I am a retired college professor and entrepreneur living in Florida after a lifetime in Massachusetts. I have always enjoyed classic movies and especially anything concerning Robert Taylor. There is something about him that really connects with me. Part of it is his resemblance to my father both physically and morally. I also enjoy looking at anything beautiful–a painting, a waterfall, a person.
My husband and I have been married for 51 years. We chose not to have children but have always lived with a menagerie. Our present household consists of 2 people and 9+ cats.
This blog is strictly for fun. I don’t own any of the images and have no problem sharing them, with or without attribution. Some of the writing is original, some isn’t. I’ve tried to make it clear which is which. If you enjoy anything you see here, feel free to comment. If you disagree, tell me about it (politely). If you have any Robert Taylor pictures or articles you’d like to share, feel free.
I’m also happy to accept suggestions for the blog–films you would like see reviewed, information you’d like. etc.
Robert Taylor Actor 
I would like to know what your opinion is of Taylor’s relationship with Barbara Stanwyck. I’ve read through most of your posts and it feels like you are rather dismissive of it, but I hope I’m wrong about that.
LikeLike
Thanks for the comment. I don’t mean to sound like I dismiss their marriage. They obviously cared enough about each other to stay married for over a decade. Then, as now, that was pretty unusual in Hollywood. They weren’t suited for one another in my opinion. Their backgrounds were totally different, their interests were totally different and Mr. Taylor seemed to have a hard time staying faithful to Miss Stanwyck. She, on the other hand, was completely faithful as far as I know. The war further separated them. Neither of them, I believe, made an effort to care about the things the other did. She hated flying, he loved it. She like to stay at home with a good book, he was extremely restless if he wasn’t physically active. It’s odd that she stayed at the hospital when Mr. Taylor had hernia surgery right after returning from Rome for “Quo Vadis.” While he was still laid up, she filed for divorce. He was completely passive in the divorce and she took him for a ride financially. Ursula Taylor recounts an incident where her husband was yelling at Barbara Stanwyck as she appeared on television–berating her for emasculating men. I think they both tried to make a go of it but there was little chance that they could. Hope this helps.
LikeLike
Thanks for your reply. I had never heard that about her being in the hospital with him while he was recovering from surgery. I had heard that she initiated the divorce because he had been openly seeing a starlet while in Rome filming “Quo Vadis.” Most people believe she didn’t really want the divorce and was devastated when he actually agreed to it. By all accounts, he was the love of her life and it frustrates me when people try to intimate that their relationship was all for show. That’s why I asked. It’s interesting that he would have been so angry at her all those years later. Granted, she did take alimony from him when she didn’t need it, but he kind of had it coming, in my opinion. After all, he hurt her very much with all his infidelities. It’s a shame because he seems like a very good guy in all aspects of his life, except for his treatment of Barbara. I say this as a huge Barbara Stanwyck fan who is rather protective of her. 🙂 Anyway, I appreciate your view on the subject.
LikeLike
I agree with you about Stanwyck’s love for Taylor. He seems to have been changed tremendously by the war. Perhaps she wanted the pre-war Taylor and didn’t like the post-war version as much. If you look at his marriage to Ursula, he wanted a wife who was all about being a wife. There is no way Stanwyck could or would give up her career. The business about the starlet in Rome is true, although for him it was just a fling and he never contacted her after Rome. I’ve also heard that Missy asked for the divorce but didn’t want it. It was very sad for her that she could never really let him go. The money got to be a huge issue for him, especially at the end of his life. When they were making “Night Walker,” he commented that it was as though they had never been married, which must have hurt her. Taylor had anger and resentment against her although he never said anything negative about her in public. He wasn’t perfect, but he was a gentleman.
LikeLike
I am glad to be one of the visitors on this great web site (:, thankyou for putting up.
LikeLike
Hi
i am currently restoring a Beech 18 in england and every so often I produce a newsletter about what we do
in previous issues i have mentioned Robert Taylor as owning a Beech 18 but nothing really in depth
i was wondering if i might be able to use some of the information on this site and the pictures in my newsletters and link it to my blog site also
my website is http://www.beechrestorations.com and there is a link to the blog on there as well
my newsletters are free downloads – you might like to have a browse
thanking you in anticipation of your help
kind regards
philip
LikeLike
Please use anything you want. I wouldn’t mind a credit but it’s ok anyway. I’ll take a look at your website. Judith
LikeLike
very kind of you
thank you
would credit you as the source of the info
thanks again
philip
LikeLike
I had the rare pleasure of working at the Taylor Ranch part time every weekend from early 1962 until the time of Bob’s death in 1969. It was at his full time residence at 3099 Mandeville Canyon Rd in Los Angeles. Both Bob and Mrs. Taylor were two of the finest people I’ve ever known and my own children use to play with Terry and Tessa any time I brought them along with me for the weekend. I use to “fill in” for Art Reeves (Bob’s full time foreman) to allow him and his wife Barbara a break on the weekends. Those 7 years were the most memorable of my young life. They’re all gone now ~ Bob, Ursula, Art and Barbara but the wonderful memories I still have of that time will always live on in me for as long as I do.
The only time I met Barbara Stanwyck was at the Taylor’s home shortly after Bob’s funeral. She and Mrs Taylor briefly shook hands with one another as a sign of mutual grief and respect I imagine and spoke privately together inside the home for a brief period. There was a large private gathering of a virtual Who’s Who of Hollywood’s old time veteran movie actors and stars there that day ~ Bob had many, many personal friends all of whom seemed to be just as down to earth and honest as he was.
Thank you so much for posting your tribute and the photographs of him and his family. It brought back so many great memories for me.
LikeLike
Thank you for this comment. One of the great pleasures of doing this blog is meeting people who actually knew Mr. Taylor. Everyone describes him as you do–a kind and decent and honorable man. I’ve been a fan for over 50 years–when I used to skip school and take the bus into Boston to watch his movies at a second run theater. I really appreciate your taking the time to write this.
LikeLike
Hi! I work with a group called “the friends of Oakridge”. This is a home in Northridge, CA, that was built by Barbara Stanwyck in 1937 adjoining her thoroughbred horse breeding ranch. Robert Taylor had his own ranch just up the street from Barbara’s, and they often went back and forth between the two ranches, in face after their marriage Robert moved into Barbara’s home. Her home has recently been bought by the City of Los Angeles and will eventually be a city park (ther are about 10 acres of land). We are always looking for photographs of Barbara and/or Robert at her home/ranch, or photographs of Robert’s ranch down the street in Chatsworth/Northridge. Do you have anything of this sort? Search “Friends of Oakridge” to find the site I was speak of.
LikeLike
I have seen some photographs of he ranch. I’ll see if I can find them again.
LikeLike
Hello! I- a ma big fan of Robert Taylor.I am a russian woman, i life in Belarus.I am very grateful to you for what you heve dedicated this website to Robert Taylor. I collect movie collection Robert Taylor.I am fond of painting and drawing portrets of Robert Taylor. Robert Taylor is my favorite actor and i also collect information about it. i’d love to read the bock Ursula Thiess “My live bevore with and after Robert Taylor”,but in Belarus this book was not publiched. God helb you in the cause memory of Robert Taylor! Please, answer me.
LikeLike
Hello, Anna. It’s nice to know that there are Robert Taylor fans in Russia. Amazon.com has Ursula Thiess’ book and I think they ship overseas. It depends on whether you can read it in English. Mr. Taylor has been my favorite for years and it’s good to hear from another fan. Thaks for writing.
LikeLike
Mrs. Taylor also wrote a detailed book about her life with Bob Taylor called ~ Ursula Thiess
“…but I have promises to keep.” It also contains quite a number of pages of black and white photos of her and the family.
LikeLike
<I live in Denmark and is a big fan…..love the book! I visited his grave back in 2008. I was standing in front of the gate which is locked, when an old lady opened and asked me if I wanted to come in……it was a very special moment for me walking into Columbarium of the Evening Star. I will always remember
LikeLike
How wonderful, Lotte! I wish I could visit there. Thank you for writing. Judith
LikeLike
Yes, she did. It’s a wonderful book although the ending always makes me sad. She was a very strong, loving, compassionate woman. I’ve read that the original manuscript was much longer and they edited it down to about half. It would be great to see the whole thing. Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
giraffe44 and all peppu ! Hello from Belarus! Trank you very much for the reply. I”ll look for this book through amazon.com. I badlu english language but i hope with a dictionary to read. The main thing is to buy this book and other books about Robert Taylor.
LikeLike
Please share information: 1. Posted by Barbara Stanwyk about her life with Robert Taylor? 2.As l remember Robert Taylor his son Terrance and daughter Tessa?
LikeLike
Hi, Anna. If you look up Stanwyck, Tessa Taylor or Terry Taylor on the search part of the blog, you’ll find posts about them.
LikeLike
Robert Taylor also had a stepson named Michael Thiess who tragically committed suicide just a few days or perhaps not more than a week before Bob died. Ursula had a terrible time of it trying to keep that from her dying husband but she did and to my mind she is one of the most courageous women I have ever known. She had two funerals to attend during that time and did it with such dignity and strength that I have never forgotten it. Barbara Stanwyck who I only briefly met once, to me at least, was just a footnote in the life of a man that I most looked up to and admired the most other than my own Father.
LikeLike
With all due respect, I don’t think that’s a very fair thing to say about Missy who, like her or not, had a great influence and impact on Mr. Taylor’s life. And it wasn’t a completely negative impact either, despite what most fans of Taylor would say.
LikeLike
She did indeed have an impact on Bob’s life as most women would have and she most definitely was an extremely accomplished actress ~ but she also refused to release him from the obligation of alimony after their divorce for as long as he continued to remain alive and for as long as she never re-married (which she never did) even though her own “wealth” was at least equal to and in some instances even exceeded his own. “Missy” very definitely had an “impact” on Mr. Taylor’s life which was not in all cases all that positive. There are of course always two sides to every story.
LikeLike
I do agree that she could have discontinued the alimony after a while and perhaps that was a petty thing to do. But she was very hurt by him because, well, he did cheat on her rather flagrantly throughout their marriage. I suppose she wanted to hurt him for what he had done to her in the only way she could since he didn’t care about her anymore. I guess, in that way, his impact on her life wasn’t that positive either. And yes indeed, there are two sides to every story.
LikeLike
In my opinion, Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck were two talented people who had nothing in common but the film industry. They shouldn’t have married. He shouldn’t have cheated. She shouldn’t have taken money she didn’t need to punish him. But they were human. They made mistakes.
I agree completely that Ursula Thiess was an extraordinary woman who bore the deaths of both her husband and her son in a very short time with dignity and grace.
LikeLike
Tranks for info.
LikeLike
I’m a fan of Robert Taylor childhood, when i watched the films “Camille” and “Waterloo bridge”. I paint a lot of Robert Taylor and gather a collection of his films on dvd. I already have 47 films with Robert Taylor. I make each dvd picture from the movie. To Giraffe44: I have carefully loked at all the blogs to your site about Robert Taylor- very good and detailed information. I learned a lot about Robert Taylor new. Trank you very much! To All Peppu: I am very jealous that you’ve seen and personally knew Robert Taylor.
LikeLike
To any religious denomination were Robert Taylor ? On your blog i read that Robert Taylor was godfather to a child of Ronald Reagan?
LikeLike
I don’t think that Mr. Taylor belonged to a specific denomination. He did, however, send his children to Sunday School. And, as you say, Robert and Ursula Taylor were godparents to Ron Reagan.
LikeLike
I have to you wish- to create a blog for creative fans of Robert Taylor, who you painted the portrets of Robert Taylor, poems about him, photo and much more. I have a lot of painted portrets of Robert Taylor. What is your opinion?
LikeLike
This would be a great thing for you to do. It’s very easy with WordPress.
LikeLike
If You wish – see website http://www.findagrave.com Robert Taylor at Find a Grave. I give Robert Taylor flowers and portraits under the name – ” Lina-Myra “. What was Your impression of portraits?
LikeLike
Robert Taylor was wery fond of musik, especially Verdi, and hat a large music collection. It is known- that during the filming of the movie “Camille” Robert brought Grete Garbo gramaphone. And what records he hat brought?
LikeLike
Hi, Anna. I don’t know what music Mr. Taylor brought to the set of “Camille” It would be interesting to know. Judith
LikeLike
What a treat this web site is. I am thrilled to have found it. It is a beautiful tribute to a most deserving person.
I met Robert Taylor when I was doubling his leading lady on The Law and Jake Wade. Not too long after we finished the film he had to relocate his three horses and the head wrangler on the film suggested I take them at my place. I had nice stalls, a riding ring and 5 acres. I had the horses from late 1957 into 1959 when Bob moved from Pacific Palisades to the Mandeville Canyon Ranch. Tommy was a beautiful light dapple grey horse and boy are they hard to keep clean! So typical of his caring ways, he never came to see them without first calling to warn me he was coming. Most of the time, Ursula came with him. What a delight she was and such a grand compliment to this extraordinary man. They both were fascinated with the mud hole I had made for Ursula’s horse to stand his front feet in. He had some foot issues and the mud would draw the heat from his feet. I also had Buck the old horse that Bob so loved. He said he had ridden him in his first western film. Eventually, Buck died from complications of colic. He died with his head in my lap and what a traumatic day it was. Bob left it up to me whether we had to put him down and it was the hardest decision I have ever made. I have wonderful memories of the time I spent with Bob and Ursula. I have to chuckle now and then when I think of Bob arriving at Christmas time with a ten pound box of chocolates tucked under his arm.
I have great memories, too, of being invited to their home for Ursula’s homemade Cabbage Rolls. She was an extraordinary cook and hostess. They were still at the San Remo house and it was so delightful and you were as comfortable in jeans as in dress clothes. They were proud of the gorgeous furniture that George Montgomery had made for them. Montgomery has many pieces in the Palm Springs Museum and they tour several times a year throughout the country. The dining room ceiling was a huge wagon wheel . . . spokes and all. All of that and Ronald Reagan for my dinner partner made for an unforgettable evening. I cherish the memories.
What an extraordinary human being Robert Taylor was. I have many years behind me now and I have met many, many people. I was raised around the film colony with my father being a professional polo player and so many of them interested in polo in those days. However, though I knew many . . . beyond a doubt, Robert Taylor was the nicest person I have ever met. And, I say again, Ursula was a sweetheart and the perfect complement to him. They were the proverbial cup and saucer fit.
Re Barbara Stanwyck: I have never doubted for one minute that the marriage was a PR move by the studios. I will tell you what guides my thoughts . . . other than the fact they had not one iota in common and it was so common place. The studios molded stars the way they wanted them to appear to the fans.
I saw it time after time.
If you look at Robert Taylor’s face and you listen to all the glowing thoughts people had about him, you will know that this honest, honorable man would never, ever, have lived a bachelor’s life as he did while married to Stanwyck had it been a true marriage. Of all the men in the world who would have stood by their vows it was Robert Taylor. His word meant everything to him. He was a very rare human being and his character was reflected in his face.
Re Eleanor Parker: I doubled Eleanor in 4 films including going to Hong Kong to do the long shots while she stayed home (The Seventh Sin). Robert Taylor was the nicest man I ever met. Jean Simmons was the nicest lady I ever met and Eleanor Parker was the classiest. She was a sweetheart too but boy could she get what she wanted when she wanted it. One time on the King and Four Queens ‘someone’ had mistakenly sent another girl to double her. By this time I was considered ‘the only one’. She threw some kind of a fit and the studio charted a Western Airlines DC4 to bring me to St George, Utah. I am sure the crew to this day are saying, “who the h— is that?” I only had an hour’s notice to get ready when the limo arrived to take me to the Burbank airport. Wow. What wonderful memories.
Well, I thank you again for all you are doing and apologize for the long epistle but seldom do I have a chance anymore to share the memories with those who have the same loves as I.
Thank you again,
Martha Crawford Cantarini
LikeLike
Ms. Cantarini, may I publish this on the blog as an actual post? I know that all Robert Taylor fans would enjoy reading it as much as I have. I’m so glad you like the blog. Thank you so much for writing. Judith
LikeLike
Yes of course. I would be honored! BTW I forgot to add that my favorite Robert Taylor picture was Broadway Melody of 1936. Though Bob was just in his twenties there are so many glimpses of the Bob I knew in it that it was very unique for me to see it. I watch it often.
LikeLike
Ms. Cantarini,
Thank you for sharing your reminisces of Mr .Taylor. However, I must respectfully disagree re: your comments on his marriage to Barbara Stanwyck. I knew Miss Stanwyck personally and I can attest to her honesty and her integrity. Even if the studios encouraged something, she would never have gone through with the marriage if she hadn’t wanted to. In speaking with her periodically over the years and hearing her talk about Mr. Taylor (though I didn’t know her well enough for her to share deep feelings), she genuinely loved him. I don’t know what was in his heart but, at least from Miss Stanwyck’s point of view, their marriage was for real. She was a lovely person, inside and out. I read this blog from time to time and enjoy hearing about the man who Miss Stanwyck loved so much.
LikeLike
Yes I have no doubt that she was very fond of him and in reality he must have been fond of her. I too have heard what a grand person she was. My best friend doubled her in all her horse work. I remember one time she had finished a film requiring a lot of stunts and Barbara gave her a gorgeous set of Safire cuff links. Takes a big lady to do that. I remember too when my friend doubled Gail Davis in the Annie Oakley series and Gail gave her a deck of cards. What a difference in people! Re the marriage: I was so close to so many of the PR moves made by the studios that that is the way I saw it and still do.
LikeLike
What a wonderful post Ms. Cantarini and what a great career you had as well. But I’m a little confused about what you wrote about “Buck” being the horse that Bob said he rode in his “first” western film which would have been “Billy the Kid” released in 1941. He may have but I couldn’t see Buck in any of the trailers on Youtube that shows Bob riding a buckskin in that movie ~ but I did see him mounted on one in his “second” western called “Ambush” released in 1950.
I once worked part time for Bob on his Ranch in Mandeville Canyon from early 1962 until shortly after his death in 1969. The first thing I’d always see every time I went into the tack room was a beautifully framed large color photo portrait of Bob mounted on top of Buck with what appeared to be the Alabama Hills in the background. To me, that was the most beautiful horse I’d ever seen but I never knew the history of Buck. Your very tender recollection of his passing with his head lying on your lap just about put a very large lump in my throat when I read it and I’m so grateful that you posted it. Bob’s horse “Tommy” was always very easy to work with and so was Mrs. Taylor’s horse “Bobby” which was a beautifully colored dark “chestnut” as I recall. Bob and Ursula were two of the finest people I’d ever had the pleasure of knowing and I’m so grateful that those all too brief 7 years that I had with them also provided me with more than 45+ years of wonderful memories.
On a slightly different note ~ I was wondering if you might also remember one of the stuntmen in The Law and Jake Wade named Jack N. Young? He called himself “BlackJack Young” back then and also doubled for Bob on Westward the Women in 1951. Jack Young and I are “friends” on Facebook.
LikeLike
Hi Al –
What fun to chat with you. Yes, I too was confused about the Buck and Billy the Kid connection. Bob was so adamant about it but I too have never seen a bit of him re the film. Perhaps it was cut out or perhaps Bob meant, “one of my first Westerns.” I know that Buck was an old horse. My vet who later became the California State Veterinarian said he was dying of pain when I called Bob to tell him. The autopsy showed he had a tumor the size of a basketball. Poor poor baby. What a dear he was. And, yes I can certainly agree with you that Tommy was easy to work with. He was the last horse trained by the great California reinsman M.R. Valdez. He was the greatest of all trainers of western horses. It was when he closed his stable that Bob’s horses were sent to me. The picture of me they used for the program re the Golden Boot Awards was of me sitting on Tommy.
And, no I did not know Jack Young. But so seldom do stunt people work together that it is not unbelievable that I would not have met him. On the Law and Jake Wade Henry Wills doubled Bob. So many years have passed that it is seldom I find someone to share the memories with.
Thanks for writing.
Martha
LikeLike
Ms. Cantarini, thank you so much. I’ll publish it today. I’ve just started your book and am enjoying it very much. I also love Broadway Melody of 1936, especially the scenes where Mr. Taylor decks Jack Benny.
LikeLike
Hahahahahaha -I’ll bet they had fun with that shot!
LikeLike
You’re right Martha, it is a pleasure to chat with someone who remembers and personally knew Bob and Ursula. They were two people so much in love at the time and had so much respect for one another that even a blind person could sense it. They started out as two very different people who were almost suddenly melted together to form “one” of a kind. Each of them starting out from two very different walks in life even though both were “actors” but eventually coming together not unlike the same way my own parents once did so many decades earlier.
It is also probably why I was so eager to become even just a small part of who they were when the opportunity arose for me to begin working for them on their ranch and if the truth be known I would have gladly worked on that ranch for nothing ~ just simply for the experience of being in the outdoors and playing a very small part in the real life of Robert Taylor and his wife. Ursula was always Mrs. Taylor to me and I never even thought to call her by her first name even though I always knew she wouldn’t mind. But nevertheless, I always had that much respect for her and I never wanted to compromise that.
From almost the very beginning when I started working at the ranch, Bob knew how much I loved photography and asked me one day if I would mind taking some candid portraits of Ursula and Tessa who was only about 2 or 3 at the time. I felt so honored but also somewhat unsure of myself about doing it at first but I just suddenly blurted out ~ “sure, I’d be glad to!”. Mrs. Taylor was pleased with the results but it wasn’t until decades later when I discovered just how much Ursula had liked one of the shots I had taken of her and Tessa together when she included her “favorite” one in her book ~ “…but I have promises to keep” ~ at the top of page 129. That personal photo shoot was a very memorable (but also very nervous) moment in time for me that I will never forget.
Some time later in that same decade my wife and I divorced but I always had “visitation” every weekend. My 3 young children more often than not always came with me to the ranch to “help” their Daddy with ‘chores’ if and whenever I could lure them away from playing and having fun with Tessa and Terry. I always knew where they were and never worried about them and so ~ Daddy would always somehow manage to find a way to do “chores” all by himself but somehow too we all still managed to also have just as much ‘fun’ doing what we were all doing by “ourselves” just the same. I had/still have 2 daughters and a son.
But it wasn’t until just a few short years ago that my youngest daughter Carolyn (who is now in her early 50’s) revealed to me for the first time that she once thought that it was she who might have caused the ‘death’ of Robert Taylor. Both her and Tessa were about 5 or 6 at the time and really making a lot of ‘noise’ one day playing in Tessa’s room when Bob suddenly burst in and shouted out ~ “Hey you two ~ keep it down in here ~ I’m trying to get some sleep!”.
That happened in the early Summer of 1969 after Bob had one of several operations on his lungs and not long after when Bob finally died. For the longest time my youngest daughter always harbored the “guilt” that it was only because of the “noise” that both she and Tessa were making that finally caused the death of Tessa’s father after he angrily burst into Tessa’s room. She never said anything to me about it then so I never had a chance to console or try to council her about it. Is it any wonder even today how the precious mind of a young child could be so influenced about something they have absolutely no control over ~ and yet still assume complete responsibility for it?
Art Reeves, Bob’s full time ranch foreman was also with him at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica just a few moments before he died.. Bob motioned to him to come closer and later Art told me what he had said ~ “Art, I wish I would have quit sooner.” Both Art and I knew exactly what he meant because the two of us were also very heavy smokers at the time and soon after that we were both motivated enough to finally quit smoking ourselves ~ whether or not it was out of respect for Bob or how poorly he looked after those horrible operations he had to endure it didn’t matter. Robert Taylor, the man, had a tremendous affect upon both of our lives and each of us in our own ways after that always tried to live up to some of Bob’s own “values” and standards in life.
Not long before I had to leave my “job” at the ranch, Art Reeves and I loaded Bob’s prized stallion “Show Bars” into a horse trailer and drove him up to Santa Barbara where Bob’s best friend and his wife once lived. Bob had ‘willed’ Show Bars to his best friend Ronald Reagan and although this was not the first time I had met him, it was the first time I ever had the Governor of the State of California and future President of the United States “assist” me in the removal of a large load of horseshit that Show Bars had unceremoniously deposited on the Governor’s well manicured front lawn immediately after we backed him out of his trailer.
Art was still doing something inside the horse trailer and I sheepishly looked over at Governor Reagan and to this day I still don’t know what in the hell ever possessed me to suddenly blurt out ~ “Well, you want to shovel or rake”? A burst of laughter suddenly came from the house where Mrs. Reagan (Nancy) was standing in the doorway and the Governor burst into laughter just as loud and said ~ “Well, suppose you shovel and I’ll rake”. Unforgettable and simple moments in time like that no matter how simple or how old will never be forgotten by a simple man like me and I will always treasure it for as long as I live.
The trip up from Mandeville Canyon to Santa Barbara by the way took several hours and I’m convinced that Show Bars somehow knew that he was being transported to a new owner and the sooner he established who was the “boss” at wherever he was being dropped off at ~ the sooner this new “owner” of his would realize it. I don’t know what ever happened after that but I do remember Art once telling me the first day I started working at the Taylor ranch to “never” turn my back on the stallion if I’m working in his yard. Art pointed to a short 2X4 lying on the ground just in front of “his yard” and told me if “he ever” does decide to take me on and test me and give me any kind of trouble to just walk over to it, pick It up and then walk back into “his” yard and show him who’s really “in charge” ~ but don’t ever hit him with it ~ just show him you’ve got it and that always just calms him down and he’ll generally just let you in there to clean up or whatever else it was I had to do.
It was almost 7 years I had to work with that stallion and I was never quite able to figure out just who in the hell was boss over who but eventually we both somehow managed to tolerate one another just the same. He sure as hell was a handful to get out of the stall to lead him out to “his yard” in the beginning but eventually he learned not to piss me off so much that I’d just leave him inside for the rest of the day otherwise. In those earlier days that only happened a few times but he soon got the “message” that if he wanted to go outside at all ~ he’d better start cooperating.
He really was truly a magnificent looking stallion and later on a whole lot of “fun” to work with. He’d challenge me and I’d always come back and challenge him (without even having that 2X4 in my hand) and I’d always wind up being the winner. I think it became just some sort of “horse” game of his with me after a while but we always both then just came away actually kind of enjoying it.
Martha, I would so much love to be able to see “Tommy” once again as you mentioned in your post where you said you were sitting on him at one of the Golden Boots Awards. I don’t think photos can be posted on here but if you have the ability to post the URL web address that may have covered that event with you and Tommy together I would be ever so grateful. Tommy and me (and Bobby too) spent almost 7 years together and I miss those 2 old horses almost as much as I miss the two unforgettable people who once rode them, up that long dusty trail just in front of the bunkhouse on their own property in Mandeville Canyon on their way up to do whatever it is that two people like them still in love do on such trips. I forget both of their names now but Bob’s two golden retrievers also use to accompany them on occasion and I’ll never forget those moments.
Those were 7 of the most memorable years of my much younger life but the worst of it now is ~ I never get to talk about any of this with anyone who has even the slightest interest in hearing about such things and perhaps even worse, trying to explain to a much younger generation who an actor named Robert Taylor is or even use to be. But then again, I suppose that happens with every new generation.
LikeLike
Mornin’ Al –
You write so beautifully I can just see myself in your stories. Whoa – the stallion. I have never been fond of stallions. Give me a well trained gelding anyday! I know what you mean by the generation gap. I did a three hour class at our local college recently and was please to see all seniors so at least they would know who I was talking about when I said, “Clark Gable – Robert Taylor – Gregory Peck.” The class was on Hollywood in the 50’s. It was fun. BTW you can email me:
mjcatsecondrunningdotcom and I will send you a picture of Tommy. I am holding him and he looks so great. The one for my Golden Boot Award is on the main page of this site thanks to Judith but there is little of Tommy to be seen. I was sitting at the back gate waiting to go in the ring for a horse show.
LikeLike
Judith – Thank you so very much. I am a bit overwhelmed!
LikeLike
P.S. Judith – will you email me. I would like to chat with you about something rather important. Thanks,
LikeLike
Dear mrs,
I’m trying to get in contact with mrs Cantarini (stunt lady that’s featured on your site). I wonder if you have an email address for me. I’m an author, currently working on a book about actress Barbara Nichols. Both ladies worked on The King and Four Queens. I want to ask mrs Cantarini about working with Barbara and mr. Clark Gable.
Best wishes, Richard
LikeLike
The first thing you need is to get her book, Fall Girl. There’s quite a bit in there about Clark Gable. I don’t know whether she wants her e-mail released or not. I’ll ask her.
LikeLike
Hi Judith, this is Dan Lin, dlin389@gmail.com. Is there anyway I can write to you casually in private? I asked you before but I can’t find the reply you sent to me. Would you tell me again?
LikeLike
You can send me a private message on Facebook. My page is under Judith Hanhisalo.
LikeLike
Did Michael Thiess ever do any acting ? I see references that his sister had parts in films. Were he and his sister adopted by Robert Taylor?
LikeLike
Michael Thiess had a modeling contract but I don’t believe he did any acting. I do not believe that the Taylors adopted her children. They are not mentioned in his will. Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
I’ve been watching “Death Valley Days” lately on Encore Westerns on my cable system. I have really been enjoying some very nice Robert Taylor performances in such episodes as “The Day All Marriages Were Canceled,” “The Lone Grave,” and “Long Night at Fort Lonely.” I have to think that latter episode had to be one of the last things he ever did on screen. Anyway,it’s great to see these long-out-of-circulation shows back on TV.
LikeLike
Oh, I wish I got Encore Westerns. I’ve only seen these in bad videos on YouTube. I do agree that Mr. Taylor was awfully good in these. I particularly like “The Day All Marriages Were Canceled.” Mr. Taylor said he was a “for the money” actor at this point but I don’t agree. Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
Henry Hiroshi Nakamura who you mentioned in your blog on Robert Taylor died on Feb 6, 2016 in Okinawa, You can google his obituary that shows up in the Honolulu Star Advertiser 5/11/2016. I often wondered what happened to this Asian actor
His obituary gives a brief history after his acting career.
LikeLike
Thank you for the information. I’ll check out the obituary. He was very good in “Westward the Women.” Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
Hi Judith.
Say! My sisters both lived Massachusetts and my father is from Florida. I had a question, have you ever been to Nebraska, my new job as a Docent, teaching at a one-room schoolhouse is sending me to a conference next year in Beatrice. I was thinking of driving to Doane college as well to see Arly’s alma matter! (Spangler Arlington’s)
LikeLike
No, I’ve never been there. There is a Robert Taylor weekend in Beatrice in August but I can’t go. I’d love to. Tessa Taylor will be there, and maybe Terry. There’ll be movies, book signings and tours. Sigh. You should definitely check out the landmarks in Mr. Taylor’s life. There’s also a highway dedicated to him around there somewhere. Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
Goodnight. My name is Joao, I’m Portuguese. It’s been two years since my father died and I found a suitcase with antiques.
Inside the suitcase there was an envelope of the meter goldwyn mayer and in its interior a photograph of robert taylor dedicated in the filming of the film waterloo bridge.
I am interested in selling this heirloom. My email: sonia_allende2001@hotmail.com
I can send photos of the envelope and the photograph.
Good night from portugal And forgive my English
LikeLike
I would suggest that you sell the photo and envelope on ebay. Most Robert Taylor fans look there for things. Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
Yes you are !
Am l on your mailing list still ?
LikeLike
Hello are you still posting on the Robert Taylor site ; perhaps you can let me know.
Dock.andrew@mail.com
LikeLike
Robert Taylor attended Doane College in Crete, Nebraska as did I. He and I are fraternity brothers through Alpha Omega, a local fraternity that dates back to 1897. I remember once viewing some of Mr. Taylor’s correspondence with the college which included, if memory serves, reference to Ronald Reagan. Can you tell me, did Robert serve as godfather to any of the Reagan children or vice versa? I seem to remember something to that effect from those archives. Thanks for your help.
LikeLike
Mr. Svoboda, Robert Taylor and Ursula Thiess were godparents of at least Ron Reagan. I believe that the Reagans were godparents of Tessa Taylor, but I’m not positive. Both couples had in their wills that, if they should die before the others, the others would take over guardianship of their children. The two couples were very close and Mr. Taylor campaigned for Mr. Reagan when he was running for Governor of California. Thank for writing. Judith
LikeLike
Correct on all accounts. Governor Reagan also gave the eulogy at Bob’s funeral. It was very moving and there wasn’t a dry eye in the Chapel before it was over. I remember sitting next to actor Don “Red” Barry (Red Ryder in early movies) while it was being delivered and we were both in tears. Bob also willed his prize stallion “Show Bars” to his best friend “Ronnie”. Bob’s ranch foreman Art Reeves and I drove him up to the Reagan Ranch about a week or so after the funeral.
LikeLike
Thank you so much Mr. Perry. Your recollections are invaluable. Judith
LikeLike
Hi! Do you happen to have any contact information for Mr. Robert Taylor’s licensing?
Thank you so much
LikeLike
I don’t understand what you mean.
LikeLike
I am trying to reach the person in charge of licensing Robert Taylor’s likeness as I am interested in including a photo of him in a video project. For this I need to obtain the permission of the person in charge of the clearances
LikeLike
I have been told, by a Taylor biographer, that you can use the images without permission because they are so old. I don’t guarantee this but it doesn’t seem to have caused her any trouble.
I, of course, don’t have permission for most of the pictures on my blog. Good luck with your video. Judith
LikeLike
I discovered Robert Taylor about two years ago. To my surprise as I thought I knew all the actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. First movie was Private Number with Loretta Young. I was interested. Then I watched A Yank at Oxford, I was hooked. After that I couldn’t get enough of his movies. I have watched every single one more than once and read two of his biographies. He was a beautiful and talented natural Actor and I am so glad you started this site. I will post more in the future. Linda
LikeLike
Thank you for writing, Linda. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Of course, I totally agree with you about Mr. Taylor. Judith
LikeLike
Hello! I’m a fan of Robert Taylor and I’m from Uruguay. Very good page and I have read a lot of interesting information, thanks for this space.
LikeLike
You’re very welcome. Thanks for writing. Judith
LikeLike
Thank you for the lovely site so attractive and appreciated
LikeLike
You’re vey welcome, Andrew. It brings me a lot of pleasure. Judith
LikeLike
Thank you for your wonderful site. Just an FYI, just yesterday I was watching TCM and up popped Robert Taylor in an MGM short entitled “Buried Loot” story by Marty Brooks. It’s part of a Crime does Not Pay series with screenplay and direction by George B Seitz. It appears to be sponsored by the NRA and as far as I could tell, was uncredited. Just thought you might find this interesting. Kind Regards, Stacey
LikeLike
Thank you, Stacy for your nice comments about the site. I have seen “Buried Loot.” How young Mr. Taylor was. NRA at that timemeant National Recovery Administration, a government initiation to fight the effects of the Depression. Thanks for writing. Judith
LikeLike
Dear Judith,
Thank you so much for clarifying what this NRA organization was about. I had no idea that it wasn’t what we commonly think of as the NRA. It reminds me of the story my Mom used to tell. She told people that she worked for NBC which was extremely impressive, not realizing she worked for the National Buiscit Co… just a silly story I remember from childhood. It’s funny how different stories trigger long-term memories. Again, thank you for your wonderful and informative site. I love going through the letters he wrote to people. He was truly a wonderful letter-writer.
Cordially,
Stacey Kay
LikeLike
Thanks for your kind words, Kay. Don’t forget about the CIA–the Culinary Institute of America. Judith
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed! 😂
LikeLike
thank you so much for doing this web. I’m a Chinese RT’s fan and there is little information on the Chinese internet since many webs were blocked. I managed to search him on google and luckily found your website. it’s actually a surprise to see someone doing so much work about him. His image is vivid and lively to me as a real person rather than an idol after reading articles on your web. Besides, I read your self-introduction by chance, it strikes me again to know that you are almost the same age as my grandparents who sit at home being weak all day and need some to take care of. In their traditional opinion, it’s a sin for a woman not to give birth to any children. I’m 26 now and all I hear from society and family is to urge me getting into marriage and have children. I detest those cliches that have been putting on women for thousands of years by this patriarchal society. So after knew your story I was touched, it proved my thoughts again that people can live a meaningful life without having children, in the meantime doing the cool things and helping others. Thanks again for sharing and updating this web, have a nice day!
PS: English is my second language, please forgive me if I use any wrong expressions;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chelsea, your English is fine. Do you get to watch Robert Taylor movies in China? I agree that women do not have to become mothers. It’s a choice and one i made. Thanks so much for writing–you are my first Chinese Robert Taylor fan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure being your first Chinese RT fan :D. Actually, I finished my postgraduate study in London but writing is my least-good-at part…As for his movie, I have to say he is not that well-known in China, actors in his time like Clark Gable or Gregory Peck seems to have more popularity than him. Generally, we can find two to three movies of him such as Camille, Waterloo bridge, and Quo Vadis on the internet easily by joining the membership of some Chinese video website, they provide Chinese subtitles so audiences can understand the dialogue. Among those three I mentioned above, his most famous work in China is Waterloo bridge, I think most people in our country either watched or heard the name of it. Unfortunately, it’s always the actress whom he worked with won more fans than he did, almost everyone in China heard the name Vivien Leigh, maybe that’s part of the reason why Waterloo bridge is so popular in China, (the other reason might be a woman suicide because of “not clean to her husband ” meets with our traditional value). I was lucky enough to watch some of his other works when I was in the UK. I’m obsessed with his face in the 1930s and consider him the perfect face that a man can ever have. (despite he hated to be described that way, lol)
So nice to talk to you, your experience inspired me to think out of the box and try to live in different ways. Thanks for your kind reply, good day 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chelsea, what you write is very interesting. Thank you. Judith
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome to Judith’s Robert Taylor blog Chelsea. I am sure you will enjoy many visits to this wonderful site. Your comments are very enlightening and refreshing.
LikeLike
G’day
I am emailing from Australia. Huge RT fan. Have been looking over your blog for sometime. Thank you for offering so much information.
Although you may have already seen this, just in case, here are some short clips of RT.
James
LikeLike
G’day, James. Thank you for your kind comment and for the film clips, which I hadn’t seen before. Judith
LikeLike
Is there any other way to contact you? I have things I would like to discuss with about Robert Taylor privately.
LikeLike
You coud use Facebook Messenger. I’m on Facebook as Judith Hanhisalo.
LikeLike