Sam Taylor

Personal Info

Known ForDirecting
Born1895-08-13
BirthplaceNew York City, New York

Sam Taylor

Directing

Biography

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.

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.

Notable Works

Prominent titles featuring Sam Taylor

Filmography

Production & Directing (50)

6.4
1935
7.2
1935
7.2
1934
6.3
1934
6.3
1933
7.5
1932
8.0
1931
6.4
1931
SkylineDirector
8.0
1931
KikiDirector
5.2
1931
KikiAdaptation
5.2
5.8
1929
CoquetteProducer
5.9
1929
CoquetteDirector
5.9
1929
CoquetteDialogue
5.9
1928
7.1
1928
TempestDirector
6.2
1927
My Best GirlDirector
7.1
1926
Exit SmilingDirector
7.9
1926
Exit SmilingScenario Writer
7.9
1926
Exit SmilingProducer
7.9
1926
6.9
1925
7.0
1925
The FreshmanDirector
7.0
1924
6.8
1924
Hot WaterDirector
6.8
1924
Girl ShyDirector
6.9
1924
6.9
1923
Why Worry?Director
6.5
1923
6.5
1923
Safety Last!Director
7.7
1923
7.7
1922
Dr. JackDirector
6.8
1922
6.8
1922
6.4
6.4
6.4
1921
6.9
1921
I DoWriter
6.0
6.0
1921
Now or NeverScenario Writer
6.2
1921
8.0
1920
The Midnight BrideScenario Writer
10.0
1919
10.0
1919
8.0
Sam Taylor — Filmography & Biography | Cinelio