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Sam Taylor

Director

Sam Taylor

Born August 13, 1895 in New York City, New YorkDied March 6, 195822 films

Sam Taylor (August 13, 1895 – March 6, 1958) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer, most active in the silent film era. Taylor is best known for his comedic directorial work with Harold Lloyd and Mary Pickford, and also later worked with Laurel and Hardy. He was born in New York City.

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A notorious cinematic legend over the decades has suggested that Taylor's 1929 adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew 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 eight feature films with Lloyd as star, with a number of them being co-directing with Fred C. Newmeyer. Taylor also directed Pickford in her first "talkie" feature with Coquette (1929), which garnered the latter an Academy Award.

Taylor died at the age of 62 in Santa Monica, California.

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The best way into Sam Taylor's work
Safety Last! posterFirst watchSafety Last!19237.7When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach

Filmography

22 films as director
  1. 1944Nothing But TroubleDirector
  2. 1935Vagabond LadyDirector
  3. 1934The Cat's-PawDirector
  4. 1933Out All NightDirector
  5. 1932Devil's LotteryDirector
  6. 1931Ambassador BillDirector
  7. 1931SkylineDirector
  8. 1931KikiDirector
  9. 1930Du Barry, Woman of PassionDirector
  10. 1929The Taming of the ShrewDirector
  11. 1929CoquetteDirector
  12. 1928The Woman DisputedDirector
  13. 1928TempestDirector
  14. 1927My Best GirlDirector
  15. 1926Exit SmilingDirector
  16. 1926For Heaven's SakeDirector
  17. 1925The FreshmanDirector
  18. 1924Hot WaterDirector
  19. 1924Girl ShyDirector
  20. 1923Why Worry?Director
  21. 1923Safety Last!Director
  22. 1922Dr. JackDirector