When Rod Taylor handed away, his obituary described him as “a Hollywood hellion, a tough consuming, womanizing, combative man who loved giving outspoken interviews punctuated with four-letter phrases.”
The Australian actor’s biographer, Stephen Vagg, stated it was all true.
“Rod Taylor was a hard-living, womanizing man,” the Australian author, who penned the guide “Rod Taylor: An Aussie in Hollywood,” advised Fox Information Digital.
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Rod Taylor, seen right here with Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” died in 2015. He was 84. (Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions/Album/ALAMY)
“The obituaries have been right,” stated Vagg. “He was a typical Australian of his technology. He favored to drink. He began on the radio and loads of the actors would meet on the native bar whereas they have been in between jobs… He was a really social individual, and alcohol was a giant a part of that.”
Rod Taylor and Ahna Capri in a scene from the film “Darker Than Amber,” circa 1970. (Stanley Bielecki Film Assortment/Getty Photographs)
“He had a consuming drawback,” Vagg claimed. “Lots of actors of his technology did. It was… socially acceptable on the time.
“He made a movie known as ‘The V.I.P.s’ with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor on the top of their paparazzi mania. And apparently, everybody was throwing again whiskeys at 9 a.m.… It was a special time.”
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton starred alongside Rod Taylor in “The V.I.P.s.” (Silver Display screen Assortment/Getty Photographs)
Taylor’s brawny beauty made him a number one man for movies starting from Westerns to romantic comedies. Whereas his breakthrough got here in 1960 with “The Time Machine,” he would later star within the 1963 horror traditional “The Birds.”
Alfred Hitchcock initially wished English-born actor Cary Grant for “The Birds.” (Silver Display screen Assortment/Getty Photographs)
“The position was initially written for Cary Grant,” Vagg defined. “I feel each time Alfred Hitchcock wrote a movie, he [went], ‘Let’s simply write it for Cary Grant.’ Nonetheless, Cary Grant was costly to rent, so [the studio] went with the cheaper choice… Rod was well-known, however not a giant star. They forged him.”
“The lead feminine position was written for Grace Kelly, who by then had retired,” stated Vagg. “She was married to Prince Rainier of Monaco, [and] she wouldn’t come out of retirement. So, Hitchcock found Tippi Hedren.”
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Stephen Vagg spoke to a number of sources for his guide, together with Tippi Hedren. Rod Taylor, who was conscious of the guide being written, declined to take part. (Common Studios/Getty Photographs)
For his guide, Vagg interviewed the actress, 94, who’s the mom of Melanie Griffith and grandmother of Dakota Johnson.
“She paid loads of tribute to how Rod helped her as a result of she was such a newcomer,” stated Vagg. “He actually helped her out. I feel they’d marvelous chemistry within the movie. It was a tough shoot for her as a result of she was new, but additionally as a result of she had to spend so much of time… being attacked by birds.”
English director Alfred Hitchcock with a stuffed crow in a promotional portrait for his movie, “The Birds.” (Silver Display screen Assortment/Getty Photographs)
“And I feel Rod matches into the Alfred Hitchcock world very nicely… It’s an amazing disgrace that he and Hitchcock by no means labored collectively once more,” Vagg added.
Tippi Hedren credited Rod Taylor for supporting her on the set of “The Birds.” (John Springer Assortment/Corbis by way of Getty Photographs)
As Taylor skyrocketed to fame, his robust man persona caught the attention of actresses, retaining him busy as a sought-after Hollywood bachelor.
“He was a really handsome man,” stated Vagg. “He took benefit of that in Hollywood. I feel it’s honest to say he had a really, very lively single life for a very long time. It took him just a few marriages to seek out the fitting one, which generally occurs.”
A girl sits on the again of Rod Taylor in a scene from the movie “The Man Who Had Energy Over Girls,” circa 1970. (AVCO Embassy/Getty Photographs)
“Rod Taylor had a variety of high-profile romances,” Vagg shared. “One of many massive ones on the time was with Anita Ekberg, who was greatest identified for dancing within the Trevi Fountain in ‘La Dolce Vita.’
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At one level, Rod Taylor was engaged to Anita Ekberg. She handed away in 2015 at age 83. (Tom Kelley/Getty Photographs)
“They have been engaged, and they’d do loads of combating in public, and the paparazzi would comply with them… They have been a flamable couple… There was loads of pleasure, however loads of turbulence. Finally, they each couldn’t maintain it. However the minute they broke up, each of them received engaged to different individuals fairly rapidly.”
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“He additionally had a much less publicized affair with Maggie Smith,” stated Vagg concerning the actress, who died in September of this 12 months at age 89.
“She’s not the type of individual you affiliate with that, however he was in awe of her abilities, as most individuals have been,” stated Vagg. “He stated he fell in love along with her and was prepared to marry her, however she didn’t need to try this.
“He was a really handsome man. He took benefit of that in Hollywood. I feel it’s honest to say he had a really, very lively single life for a very long time.”
Maggie Smith and Rod Taylor starred in 1965’s “Younger Cassidy.” (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives by way of Getty Photographs)
“He additionally had an affair with Frances Nuyen… and loads of his different co-stars… He was a handsome man who was a Hollywood film star. I feel that provides you loads of alternatives, and he took loads of them.”
Stephen Vagg’s guide, “Rod Taylor: An Aussie in Hollywood,” is out now. (BearManor Media)
Taylor was romantically linked to Inger Stevens, Merle Oberson, Nikki Schenck, Rhonda Fleming, Tura Satana and Nicola Michaels – simply to call just a few.
Earlier than his third marriage to Carol Kikumura, which lasted from 1980 till he died in 2015, Taylor was described as “commitment-shy” and most well-liked “informal romances on movie units.”
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Rod Taylor carrying actress Yvette Mimieux in his arms, circa 1960. (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Photographs)
Taylor’s rugged, but suave persona even made him a candidate to play 007 – not less than in line with him.
“Rod Taylor at all times used to say that he was up for the position of James Bond,” stated Vagg. “I don’t understand how critically he was thought of. I feel lots of people have been in consideration on the time. He wasn’t one of many frontrunners, that’s for positive.
Scottish actor Sean Connery as James Bond. Rod Taylor as soon as claimed he was up for the position of 007. (Getty Photographs)
“He was in a TV present known as ‘Hong Kong’ that… solely ran for one season, however it was very, extremely popular… He performed this subtle journalist in Hong Kong. That’s an excellent James Bond trial. You may have a look at that and go, ‘I can see how he would’ve been thought of.’”
Rod Taylor starred within the TV collection “Hong Kong,” which was widespread in his native Australia. (Hulton Archive/Getty Photographs)
He did voice Pongo in Disney’s 1961 movie, “101 Dalmatians.”
Throughout his reign in Hollywood, Taylor additionally developed an in depth bond with John Wayne, his co-star in 1973’s “The Prepare Robbers.”
“They each favored to drink, they each favored to speak and so they each cherished to play poker,” stated Vagg. “John Wayne would frequently beat Rod Taylor at poker, however he would forgive the debt. They received alongside rather well. They have been each very boisterous sorts… They favored to have all-night consuming classes, taking part in poker and having a very good previous time… They have been buddies up till John Wayne died in 1979.”
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The forged of “The Prepare Robbers,” from left, Ben Johnson, Christopher George, Rod Taylor, Ann-Margret and John Wayne. (Sundown Boulevard/Corbis by way of Getty Photographs)
“These have been two males [who] cherished life,” Vagg added.
As his movie profession started to wind down, Taylor turned to tv. He additionally started to provide and co-produce his later movies and TV exhibits, rigorously investing the earnings in protected securities that ensured a cushty retirement.
Later in life, Quentin Tarantino satisfied Taylor to return out of retirement to play Winston Churchill in “Inglorious Basterds.”
Rod Taylor and his spouse attend the Eire Fund Honoring Gene Kelly occasion on Nov. 8, 1990, in Beverly Hills, California. (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Assortment by way of Getty Photographs)
“Rod Taylor’s last years have been joyful ones,” stated Vagg. “He lastly discovered real love along with his spouse on the time… He’d executed loads of arduous dwelling… Lots of his contemporaries died fairly younger as a result of they didn’t deal with themselves too nicely. Thankfully, his spouse Carol was a dancer who received him into yoga and consuming nicely. I feel she extended his life.”
Rod Taylor was a pioneer of the Australian-New Zealand invasion of Hollywood that may come to incorporate actors Mel Gibson, Judy Davis, Nicole Kidman (born in Hawaii to Australian dad and mom), Geoffrey Rush and Russell Crowe. (John Springer Assortment/Corbis by way of Getty Photographs)
“He was content material in his previous few years,” he shared. “He additionally hung onto loads of his cash… he was good sufficient to try this. Lots of movie stars on the time simply didn’t, and he managed to try this.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
