girls of Pleasure IslandActorLt. Jimmy Gilmartin
1952Japanese War BrideActorJim Sterling
1951Father's Little DividendActorBuckley Dunstan
1951The Blue VeilActorDr. Robert Palfrey
1951Flying LeathernecksActorLt. Vern 'Cowboy' Blithe
1951Submarine CommandActorLt. Cmdr. Peter Morris
1950AmbushActorLt. Linus Delaney
1950Father of the BrideActorBuckley Dunstan
1949BattlegroundActorStandiferd
1948For the Love of MaryActorDavid Paxton
1948The Naked CityActorJimmy Halloran
1947Song of the Thin ManActorBuddy Hollis
1945The Last BombActorGunner
1944Winged VictoryActorDanny 'Pinkie' Scariano
1943Swing Shift MaisieActorYoung Pilot (Uncredited)