Vaughn Taylor (actor)

Vaughn Taylor
Born February 22, 1910
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died April 26, 1983 (aged 73)
Los Angeles, California. U.S.
Occupation Film, television actor
Years active 1933-1976
Spouse(s) Ruth Moss (?-1983) (his death)

Vaughn Taylor (February 22, 1910 – April 26, 1983) was an American film and television actor. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Career

His film credits include Jailhouse Rock, Decision at Sundown with Randolph Scott in 1957, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Psycho and In Cold Blood.

In his many television appearances, Taylor was cast as Julian Tyler in the 1957 episode "The Chess Player" of the CBS crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring David Janssen. He appeared too in several episodes of CBS's Twilight Zone, including the role of the salesman in the episode" I Sing the Body Electric". He also appeared in "Time Enough at Last", "Still Valley", "The Incredible World of Horace Ford" and "The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross".

In 1958, Taylor appeared in Steve McQueen's CBS western series, Wanted: Dead or Alive as a doctor shot to death in the back by the brother (played by Nick Adams) of an outlaw (portrayed by Michael Landon), whom he had treated.

That same year, Taylor was cast on the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, Cheyenne as Doc Johnson, an unusual outlaw known as "The Ghost of the Cimarron", the title of the episode. In the story line, Cheyenne Bodie must ally temporarily with Johnson to clear his own name with the law, as officers think Cheyenne is part of the gang. Peter Brown appears in this episode as Billy Younger; Wright King, as the Kiowa Kid.[1]

Taylor guest starred as Jeremy Tolliver in the title role in the 1959 episode "The Trouble with Tolliver" of the ABC western drama, The Man from Blackhawk, starring Robert Rockwell as a roving insurance investigator. Robert Bray also appeared in this episode.[2]

He was cast in 1960 again as a physician, Bryan Craig, in the episode "Strange Encounter" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western series, Colt .45, starring Wayde Preston.[3] He also guest starred in the ABC/WB detective series, Bourbon Street Beat and in the 1960 NBC summer western series, Tate, starring David McLean.

Taylor appeared three times in the 1960–1961 season in the syndicated series COronado 9 starring Rod Cameron. He guest starred on ABC's The Real McCoys, with Walter Brennan, and in 1961, he played a veterinarian in another ABC sitcom, The Hathaways, starring Peggy Cass, Jack Weston, and the Marquis Chimps.

In the 1960 movie about Admiral William F. Halsey, The Gallant Hours, he was cast as Commander Mike Pulaski, USN. Taylor also appeared in 1961 in James Franciscus's short-lived CBS drama series, The Investigators.

Taylor was cast as bank president Houghton in the 1961 episode "The Proxy" on another ABC western series, The Rebel, starring Nick Adams, with whom Taylor had worked three years earlier in Wanted Dead or Alive.

He was also a frequent guest on CBS's Perry Mason legal drama, having appeared eight times, including murderer Louis Boles in the first episode, "The Case of the Restless Redhead" in 1957. In 1959 he played the title role, murder victim Bishop Arthur Mallory, in "The Case of the Stuttering Bishop." In 1961 he played defendant Ralph Duncan in "The Case of the Fickle Fortune." In 1963 he again played the murder victim and title character; this time as Martin Weston in "The Case of the Witless Witness."

Taylor was cast in two episodes of the ABC science fiction series The Outer Limits; in "Expanding Human" as Dean Flint, and "The Guests" as Mr. Latimer. In addition, he appeared in the pilot episode of The Invaders entitled "Beachhead". Usually involved in dramatic roles, Taylor continued to accept work in comedic productions. In 1966, in the Get Smart episode "The Diary," Taylor portrays Herb Gaffer, a retired secret agent sought by CONTROL agent Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) and by enemy spies. Taylor gets a chance in the plot to exchange humorous takes with Adams and perform some physical comedy. Another veteran of acting, Ellen Corby, also appears in this same Get Smart episode, which takes place in "Spy City," a retirement community for former agents.

Taylor's final film appearance was in another comedy, The Gumball Rally, released in 1976. He died in April 1983 at the age of seventy-three.

References

  1. ↑ "Ghost of the Cimarron: Cheyenne". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ "The Man from Blackhawk". Classic Television Archives. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Colt .45". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved December 17, 2012.

External links