Don Taylor (December 13, 1920 – December 29, 1998) was a talented and versatile Hollywood figure who successfully navigated two distinct careers: first as a popular leading man during the Golden Age and later as a prolific director of high-profile genre films. Born Donald Richie Taylor in Freeport, Pennsylvania, he moved to Los Angeles to study at the University of Texas before being discovered and signed by MGM, where his clean-cut looks and earnest demeanor made him a favorite for military and romantic roles.
As an actor, Taylor is perhaps best remembered for his role in the groundbreaking film noir The Naked City (1948), where he played the young detective Jimmy Halloran. He became a staple of significant mid-century productions, appearing in the gritty war drama Battleground (1949) and the legendary prison camp classic Stalag 17 (1953) alongside William Holden. He also demonstrated a light touch for comedy, notably playing the husband of Elizabeth Taylor’s character in both Father of the Bride (1950) and its sequel, Father’s Little Dividend (1951), where he held his own against screen legends Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett.
By the late 1950s, Taylor shifted his focus from acting to directing, initially finding success in television before transitioning back to feature films. His directorial style was characterized by its efficiency and narrative clarity, making him a reliable choice for major studio sequels and adaptations. He helmed the fan-favorite Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) and the musical adaptation of Tom Sawyer (1973). Later in the decade, he tackled the horror genre with the supernatural sequel Damien: Omen II (1978) and directed the time-traveling aircraft carrier adventure The Final Countdown (1980).
Taylor was married twice to high-profile actresses: first to Phyllis Avery and later to Hazel Court, a British star renowned for her roles in Hammer horror films. He remained active in the industry for several decades, contributing to both the visual aesthetic of 1950s cinema and the blockbuster genre movement of the 1970s. Don Taylor passed away in 1998 at the age of 78, leaving behind a dual legacy as a star of the silver screen and a master of the director’s chair.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Taylor_(American_filmmaker)
