Neither Rod nor Reel nor Retakes Will Keep Them Apart

1961, Wyoming, Robert and Terry Taylor, Ursula and Tessa in the background.

This is from a movie magazine from the 1950s.  I don’t know any more than that. Enjoy! The photos are not from the original article.  They are from a 1961 LIFE Magazine article.  Mr. Taylor is teaching his son Terry to fish.

You read an item like “Newlyweds Robert Taylor and Ursula Thiess are off to Wyoming for some huntin’ and fishin’ and the item doesn’t even mention Barbara Stanwyck, but there it is, in front of you.  A few of the reasons why the Stanwyck-Taylor entente died of attrition.  Barbara couldn’t stand huntin’ and fishin,’ and Barbara was afraid of airplanes and the more Bob took to the outdoor life, the more Barbara turned to her work, so that, finally, there was only the husk of what had once been a marriage.

1961, Wyoming

These days, Bob seems reborn.  He wants a big family, and talks of having fourteen children.  He and Ursula have been supervising the building of a huge Pacific Palisades place which was referred to in one paper as a “Riviera Estate Home.”  It’s going to have a kidney-shaped pool, a nursery and the roof was finally fastened down on Labor Day weekend.

Still, the Taylors aren’t going  to have any time to settle and leisurely enjoy their new abode, because Bob’s set to go to England for Quentin Durward and Ursula intends to be right at his side.  She’ll also make a trip to Hamburg, where her mother has been living with her – Ursula’s – little boy.  Ursula’s little girl is already in this country (her name’s Manuela and she’s mad about her new father) but the Taylors hope that this trip they’ll be allowed to bring the boy back too.  It’s up the authorities but the Taylors feel confident.

1961 Wyoming

Getting back to the shack that Bob’s designed for his wife, it cost some $160,000 cash money, with the land alone accounting for $25,000.  It’s oceanfront and beautiful.  Bob also bought the little woman an Olds 88 (that’s a car) and a diamond ring that Dottie Kilgallen said was appraised at $15,000.  Current rumor is that they’re even now expecting a baby to fill the new nursery.  If it’s true, it’s the nicest thing that could happen to the Taylors.

About giraffe44

I became a Robert Taylor fan at the age of 15 when his TV show, "The Detectives" premiered. My mother wanted to watch it because she remembered Mr. Taylor from the thirties. I took one look and that was it. I spent the rest of my high school career watching Robert Taylor movies on late night TV, buying photos of him, making scrapbooks and being a typical teenager. College, marriage and career intervened. I remember being sad when Mr. Taylor died. I mailed two huge scrapbooks to Ursula Thiess. I hope she got them. Time passed, retirement, moving to Florida. Then in 2012 my husband Fred pointed that there were two Robert Taylor movies that evening on Turner Classic Movies--"Ivanhoe" and "Quentin Durward." I watched both and it happened all over again. I started this blog both for fans and for people who didn't know about Robert Taylor. As the blog passes 200,000 views I'm delighted that so many people have come by and hope it will help preserve the legacy of this fine actor and equally good man.
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3 Responses to Neither Rod nor Reel nor Retakes Will Keep Them Apart

  1. fulvia says:

    Beautiful pictures of this family!

    Like

  2. giraffe44 says:

    Hi, Fulvia. i think they were very happy. Judith

    Like

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