Sam Taylor (August 13, 1895 – March 6, 1958) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer, most active in the

silent film era A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

. Taylor is best known for his comedic directorial work with

Harold Lloyd Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many silent comedy films.Obituary ''Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55. One of the most influential film co ...

and

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

, and also later worked with

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

. He was born in New York City. A notorious cinematic legend over the decades has suggested that Taylor's 1929 adaptation of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

'' had the screen credit "additional dialogue by Sam Taylor". However, no extant prints of the film contain this credit, and there is no documentary evidence that it ever existed. Taylor directed seven feature films with Lloyd as star, second only to Fred C. Newmeyer (the two co-directed Lloyd in five features). He also directed Pickford in her first "

talkie A sound film is a motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, percep ...

" feature with ''

Coquette A coquette is a flirtatious woman. It may refer to: * ''The Coquette'' (film), a 1917 German silent comedy film * ''Coquette'' (film), an Academy Award-winning 1929 film starring Mary Pickford * ''Coqueta '' (1949 film), a Mexican musical film * ' ...

'' (1929), which garnered the latter an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. Taylor died at the age of 62 in

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Partial filmography

* ''

Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...

'' (1919) * ''

In Honor's Web ''In Honor's Web'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Paul Scardon, written by Sam Taylor (scenario) and Perry N. Vekroff (story). The film stars Harry T. Morey, Gladden James, and George Backus George may refer to: People * ...

'' (1919) * ''

Human Collateral ''Human Collateral'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Lawrence C. Windom and starring Corinne Griffith, Webster Campbell and Maurice Costello.Connelly p.365 It is now considered to be a lost film. Cast * Corinne Griffith as Pat ...

'' (1920) * '' Now or Never'' (1921) * ''

Never Weaken ''Never Weaken'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Fred Newmeyer. It was Lloyd's last short film, running to three reels, before he moved permanently into feature-length production. It was also one o ...

'' (1921) * ''

Princess Jones ''Princess Jones'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Gustav von Seyffertitz and starring Alice Calhoun, Vincent Coleman and Helen Dubois.Connelly p.398 Synopsis Princess Jones, the niece of a country store keeper, dreams of bei ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Mohican's Daughter ''The Mohican's Daughter'' is a 1922 American silent romantic drama film directed by Sam Taylor and Stanner E.V. Taylor and starring Nancy Deaver, William H. Thompson and Paul Panzer.Connelly p.388 It is based on the 1904 short story ''The S ...

'' (1922) * ''

Safety Last! ''Safety Last!'' is a 1923 American silent romantic-comedy film starring Harold Lloyd. It includes one of the most famous images from the silent-film era: Lloyd clutching the hands of a large clock as he dangles from the outside of a skyscraper ...

'' (1923) * ''

Why Worry? ''Why Worry?'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Fred Newmeyer and Sam Taylor and starring Harold Lloyd. Plot Harold Van Pelham (Harold Lloyd) is a young, wealthy American businessman who obsesses constantly about his hea ...

'' (1923) * ''

Girl Shy ''Girl Shy'' is a 1924 romantic comedy silent film starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston. The movie was written by Sam Taylor, Tim Whelan and Ted Wilde and was directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Taylor. In 2020, the film entered the publi ...

'' (1924) * '' The Freshman'' (1925) * ''

Exit Smiling ''Exit Smiling'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Sam Taylor and starring New York and London revues star Beatrice Lillie in her first (and only silent) film role and Jack Pickford, the brother of star Mary Pickford. The film ...

'' (1927) * '' My Best Girl'' (1927) * ''

Tempest Tempest is a synonym for a storm. '' The Tempest'' is a play by William Shakespeare. Tempest or The Tempest may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Tempest'' (1908 film), a British silent film * ''The Tempest'' (1911 film), a ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Woman Disputed ''The Woman Disputed'' is a 1928 American silent film. Norma Talmadge stars as a good-hearted Austrian prostitute drawn into a romantic triangle on the eve of World War I. Based on a Denison Clift play, the nationalities of the characters had t ...

'' (1928) * ''

Lady of the Pavements ''Lady of the Pavements'' (UK title: ''Lady of the Night'') is a 1929 American silent romantic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lupe Vélez, William Boyd, and Jetta Goudal. The screenplay was written by Sam Taylor, with contrib ...

'' (1929) * ''

Du Barry, Woman of Passion ''Du Barry, Woman of Passion'' is a 1930 American pre-Code dramatic film starring Norma Talmadge, produced by her husband Joseph Schenck, released through United Artists, and based on a 1901 stage play ''Du Barry'' written and produced by David ...

'' (1930) * ''

Skyline A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. City skyline ...

'' (1931) * ''

Ambassador Bill ''Ambassador Bill'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by Sam Taylor and starring Will Rogers and Marguerite Churchill Marguerite Churchill (December 26, 1910 – January 9, 2000) was an American stage and film actress whose c ...

'' (1931) * '' Kiki'' (1931) * ''

Devil's Lottery ''Devil's Lottery'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Sam Taylor and written by Guy Bolton. The film stars Elissa Landi, Victor McLaglen, Alexander Kirkland, Ralph Morgan, Paul Cavanagh and Barbara Weeks. The film was releas ...

'' (1932) * '' Out All Night'' (1933) * ''

The Cat's-Paw ''The Cat's-Paw'' (1934) is a comedy film starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Sam Taylor. It was Lloyd's seventh and final collaboration with Taylor and the fourth of his seven starring roles in sound. ''The Cat’s Paw'', a novel by Clarence ...

'' (1934) * '' Nothing but Trouble'' (1944)

External links

* * * American film directors American film producers American male screenwriters 1895 births 1958 deaths 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters {{US-screen-writer-stub