I figured it was something like that. Rene as Clayton was funnier.

Lewis J Stadlen HATED his time on "Benson". He said it was an unpleasant experience as he had no creative output as an actor and worst still, playing a character who was a weasel and not a particularly funny one at that. He asked the producers to let him go at the end of the first season so he could go back to Broadway which he did.
Rene Auberjonois was a much better fit and further more, the character of Clayton Endicott was actually funny (as witnessed by Auberjonois's Emmy nomination for his work on the show) whereas John Taylor was at best mildly amusing.

Stadlen was primarily a 'Broadway baby', and I suspect his departure from the series may have had something to do with the fact that it took away too much time from his ability to work on stage.

Don't forget in the pilot David Henison (the only star to play Felix Leiter twice) was John Taylor
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I never liked Taylor - except MAYBE for the one episode where Benson, Marcy and Taylor work together to help the Governor "keep his job" from the Lt. Governor while he's sick with the inner ear infection. I think that's the only time he felt like 'part of the show' and not just an outsider that didn't fit in with the rest of the cast.
Just my $0.02.
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I love Clayton Endicott III but I appreciate Taylor too. I'm digging the DVDs.

Clayton made the show better.

Don't know either,but i agree taylor was ok but not that funny from memory..been awhile. Adding clayton improved the show immensely.

I wish I did. I can only tell you that I thought Taylor was a lame, one-dimensional character and I didn't like Stadlen as an actor either. Replacing him with Clayton really helped the show in my opinion. Maybe the upcoming DVD will answer that question though
Wait a minute who am I here?