Reluctant Witness: Robert Taylor, Hollywood, & Communism
How I became a fan of Robert Taylor
Where to start...? I am 40 and a bit now, what means – I wasn't 1 year old yet, when he died.
In the regular German tv programme they don't show many of his movies, almost only „Ivanhoe“ and „Quo vadis“ from time to time, which I was used to watch since my early childhood. But at that time I was more interested in the story or had a crush on other actors. Meanwhile I have noticed, that for almost every movie there exist a German title and German fan-stuff (posters, lobbycards, programmes), what means that the movies must have been shown once in the cinema and later on tv in the 30ies up to the 60ies.
I am a fan of „Gone with the wind“ too and when I tried to find out, what films Vivien Leigh also played in, I became interested to see „Waterloo Bridge“, what fortunately came a few weeks later on tv. That was about 2 years before, I think. I loved that movie and became curious about that handsome leading man... Robert Taylor..... Hmmh, of course the name sounded familiar to me, it's well-known. But what did I know him for? Only afterwards I saw the connection to „Ivanhoe“ and „Quo vadis“. A few months before now I was in the mood to watch „Waterloo Bridge“ again and fortunately found it on youtube in full-version. This was the beginning of my love for Robert Taylor..............
Then came one thing to the other: searching on the internet for more informations, pictures, dvds --- I found this fansite --- started my picture collection --- and became quite addictive, I tell you. Meanwhile I have seen 12 of his movies in a short time and the wishlist is still quite long. But I can't afford to buy more dvds (anyway not all are in European region code) or to pay for the extended cable access to receive TCM... Maybe later.
What do I love him for? Well, at first I can't deny to be a woman, who feels attracted to that man. Only the voice yet. I can't help it.... At second the fact, that he himself didn't much care about his beauty but rather suffered from the attention others payed on it – that makes him even more sympathic to me. I like the gentle, polite and respectful way, how he treated women. I appreciate how he did his job as an actor – without star-affectations, always well-prepared, just a professional (!) - and that he didn't mix up job and personal life.
I still can't understand, why he was so often, too often reduced to his looks and that the critics only reluctantly admitted, that he had acting skills, too. Maybe Shakespeare wasn't exactly his cup of tea, but that doesn't unevitably mean, that one isn't a good actor. Not at all! For me always is a sign of having a good actor infront of me, when one entirely merges with the character he plays and I don't see the private person behind anymore, who plays that role. Robert Taylor is much underrated, already at his lifetime and unfortunately until this very day.
BUT we can change it! For the beginning with keeping this fansite alive and letting the fan-community growing – all over the world!
So, come on, I am interested to learn about how you all became a fan of Robert Taylor.
In the regular German tv programme they don't show many of his movies, almost only „Ivanhoe“ and „Quo vadis“ from time to time, which I was used to watch since my early childhood. But at that time I was more interested in the story or had a crush on other actors. Meanwhile I have noticed, that for almost every movie there exist a German title and German fan-stuff (posters, lobbycards, programmes), what means that the movies must have been shown once in the cinema and later on tv in the 30ies up to the 60ies.
I am a fan of „Gone with the wind“ too and when I tried to find out, what films Vivien Leigh also played in, I became interested to see „Waterloo Bridge“, what fortunately came a few weeks later on tv. That was about 2 years before, I think. I loved that movie and became curious about that handsome leading man... Robert Taylor..... Hmmh, of course the name sounded familiar to me, it's well-known. But what did I know him for? Only afterwards I saw the connection to „Ivanhoe“ and „Quo vadis“. A few months before now I was in the mood to watch „Waterloo Bridge“ again and fortunately found it on youtube in full-version. This was the beginning of my love for Robert Taylor..............
Then came one thing to the other: searching on the internet for more informations, pictures, dvds --- I found this fansite --- started my picture collection --- and became quite addictive, I tell you. Meanwhile I have seen 12 of his movies in a short time and the wishlist is still quite long. But I can't afford to buy more dvds (anyway not all are in European region code) or to pay for the extended cable access to receive TCM... Maybe later.
What do I love him for? Well, at first I can't deny to be a woman, who feels attracted to that man. Only the voice yet. I can't help it.... At second the fact, that he himself didn't much care about his beauty but rather suffered from the attention others payed on it – that makes him even more sympathic to me. I like the gentle, polite and respectful way, how he treated women. I appreciate how he did his job as an actor – without star-affectations, always well-prepared, just a professional (!) - and that he didn't mix up job and personal life.
I still can't understand, why he was so often, too often reduced to his looks and that the critics only reluctantly admitted, that he had acting skills, too. Maybe Shakespeare wasn't exactly his cup of tea, but that doesn't unevitably mean, that one isn't a good actor. Not at all! For me always is a sign of having a good actor infront of me, when one entirely merges with the character he plays and I don't see the private person behind anymore, who plays that role. Robert Taylor is much underrated, already at his lifetime and unfortunately until this very day.
BUT we can change it! For the beginning with keeping this fansite alive and letting the fan-community growing – all over the world!
So, come on, I am interested to learn about how you all became a fan of Robert Taylor.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alejandra on -
Warm greetings to all of you. Finally, here I am (better late than never, so they say). I'm glad to be here and I'm so pleased to find others fans like me. I'm Alejandra, elmonjeblanco from Youtube . I was absent for a while but i'm ready to come back . I'll be there posting any time (I hope).
I don't remember exactly when I started to be a fan. Watching his epic movies on tv when I was a child I guess. I grew up thinking he was a movie star of the 1950s, I had not seen none of his previous works. Some years after I had the opportunity to see his early movies on VHS listening his "original" voice (his voice!) because in the days before cable service, movies were dubbed. Thanks to a friend from Argentina whom I met online about two years ago ( and thanks to the internet too!) I was able to know much more about his work and his life.
I would like to share with you some wallpapers I made. My question is, do I upload the jpg files or should I post the links?
Cheers
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Permalink Reply by Linda Alexander on -
Alejandra: I'm SO happy to see you! All Robert Taylor fans on the internet owe you a great debt of gratitude for your excellent work at posting Taylor movie clips & keeping his memory alive via YouTube. You are doing an incredible job. Thank you.
Regarding the wallpapers . . . can you upload your jpgs as photos? There is a photo application here on this site. Otherwise, feel free to include the links to where they can be viewed. This is what Birdy has done & that works well.
Again, welcome. Good to have you here!
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Permalink Reply by Alejandra on
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Hello, sorry for the delay in responding. I had problems with my internet connection.
Thank you Linda, Birdy and Bryan Aherne for your very warm welcome. I only want to add that I'm delighted to be here.
Now I'm uploading the files. See you later.
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Permalink Reply by Alejandra on
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The "add hiperlink" option seems not to work. I post them this way:
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1516/taylorblue.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7242/fourtaylors.jpg
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/549/bobinmontmartre2.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7681/piercingeyes.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2348/taylorincolour.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6702/bobunderreflectors.jpg
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Permalink Reply by Birdy on -
Oh Alejandra, I love your wallies!! The style is very special and I really like your associations, what you have combined with each other. You have an eye for that!
I think there is no reason not to upload them here to an own album in the gallery - just because the photos are edited and "retouched" - that's logical for artwork, it's the freedom of art in general. Can't wait to see your other creations. AND - you seem to have a lot of photos I haven't seen yet... Only your avatar yet - I love that look! Concerning his voice you are right. I think, if there weren't his handsome looks I certainly would have fallen in love only from listening to his voice yet....
By the way: what program do you use for creating the graphics?
Alejandra said:The "add hiperlink" option seems not to work. I post them this way:
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1516/taylorblue.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7242/fourtaylors.jpg
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/549/bobinmontmartre2.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7681/piercingeyes.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2348/taylorincolour.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6702/bobunderreflectors.jpg
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Permalink Reply by Linda Alexander on
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Alejandra: I have to agree w/Birdy . . . these are amazing renditions & I don't see any reason why you can't post them to the site. Just create a photo collection under your name on the site, & have at it.
Thx for sharing--fantastic! We have some amazing artists here between you & Birdy (of what I've seen thus far) & I'm so happy to see this talent direct towards Robert Taylor. The artwork on this site is Birdy's.
Alejandra said:The "add hiperlink" option seems not to work. I post them this way:
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1516/taylorblue.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7242/fourtaylors.jpg
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/549/bobinmontmartre2.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7681/piercingeyes.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2348/taylorincolour.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6702/bobunderreflectors.jpg
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Permalink Reply by Alejandra on
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Thank you Birdy and Linda. I'm going to post the wallpapers as photos then. I have other photos to post but before uploading I'm going to see all the stuff already posted here. Amazing!
The program I use is Adobe Photoshop, sometimes Corel Photo Paint too.
Cheers
Birdy said:Oh Alejandra, I love your wallies!! The style is very special and I really like your associations, what you have combined with each other. You have an eye for that!
I think there is no reason not to upload them here to an own album in the gallery - just because the photos are edited and "retouched" - that's logical for artwork, it's the freedom of art in general. Can't wait to see your other creations. AND - you seem to have a lot of photos I haven't seen yet... Only your avatar yet - I love that look! Concerning his voice you are right. I think, if there weren't his handsome looks I certainly would have fallen in love only from listening to his voice yet....
By the way: what program do you use for creating the graphics?
Alejandra said:The "add hiperlink" option seems not to work. I post them this way:
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1516/taylorblue.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7242/fourtaylors.jpg
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/549/bobinmontmartre2.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7681/piercingeyes.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2348/taylorincolour.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6702/bobunderreflectors.jpg
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Permalink Reply by SusanaG on -
Hello there,
After lurking around for a while, I finally decided to become a member of this lovely community of Robert Taylor fans.
Firstly, I'd like to thank Linda for this site and everything she's been doing for so many years to maintain the Robert Taylor name alive. Probably you'll remember me, Linda... especially if you still recall that "registered letter" from Argentina that about 10 years ago eventually made its way to reach you after a long winding run! It was thanks to Mr Kent Wilson from the Gage County Historical Society that I heard of you for the first time and was given your mailing address. We've emailed each other a few times and I always followed your Taylor-related work.
I'd also like to say that I'm a friend of another member here, Alejandra, with whom I've been corresponding for nearly 2 years now, I think. A very pleasant person who, among many other things, encouraged me to join this forum! Thanks Alejandra!
Well, as a classic movies buff and a long-time Taylor fan as well, I have to say, however, that I can't pin down when exactly my interest in Bob Taylor began. Perhaps, though I'm not sure, it was when his TV series "The Detectives" was first aired here ca. 1965 and rerun few years later. I was a little kid then and really can't remember too much about this show. But I do remember hearing my family mourn his passing and me thinking, "Oh, I won't be able to see Capt. Holbrook anymore now!"
Many years later, home movies and cable TV (good ol' TNT, remember?) would both have an impact on me since the late 80s-early 90s. The first Taylor movie I rented was "D-Day, the Sixth of June" way back in 1992. Shortly after, when I rented "Quo Vadis" I just simply adored him. Since that moment on, I made a point to watch, tape and/or buy all the available movies in which Taylor appeared in... and by the mid 90s I had more than 50 Taylor-movies in my own VHS-collection!
I always thought that a true gentleman was hidden behind Taylor's gorgeousness. His modesty, professionalism, unassuming nature and down-to-earth attitude have literally jumped out of the screen and that was what the audiences around the world appreciated and loved. He was always the same, on and off the screen - just the same nice, straightforward man. And he was a very talented performer, sure he was, no matter what movie critics printed about him. After reading several Taylor books (including of course, Linda's) and exchanging lots of articles with Alejandra, which indeed have broaden my knowledge about him, I'm still amazed at how charming fellow he was!
I hope to remain active in this forum and post regularly, time permitting. Forty years after Bob Taylor's passing, I'm grateful his flame is still burning through this network.
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