Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1906 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them

B-movie A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second ...

s in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more prestigious studio releases, including '' Merrily We Go to Hell'' (1932), '' I'm No Angel'' (1933), '' Cradle Song'' (1933), '' Death Takes a Holiday'' (1934), ''

Payment on Demand ''Payment on Demand'' is a 1951 American Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Bette Davis and Barry Sullivan (actor), Barry Sullivan. The screenplay by Bernhardt and Bruce Manning chronicles a marriage ...

'' (1951), and ''

Track the Man Down ''Track the Man Down'' is a 1955 British black and white "B" crime film directed by R. G. Springsteen, starring Kent Taylor, Petula Clark, and George Rose. It was written by Paul Erickson. Plot A robbery at a greyhound racetrack results ...

'' (1955). He had the lead role in '' Half Past Midnight'' in 1948, among a few others.

Early years

Kent Taylor was born Louis William Weiss on May 11, 1906, to a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family in

Nashua, Iowa Nashua is a city in Chickasaw County, Iowa, Chickasaw County and Floyd County, Iowa, Floyd County, Iowa, United States. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city's population was 1,551, a 6.7% decrease from 2010. The famed Little ...

, Taylor moved with his family to

Waterloo, Iowa Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States census the population was 67,314, making it the List of cities in Iowa, eighth-most populous city in the st ...

, when he was 7. He worked at a variety of jobs after high school, and for two years he studied engineering at the Darrah Institute of Technology in Chicago. He and his family moved to California in 1931.Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 545-547.

Career

With no prior professional acting experience, Kent began working as a film extra in 1931 on the advice of a friend who said he had the right looks for "a good screen type." Prior to background work, he was co-operator of an awning service shop with his father. After a few very minor extra roles in films such as '' Kick In'' (1931), he was called in "to try out a new camera idea;" a silent sequence was shot using Taylor and

Claire Dodd Claire Dodd (born Dorothy Arlene Dodd; December 29, 1911 – November 23, 1973 ) was an American film actress. Early life Dorothy Arlene Dodd was born on December 29, 1911, in Baxter, Iowa, to Walter Willard Dodd, a farmer whose family w ...

, who was by then an established player at

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

. The test led to Taylor being offered a contract with Paramount, which he signed on July 11, 1931. Taylor portrayed

Doc Holliday John Henry Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American dentistry, dentist, gambling, gambler, and gunfighter who was a close friend and associate of Sheriff, lawman Wyatt Earp. Holliday is b ...

in '' Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die'' (1942) starring

Richard Dix Richard Dix (born Ernst Carlton Brimmer; July 18, 1893 – September 20, 1949) was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent film, silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and sta ...

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman in the American West, including Dodge City, Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita, and Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone. Earp was involved in the gunfight ...

. In 1951–1952, with his movie career on the decline and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

production on the upswing, he played the title role in 58 episodes of the

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads the ...

series ''

Boston Blackie Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie was originally depicted as a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, and became a private detective in adaptations for films, radio and televisi ...

''Erickson, Hal (1989). ''Syndicated Television: The First Forty Years, 1947-1987''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 21. and the lead, as Captain Jim Flagg, in ABC's '' The Rough Riders'',Terrace, Vincent (2011). ''Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 912. an adventure series about three soldiers, two Union and one

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

, traveling together through the

American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is census regions United States Census Bureau As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the mea ...

after the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

. ''The Rough Riders'' aired thirty-nine episodes from 1958 to 1959. Other minor screen credits include ''

My Little Margie ''My Little Margie'' is an American television sitcom starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955. The series was created by Frank Fox and produced in Los Angeles, California, at Hal Roach Stud ...

'', ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series starring Dale Robertson in 201 episodes that aired from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until i ...

'', ''

Zorro Zorro ( or , Spanish for "fox") is a fictional character created in 1919 by American Pulp magazine, pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo de Los Ángeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashin ...

'', ''

Riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...

'', ''

The Rifleman ''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...

'', ''

Tombstone Territory ''Tombstone Territory'' is an American Western television series starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham. The first two seasons aired on ABC from 1957 to 1959. The first season was sponsored by Bristol-Myers (consumer products) and the seco ...

'', ''

Sugarfoot ''Sugarfoot'' is an American Western television series that aired for 69 episodes on ABC from 1957-1961 on Tuesday nights on a "shared" slot basis – rotating with ''Cheyenne'' (first season); ''Cheyenne'' and '' Bronco'' (both second and fo ...

'', ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...

'', '' Laramie'', '' Mr. Lucky'', ''

Tightrope Tightrope walking, also called funambulism, is the skill of walking along a thin wire or rope. It has a long tradition in various countries and is commonly associated with the circus. Other skills similar to tightrope walking include slack rope ...

'', ''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American detective fiction, private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens (actor), Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, lounge singer Edie Hart. The series was broadcast by NBC from Sept ...

'', ''

Hawaiian Eye ''Hawaiian Eye'' is an American detective television series that ran from October 1959 to April 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. Premise Private investigator Tracy Steele (Anthony Eisley) and his half-Hawaiian ...

'', '' The Brothers Brannagan'', ''

The Ann Sothern Show ''The Ann Sothern Show'' is an American sitcom starring Ann Sothern that aired on CBS for three seasons from October 6, 1958, to March 30, 1961. Created by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf, the series was the second starring vehicle for Sothern, wh ...

'', ''

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden ...

'', and '' Rango''. He starred in the 1962 film ''The Broken Land'' with

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...

and Diana Darrin. The last years of his career were spent in low budget Biker, SciFi, and Horror films such as, “The Day Mars Invaded Earth” released in 1962, '' Brides of Blood'' (1968), '' Satan's Sadists'' (1969), '' The Mighty Gorga'' (1969), ''

Brain of Blood ''Brain of Blood'' (also known as ''The Creature's Revenge'', ''The Oozing Skull'', and ''The Undying Brain'') is a 1971 American horror film directed by Al Adamson and starring Grant Williams (actor), Grant Williams, Kent Taylor and Reed Hadley. ...

'' (1971), '' Blood of Ghastly Horror'' (1972), '' Angels' Wild Women'' (1972), and '' Girls for Rent'' (1974).

Clark Kent

Along with

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

, Kent Taylor served as the inspiration behind the name of

Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

's alter-ego

Clark Kent Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

Personal life

Taylor died on April 9, 1987, at age 80, at the

Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital In physics, motion is when an object changes its position with respect to a reference point in a given time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed, and frame of reference to an observ ...

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

, of complications during heart surgery.

Selected filmography

* '' Born to Love'' (1931) as Dancing Doughboy (uncredited) * '' Ladies' Man'' (1931) as Night Club Patron (uncredited) * '' Kick In'' (1931) as Counter Man in Shop (uncredited) * '' The Magnificent Lie'' (1931) as Cafe Customer (uncredited) * '' The Road to Reno'' (1931) as One of Jackie's Admirers (uncredited) * '' The False Madonna'' (1931) as Footman (uncredited) * '' Husband's Holiday'' (1931) as Miguel Balboa (scenes deleted) * '' Two Kinds of Women'' (1932) as Milt Fleisser (uncredited) * '' Dancers in the Dark'' (1932) as Saxophonist (uncredited) * '' One Hour with You'' (1932) as Party Guest Greeted by Colette (uncredited) * '' Sinners in the Sun'' (1932) as Dancing Gigolo (uncredited) * ''

Forgotten Commandments ''Forgotten Commandments'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and William Schorr and written by James B. Fagan and Agnes Brand Leahy. The film stars Sari Maritza, Gene Raymond, Marguerite Churchill, Irving ...

'' (1932) as Gregor * '' Merrily We Go to Hell'' (1932) as Gregory 'Greg' Boleslavsky * '' The Man from Yesterday'' (1932) as Military Policeman (uncredited) * '' Make Me a Star'' (1932) as Theatre Doorman Ticket Taker (uncredited) * '' Devil and the Deep'' (1932) as A Friend at Party (uncredited) * ''

Blonde Venus ''Blonde Venus'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film starring Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall and Cary Grant. It was produced, edited and directed by Josef von Sternberg from a screenplay by Jules Furthman and S. K. Lauren, adapted fro ...

'' (1932) as Hiker (uncredited) * '' The Night of June 13'' (1932) as Reporter (uncredited) * ''

If I Had a Million ''If I Had a Million'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Paramount Studios anthology film starring Gary Cooper, George Raft, Charles Laughton, W. C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Frances Dee and Charlie Ruggles, among others. There were seven directors: ...

'' (1932) as Bank Teller (uncredited) * '' The Sign of the Cross'' (1932) as Romantic Spectator (uncredited) * '' Under-Cover Man'' (1932) as Russ (uncredited) * '' The Mysterious Rider'' (1933) as Wade Benton * ''

Tonight Is Ours ''Tonight Is Ours'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Stuart Walker (director), Stuart Walker and starring Claudette Colbert, Fredric March and Alison Skipworth. Made by Paramount Pictures, it is based on the play ''The Queen Wa ...

'' (1933) as Minor Role (uncredited) * '' A Lady's Profession'' (1933) as Dick Garfield * ''

The Story of Temple Drake ''The Story of Temple Drake'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film directed by Stephen Roberts (director), Stephen Roberts and starring Miriam Hopkins and Jack La Rue. It tells the story of Temple Drake, a reckless woman in ...

'' (1933) as First Jellybean (uncredited) * '' Sunset Pass'' (1933) as Clink Peeples * '' I'm No Angel'' (1933) as Kirk Lawrence * ''

White Woman ''White Woman'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film directed by Stuart Walker (director), Stuart Walker and starring Carole Lombard, Charles Laughton, and Charles Bickford.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Film ...

'' (1933) as David von Elst * '' Cradle Song'' (1933) as Antonio Perez * '' David Harum'' (1934) as John Lennox * '' Death Takes a Holiday'' (1934) as Corrado * '' Double Door'' (1934) as Rip Van Brett * '' The Scarlet Empress'' (1934) as Paul (uncredited) * '' Many Happy Returns'' (1934) as Movie Actor (uncredited) * '' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (1934) as Bob Redding * '' Limehouse Blues'' (1934) (aka ''East End Chant'') as Eric Benton * '' The County Chairman'' (1935) as Ben Harvey * '' College Scandal'' (1935) as Seth Dunlap * '' Smart Girl'' (1935) as Nick Graham * '' Without Regret'' (1935) as Steven Paradin * '' Two-Fisted'' (1935) as Clint Blackburn * '' My Marriage'' (1936) as John DeWitt Tyler III * '' The Sky Parade'' (1936) as Tommy Wade * '' Florida Special'' (1936) as Wally Tucker * '' Ramona'' (1936) as Felipe Moreno * ''

The Accusing Finger ''The Accusing Finger'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by James P. Hogan and written by Madeleine Ruthven, Brian Marlow, John Bright and Robert Tasker. The film stars Paul Kelly, Marsha Hunt, Kent Taylor, Robert Cummings, Harry Ca ...

'' (1936) as Jerry Welch * '' When Love Is Young'' (1937) as Andy Russell * '' Wings Over Honolulu'' (1937) as Gregory Chandler * '' Love in a Bungalow'' (1937) as Jeff Langan * '' The Lady Fights Back'' (1937) as Owen Merrill * '' A Girl with Ideas'' (1937) as Frank Barnes * '' Prescription for Romance'' (1937) as Steve Macy * '' The Jury's Secret'' (1938) as Walter Russell * '' The Last Express'' (1938) as Duncan MacLain * '' Pirates of the Skies'' (1939) as Robert Maitland * '' Four Girls in White'' (1939) as Nick Conlon * '' The Gracie Allen Murder Case'' (1939) as Bill Brown * '' Five Came Back'' (1939) as Joe Brooks * '' Three Sons'' (1939) as Gene Pardway * '' Sued for Libel'' (1939) as Steve Lonegan * '' Escape to Paradise'' (1939) as Richard Fleming * '' I Take This Woman'' (1940) as Phil Mayberry * '' Two Girls on Broadway'' (1940) as 'Chat' Chatsworth * '' Girl in 313'' (1940) as Gregg Dunn * '' Girl from Avenue A'' (1940) as MacMillan Forrester * '' Men Against the Sky'' (1940) as Martin Ames * '' I'm Still Alive'' (1940) as Steve Bennett * ''

Repent at Leisure ''Repent at Leisure'' is a 1941 American domestic comedy film directed by Frank Woodruff from a screenplay by Jerry Cady based on a story by James Gow and Arnaud D'Usseau Arnaud d'Usseau (April 18, 1916 – January 29, 1990) was a playwright ...

'' (1941) as Richard Hughes * '' Washington Melodrama'' (1941) as Hal Thorne * '' Frisco Lil'' (1942) as Peter Brewster * '' Gang Busters'' (1942, Serial) as Det. Lt. Bill Bannister * '' Mississippi Gambler'' (1942) as John J. 'Johnny' Forbes * '' Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die'' (1942) as Doc Holiday * '' Halfway to Shanghai'' (1942) as Frederick Barton * '' Army Surgeon'' (1942) as Lt. Philip 'Phil' Harvey * '' Bomber's Moon'' (1943) as Capt. Paul von Block * ''

Roger Touhy, Gangster ''Roger Touhy, Gangster'' is a 1944 American gangster film based on the life of Chicago mob figure Roger Touhy, directed by film noir specialist Robert Florey. Parts of the film were shot at Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet, Illinoi ...

'' (1944) as Police Capt. Steven Warren * ''

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

'' (1944) as Gary Corbett * '' The Daltons Ride Again'' (1945) as Bob Dalton * '' Young Widow'' (1946) as Peter Waring * '' Smooth as Silk'' (1946) as Mark Fenton * ''

Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...

'' (1946) as Ramon * '' Deadline for Murder'' (1946) as Steve Millard * '' Dangerous Millions'' (1946) as Jack Clark * '' The Crimson Key'' (1947) as Lawrence 'Larry' Morgan * '' Second Chance'' (1947) as Kendal Wolf * '' Half Past Midnight'' (1948) as Wade Hamilton * '' The Sickle or the Cross'' (1949) as Rev. John Burnside * '' Federal Agent at Large'' (1950) as Mark Reed, aka Nick Ravel * '' Western Pacific Agent'' (1950) as Rod Kendall * '' Trial Without Jury'' (1950) as Jed Kilgore * ''

'' (1951) as Robert Townsend * ''

Playgirl ''Playgirl'' is an American magazine that has historically featured pictorials of nude and semi-nude men alongside general interest, lifestyle, celebrity journalism, and original fiction. For most of its history, the magazine printed monthly a ...

'' (1954) as Ted Andrews * ''

'' (1955) as John Ford * '' Secret Venture'' (1955) as Ted O'Hara * ''

The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues ''The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues'' is a 1955 independent film, independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, science-fiction monster film produced by Jack Milner and Dan Milner (who also directed), that stars Kent Taylor an ...

'' (1955) as Dr. Ted Stevens * '' Slightly Scarlet'' (1956) as Frank Jansen * ''

Ghost Town A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...

'' (1956) as Anse Conroy * '' Frontier Gambler'' (1956) as Roger 'The Duke' Chadwick * '' The Iron Sheriff'' (1957) as Phil Quincy * ''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne (actor), John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Ci ...

'' (1958) Episode "Imposter for a Day" * ''

Fort Bowie Fort Bowie was a 19th-century outpost of the United States Army located in southeastern Arizona near the present day town of Willcox, Arizona. The remaining buildings and site are now protected as Fort Bowie National Historic Site. Fort Bowi ...

'' (1958) as Col. James Garrett * '' Gang War'' (1958) as Bryce Barker, Meadows' Attorney * '' Walk Tall'' (1960) as Frank Carter * ''

The Purple Hills ''The Purple Hills'' (originally titled "The Vanishing Frontier") is a 1961 American Western film directed by Maury Dexter and written by Russ Bender and Edith Cash Pearl. The film stars Gene Nelson, Kent Taylor, Danny Zapien, Medford Salway, ...

'' (1961) as Johnny Barnes * '' The Broken Land'' (1962) as Marshal Jim Cogan * '' The Firebrand'' (1962) as Maj. Tim Bancroft * '' The Day Mars Invaded Earth'' (1962) (aka ''Spaceraid 63'') as Dr. David Fielding * '' Harbor Lights'' (1963) as Dan Crown * '' The Crawling Hand'' (1963) as Dr. Max Weitzberg * '' Law of the Lawless'' (1964) as Attorney Rand McDonald * '' Blood of Ghastly Horror'' (1967) as Dr. Elton Corey * '' Brides of Blood'' (1968) as Dr. Paul Henderson * '' Satan's Sadists'' (1969) as Lew * '' The Mighty Gorga'' (1969) as Tonga Jack Adams * '' Hell's Bloody Devils'' (1970) as Count Otto Von Delberg * ''

'' (1971) as Dr. Trenton * '' Angels' Wild Women'' (1972) as Parker * '' I Spit on Your Corpse'' (1974) (aka ''Girls for Rent'') as Moreno

References

External links

*
Episodes of ''Boston Blackie'' television program starring Kent Taylor — from YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Kent 1907 births 1987 deaths American male film actors Jewish American male actors American male television actors Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Male actors from Iowa 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American Jews