Johnny Eager, 1941, is playing on Turner Classic Movies on Friday, August 20 at 8 p.m. This is one of Mr. Taylor’s best. Don’t miss it.
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Cast: Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold, Van Heflin, Robert Sterling, Patricia Dane, Glenda Farrell, Barry Nelson. Slick MGM melodrama with convoluted plot about sociology student (and daughter of D.A. Arnold) Turner falling in love with unscrupulous racketeer Taylor. Heflin won Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Taylor’s alcoholic friend.(TCM)
Having only been familiar with Robert Taylor’s body of forgettable [humpf!] work from the thirties (The Broadway Melodies, Camille, etc), seeing him in the title role of Johnny Eager was stunning. Tom Hanks’s 180 degree turn from silly comedies to Philadelphia might be a modern day equivalent. Taylor steps into a role that would seem tailor made for Bogart, Cagney or Robinson, and does an arguably better job than any of them could have. Yes, Lana Turner is present, and yes, Van Heflin won a supporting Oscar, but Taylor owns this film.
Johnny Eager is one of the best films of the 40s, as well as one of the all time greats. (Taken from a review by Justin Behnke on the IMDB).
Some behind the scenes photos:
Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Director Mervyn LeRoy
Robert Taylor and Mervyn LeRoy
Robert Taylor, Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy, Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Robert Sterling
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.
Thanks. I just had told my husband that tonight I need to see a Robert Taylor movie. We watch old movies every evening! I started watching 40’s and 50’s movies in my twenties and they are pretty much it for us. I do make exceptions and watch 30’s Robert Taylor films! Everyone stay safe and well.
Robert Taylor Actor 
Thanks. I just had told my husband that tonight I need to see a Robert Taylor movie. We watch old movies every evening! I started watching 40’s and 50’s movies in my twenties and they are pretty much it for us. I do make exceptions and watch 30’s Robert Taylor films! Everyone stay safe and well.
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Excellent exception, Jen. I’ll even go into the sixties for Mr. Taylor. Judith
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