He didn’t intend to become an actor, but his good looks made it nigh impossible to resist getting an MGM contract in the 1930s. And Robert Taylor stuck with MGM through the 1950s, starring in many a frock flick as dashing soldiers, rugged cowboys, and valiant knights. You may not remember him now, but chances are he caught your favorite leading lady swooning in a classic black-and-white film!
‘Bow’ Timberlake in The Gorgeous Hussy (1936)
Armand Duval in Camille (1936)
Lieutenant Richard L. Perry in This Is My Affair (1937)
Blake Cantrell in Stand Up and Fight (1939)
Roy Cronin in Waterloo Bridge (1940)
Billy Bonney in Billy the Kid (1941)
Ward Kinsman in Ambush (1950)
Lance Poole in Devil’s Doorway (1950)
Marcus Vinicius in Quo Vadis (1951)
Ivanhoe in Ivanhoe (1952)
Lancelot in Knights of the Round Table (1953)
Mark Brandon in Valley of the Kings (1954)
Bushrod Gentry in Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
Quentin Durward in The Adventures of Quentin Durward (1955)
Ben Wyatt in Return of the Gunfighter (1966)
What’s your favorite of Robert Taylor’s historical costume movie roles?
Ivnhoe. These were movies I saw when I was a kid.
Yes! My mom must have been a Robert Taylor fan because as a kid I saw Ivanhoe, Knights of the Round Table, Quentin Durwood. Taylor sure was pretty.
Ah medieval Bullet bras. So classic!
I loved Ivanhoe also. But he had a voice that could make reading the phone book sound sexy!
Quo Vadis, Ivanhoe, Quentin Durward… these movies were amongst the first classic Hollywood movies I saw and they still do it for me!
I’m getting a Vincent Price vibe from that Quentin Durward photo. :)
I see that too! And you beat me to the post. Something in the eyes and brows, especially.
Completely agree! :)
Never heard of him before, but you’re right: He was VERY handsome and he starred opposite so many famous leading ladies (early in their careers based on what I can tell from the photos).
P.S. I NEED a tee shirt that says “The Gorgeous Hussy.”
Waterloo Bridge is one of the most heartbreaking movies I’ve ever seen. Robert Taylor is perfectly cast and it’s one of Vivien Leigh’s best performances.
Also, for the longest time all I knew him from was Camille, and that only because of the movie theater scene in Annie. I was so confused by that ending!
Bushrod???!!
I was “meh” on his Westerns but loved Quo Vadis and Ivanhoe!
The man looked good in tights! 😁
Loved Camille and Waterloo Bridge. He aged well, didn’t he?