William Desmond Taylor (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

William Desmond Taylor (1872-1922) was a leading silent film director remembered as the victim of Hollywood's most sensational unsolved murder, which shook the nation and shattered the reputations of several top Hollywood stars. Until now, Taylor's film career and leadership role in the Hollywood film industry have been completely overshadowed by the scandal of his death. By reprinting over 400 items from contemporary newspapers, magazines, and trade journals, the book reveals Taylor's life in Hollywood--from his arrival as a minor actor in 1912 until his death in 1922 as one of Hollywood's top directors. These annotated clippings and articles, many containing Taylor's own words, provide substantial insight into Hollywood life and film production during the decade that transformed Hollywood into the movie capital of the world. Included in the book is the most extensive filmography of Taylor's work ever published. Taylor's murder is also examined, including a critical analysis of two recently-published "solutions" to the crime.

About the Author

Bruce Long, on the staff of Arizona State University, has published articles in "Classic Images, Movie & Film Collector's World, Classic Film Collector", and "The Big Reel". He was editor and publisher of "Taylorology", a review of the Taylor case.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 471 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Pr; 471 edition (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810824906
• ISBN-13: 978-0810824904
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,039,219 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Review Will Be Short Because I Want To Get Back to the Book., August 31, 2006

By	Karen Lee "Karen" (New York, New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: William Desmond Taylor: A Dossier (Paperback)

This book arrived today and I sat down to glance through it. Two hours later, I'm taking a break to write this review, but it was hard to put the book down. First, as I did, read Cast of Killers and A Deed of Death. Then, when you are hooked on the Taylor murder, get William Desmond Taylor: A Dossier, Bruce Long's marvelous collection of clippings from the newspapers and journals of the time. It is a work you must have. Reading Taylor's own words and those of his contemporaries, as quoted in the press, makes the murder seem almost as recent as the big murder cases of our day. Also, you learn an enormous amount about life and mores in America and Hollywood in the 1920s. Even if the Taylor murder doesn't interest you particularly, if you enjoy true crime stories and/or silent films, I recommend the book for details and atmosphere.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Recounting, October 14, 2004

By	Tony L. Ford "Minoterrae" (Columbia, South Carolina USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: William Desmond Taylor: A Dossier (Paperback)

This is a collection of newspaper clipping both before the murder of W. D. Taylor as well as after. It will help you paint a picture of the man behind the name as well as introduce you to the times in which he lived.

The book is too expensive for most but if you are a Taylor devotee, your pickings are slim in regards to tomes being written about him.