Customer Reviews

A Deed Of Death: The Story of the Unsolved Murder of Hollywood Director William Desmond Taylor

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"A Deed of Death" is well worth reading . It provides some interesting information and the author discusses the possible suspects in considerable detail. His final "Summing Up" as to the likely guilt( or otherwise) of certain people is logically set out and the arguments he presents appear to be well supported by acceptable evidence. Perhaps a bit too much space was devoted to seemingly unrelated career details of Mable Normand such as her problems with Samuel Goldwyn which didn't seem to have anything to do with the Taylor case. Also, the author chose not to expand on the fact that Taylor was due to appear in court on the day of his murder as a defence witness for his butler who had been arrested in WestLake Park not long before on a morals charge. Kirkpatrick in "A Cast of Killers" obviously considered this fact to be more significant than Mr Giroux. But, overall this book is very entertaining and the author has managed to dig out some new facts about the central character which are enlightening . Bill Taylor comes across as being a thoroughly decent man who has been wrongly maligned over the years.

Although I prefer the excitement and narrative of Sidney D. Kirkpatrick's book "A Cast of Killers," Giroux's account of the William Desmond Taylor murder is most likely the definitive version. Very well researched and methodical in its conclusions, it eliminates much of the sensationalism that has been attached to this case over the years (particurlarly Adela Rogers St. John's fanciful accounts). Although a murderer is never named, the murder itself is "solved." Want to know the ending? Buy the book! Although well written, it does lack some of the zing of Kirkpatrick's story.

There were many scandals in the 1920s, and one of the foremost is the unsolved murder of William Desmond Taylor. Even to film buffs, Taylor is not the most well known director; his body of work has been shrunk by the ravages of time and nitrate decomposition. However, his name lives on as the victim of a murder shrowded with mystery and lies.

Robert Giroux grew up watching the films of Taylor's era and took an interest in the murder case just in time. He was able to interview various celebrities of the 20s to gather information for this book. Stars like King Vidor and Mary Pickford give their imput through interviews as well as other sources like Mack Sennett, Mary Miles Minter, and Mabel Normand who contribute through their autobiographies and early interviews.

This book is vastly different from A Cast of Killers, a more well-known account of the murder. Giroux's book is well documented and therefore more intellectual. Both books are easy to read, although A Cast of Killers is written in conversations and A Deed of Death is written as a presentation of facts with many quotes throughout. The two books come to different conclusions, so it is interesting to compare them. Both are highly recommended for fans of the 20s and mystery readers.

I found this book quite by accident. Mr. Giroux writes with a flair of being there. I enjoyed the exposition on characters and the history of the times. Being here in Los Angeles, I was able to use this book to visit locations detailed. To stand in the same places where the subjects of this book once walked is almost like stepping back in time. I would very much like to meet Mr. Giroux, that's how much of an impression this book has made on me. Please take the time to enjoy this book

A Deed of Death is the best of the 3 main William Desmond Taylor books which have been written - the fictional A Cast of Killers and the case study volume William Desmond Taylor: A Dossier - being the other two.

I recommend anyone interested in WD Taylor to have all 3 of these books in their personal library.

Robert Giroux is an editor, publisher, writer, and reader who has worked with some of the most eminent writers of our time. He has been associated with the firm of Farrar, Straus & Giroux. The purpose of this well-written and fast-paced book is to restore the besmirched reputation of William Desmond Taylor ('Acknowledgments'). There is a 'Bibliography' an 'Index', and many photographs from the author's collections. The first ten chapters cover Taylor's murder on February 1, 1922, his known personal history, and the stories about the people he worked with. Taylor, an Englishman, joined the Canadian Army as a private in 1918 and was promoted to Major by 1919. Before this he wandered about America and held many jobs before becoming an actor. When another director became sick he filled in, and then worked as a successful director.

Giroux says Taylor's reputation was sacrificed to cover up a Hollywood scandal (the drug trade). The instant stardom of young girls like Mary Miles Minter and Mabel Normand was followed by personal problems. [You can see that repeated today in news about Show Business.] In Chapter 11 Giroux examined the witnesses statements that describe the unknown man who was seen around the time of death and uses this to eliminate possible suspects. Giroux explains why it was a hired killer (pp.232-234). Taylor, the head of the director's association, was trying to eliminate drugs and drug dealers from Hollywood as part of the clean-up after the Arbuckle scandal. This was to stop any Federal regulation of the Motion Picture Industry. This succeeded until the 1934 Production Code which led to the ban on some early movies (like the first "Maltese Falcon" of 1931).

This book tells little about the real business of Hollywood, where investors get a chance to win big on successful movies. It mentions how Mack Sennett lost control of his studio and fortune (pp.189-190). The war in Europe slowed European movie production, American industry now had less competition in the silent film business. Sunny Los Angeles was booming in those days for other reasons.

In one of the many novels "Perry Mason" says murders by organized crime are rarely solved, unless the police pick the wrong man. "The Case of the Long-Legged Models" is still entertaining and educational after 50 years.

The great Hollywood murder mystery. Who killed Wm Desmond Taylor?

Read this book and visit the website: [...]
Now, who do you think did it?