Matinee-idol looks & Acting skills

[Alejandra]

"In my freshman year, I played the leading role in the campus performance 'Helena's Boys', greatly to the disgust of Professor Gray who wanted to know why I fiddled about with such nonsense. He said that I should concentrate on the cello, that I had the makings of a concert artist, what had I to do with 'playacting'? I couldn't tell him. I didn't know myself. I don't know now. I only know that there was something in the musty smell of backstage that I liked."... Robert Taylor said in 1937 recalling his days at Doane College, Crete, Nebraska. He wanted to be an actor. He loved acting. In 1931 he moved to Claremont, California and enrolled at Pomona College. When young Arlington was discovered by an MGM talent scout while performing "Journey's End" there, he didn't know he was destined to become "The Heartthrob of the Nation" soon after. Gifted with a gorgeous physique, his stunning facial features and natural charm attracted the adoration of the female public everywhere. Naturally, he was cast to play romantic roles in melodramas and light comedies and, although he was perfectly suited to perform them and perform them well, he was always belabored by the critics because of his handsomeness, not taken seriously as an actor.

This was a serious concern for him in his early days in Hollywood but with time he was able to extend his range into different genres portraying a wide variety of characters. As he got older he got more significant parts becoming an all-around actor. Unlike other performers considered matinee idols like John Gilbert, Ramón Novarro, John Gavin even Tyrone Power (in fact he was, as Richard Greene also was, the Twentieth Century-Fox answer to MGM's Robert Taylor) he managed to break the stereotype proving to have acting skills.

Although he was typecast when he was young, I prefer this spontaneous, uninhibited and expressive Taylor of the 30s and early 40s over the reserved Taylor of restrained emotions who emerged after the war, even if he was playing noticeably more interesting and complex characters at that time.
You thoughts? Of all of Taylors that you have already seen , which one do you prefer? Can you overlook his exceptional looks when you see him on screen?

In an article appeared in the July 10th, 1937 issue of the Picture Show magazine and titled "My own Life Story" Robert Taylor told:
"When I had finished my third screen role in the short subject MGM made, I had the good luck to be selected to play the second lead in 'Society Doctor' at MGM. It took courage for the producer to put that much responsibility on my shoulders, for I never before had done so large a part, and what small roles I had played had not attracted any attention. I guess they were all right, but nobody had any trouble restraining his enthusiasm for Robert Taylor.
Well, I did have a fan letter. One. That's what made me certain I was an actor, I guess. The first note I had from one of those pleasant people who take the trouble to write to actors, whose work they like, tickled me silly. I had the paper framed and hung it next to my bed. I was afraid I might never get another.
After 'Society Doctor' was released, however, I got a few more. It was a good picture, and Chester Morris and Virginia Bruce, who played the principal roles, were excellent. I was pleased with the praise they received and, of course, excited that I had even been noticed.
The best notice I ever had was in a review of that picture. It was only one line in a long account published in a New York newspaper. But I couldn't have read a book of praise about myself with half the satisfaction. The line was: 'A young unknown named Robert Taylor, gives a good account of himself in spite of his matinee-idol looks'.
The writer said 'in spite of', see? Now looks are good or bad, according to taste. My appearance doesn't fascinate me. But I'm not the one who has to be pleased either. It's a big help to an actor if people like to look at him but it has nothing to do with acting.
What pass for 'matinee-idol looks' can operate to a person's disadvantage moreover. I spent some miserable weeks at Pomona College when I entered there, a green and homesick kid, because somebody contemptuously dubbed me 'The Sheik'. My only offence had been bewildered shyness, but it was misunderstood as conceit.
I remember those long and painful days I put in at College until I really got acquainted. The fact that my appearance wouldn't be held against me, by one film critic at least, was a splendid discovery. 'In spite of'- may be I'll work myself into being a fair-to-middling actor yet, I thought. And may be I will some day, at that. I'm going to keep on trying at any rate..."

[Alejandra]

Note:
A friend of mine (and also a Taylor fan) called my attention to the use of the word "versus" here. When I say Matinee-idol looks versus Acting skills ("in competition with" or "as opposed to")I'm referring to the distinction made and instituted by the media now and then. Looks and skills do not exclude each other for me.