Movie stars of the Golden Age were often photographed with props.  The props ranged from sensible, having something to do with a film, to silly.  In the silly, or at least puzzling category are ladders, duck decoys, monkeys and globes.  The following are good examples of the use of props.

Animals

From left: a beaming Robert Taylor points at a monkey, 1930s; Mr. Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck give a treat to a baby Cheetah, 1930s.

Apple

In the sadly overlooked Johnny Tiger, 1966, Robert Taylor plays a teacher who is trying to bring learning to the children of a Seminole Indian tribe.  Here the teacher somewhat wistfully holds an apple.

Babies

This is specific to the film “Stand By for Action,” 1942, in which babies are the subject of a major sub-plot.  Mr. Taylor seems quite overwhelmed by his small charges.

Books

Mr. Taylor wasn’t a great reader, sticking mostly to magazines; this photo probably advertises a film made from a book.

Dogs

Robert Taylor loved dogs, both hunting dogs and pets and often posed with them.  They helped to bring out his down to earth, non movie star personality.

From Left: Camille, 1936. The dog, an Irish Setter may have been named Jack. 1930s with a Boxer; Robert Taylor with a Setter and a Dalmatian, 1930s; Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck with a Jack Russell Terrier(?), 1930s.

Mr. Taylor with two Boxers, 1930s; with a Yellow Lab, 1940s; with a Pointer, around 1950.  Please let me know if I’ve any of the dogs wrong.

Robert Taylor with a Black Lab, 1950s; with a Pointer, late fifties, early sixties.

Duck Decoy

Mr. Taylor was a noted outdoorsman, who in 1954 won the first Winchester Award as Outdoorsman of the year. The decoy and tree motif are appropriate to his lifestyle. This picture looks to be from the mid 1950s, the time of the award.

Fireplace and Saddle

A faux scene of domestic tranquility where Mr. Taylor broods romantically while he contemplates a saddle and a fireplace.  The other photos are from the same series.

Furniture

From left: promotional photos using couches for When Ladies Meet, 1941and Her Cardboard Lover, 1942.  The actors draped on couches motif was very common.

Gardening Tools

This series, from the 1930s, represents Robert Taylor as a keen gardener who doesn’t get dirty.  He wields a hose in color and black and white, then admires his garden.

Gavel

As far as I know, Mr. Taylor never played a judge (perhaps on Death Valley Days?) but this does suit the gravitas he had as a mature actor.

Globes

From left: 1930s with paper and pencil; 1940s; 1940s Robert Taylor with Barbara Stanwyck.  Maybe he’s showing her where he will be stationed; Mr. Taylor with Stewart Granger, his co-star in All the Brothers Were Valiant; 1953. They were sea captains so the globe makes sense.

Guns:

Guns are the prop with which Robert Taylor was most often photographed.  Given that many of his films were Westerns, adventure films, or cop films, this makes sense.

From left: publicity photo from the mid-fifties; Westward the Women, 1951; Ride Vaquero, 1953; Rogue Cop, 1954; Saddle the Wind, 1958 publicity photos.


From left: High Wall, 1947.  The High Wall pictures have nothing to do with the movie. The Taylor character never used a gun and never wore a suit and hat; The Last Hunt, 1956; The Law and Jake Wade, 1958; Return of the Gunfighter, 1967.

Ladders

From left: 1930s; 3 from the 1940s; The Detectives 1959-62.  Why ladders? I have no idea.

Peace Pipe

This is specific to the movie Devil’s Doorway, 1950 and represents the main idea of the film, that a man only wants to live in peace and others won’t let him.

Ship Models. 

Presumably the ship models were to make Mr. Taylor seem like a sophisticated world traveler, which could also apply to the globes.

From left: 1930s; 1940s.

Sphinx

This is a publicity shot for a rather dreadful Italian film, called in English The Glass Sphinx, 1967.  Robert Taylor and Anita Ekberg have what is supposed to be a steamy shower scene in the film.

Sword

Lancelot in Knights of the Round Table,  1953.  Lancelot, as portrayed by Robert Taylor, was the “perfect gentle knight.”  This photo evokes the character beautifully.