<![CDATA[Good biography about Rod]]>Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Rod Taylor

hobnob53 — 11 years ago(January 09, 2015 12:33 AM)

A few months ago I bought a biography about this fine, underappreciated actor, and can highly recommend it.
The book is entitled "Rod Taylor: An Aussie in Hollywood", by Stephen Vagg. Though only in paperback, it goes into surprisingly deep detail about Rod's life and career. Some of the most interesting stuff covers his career in Australian radio and the country's few films from the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, before he went to Hollywood. Few people know much about this part of Rod's career, or the state of Australian popular entertainment in that era, and the book shows how the narrow scope of available work helped shape the particular talents that would ultimately make Rod a success abroad.
Of course we also learn a great deal about Rod's personal life, from growing up in modest circumstances, his early interest in art, to his heyday as one of Hollywood's wildest womanizers, and his later, more settled, years.
The author is an admirer of Taylor's but is completely objective about him and his career. We learn about the darker sides to Rod's personality in his salad days: the degree of recklessness and arrogance that caused him to turn down roles he should have taken, take too many chances that didn't pan out, make bad career decisions that cost him the top stardom that at one time seemed imminent. Though he could be ingratiating he could also be arrogant and inconsiderate of others, behavior which came back to haunt him. His treatment of his wives, many girlfriends as well as some female co-stars was often unfeeling, occasionally even unconscionable and almost always sexist in the extreme. Vagg is very forthright in detailing these less admirable sides of Rod's personality and actions, and the effect they had on his life, while still admiring his talent and the man himself. And Vagg also takes pains to bring out the gentler aspects of Rod Taylor, the kindness, generosity and humility that eventually overtook his more abrasive side and allowed him to observe his career with a more mellow and reflective attitude. A book that is neither glowingly uncritical nor a mindless hatchet job is refreshing.
Anyway, I was delighted to find this rich ab68nd informative biography. It retails for around $22 and up, and I commend it to all fans of Rod Taylor's, who'll find a richly intimate portrait of the actor and the manand commend it as well to anyone who might want to learn more about this terrific actor, who passed away only yesterday at age 84.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/topic/95975/good-biography-about-rodRSS for NodeTue, 12 May 2026 22:30:20 GMTWed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:11 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Good biography about Rod on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:13 GMT]]>Bogmeister — 11 years ago(January 09, 2015 02:35 PM)

I read the very interesting bio of Rod on Kindle almost a year ago. There was just one small aspect to it that seemed off to me and also mystified me - the author Vagg mentions Rod's short height several times and once specifies it as 5' 7" - this really surprised me when I first read it because I always thought Rod looked like a 6-footer on screen (at least in his prime); even with lifts, he still would be 5' 10" (which is what places like IMDb list him as). This supposed short height is also contradicted by other trivia, such as how Rod didn't get the role in
Enter the Dragon
(73) because he was considered too tall opposite Bruce Lee (who, ironically, is listed as 5' 7" on IMDb). So, this may remain a mystery except to those who were close to Rod.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/929206https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/929206Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Good biography about Rod on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:12 GMT]]>hobnob53 — 11 years ago(January 09, 2015 09:36 AM)

Hi pouncemo. I remember you too and was glad to see your name when I got the notification of your message.
I think you'll like the book a lot. For a paperback it's really very packed (small print!) with lots of information. I really enjoyed the early sections about Rod in Australia, particularly the state of Australian entertainment before television, and before its movie industry took off. That kind of background information is hard to come by. I also had only a vague idea of his wild days, especially his many, shall we say, escapades with the opposite sex.
Rod was one of my absolute favorites from a very young age. You know how you just form attachments to certain people, places, etc., and they stick with you your whole life? Sometimes you can't even quite put a finger on the reasons why. Rod Taylor was like that for me too. Just a guy I always found likable and admired. The negative things this book brings out only seem to make him a more interesting, rounded character, even if we may find some of his acts not very nice.
Anyway, I'm really glad you're a fellow fan!
And thank you for your very kind words about my effort here, and my writing. Considering you're no slouch yourself in that area (as all sophisticated scribblers would phrase it, I'm sure!), your compliment truly means all that much more.
Take care, and hope we correspond more.
And happy new year!
PS: After you get the book, please let me know. Maybe we can discuss it a bit, here or via PMs.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/929205https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/929205Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Good biography about Rod on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:12 GMT]]>pouncemo — 11 years ago(January 09, 2015 08:49 AM)

Hobnob, I remember you from a conversation about "A Summer Place" a while back.
Thanks so much for your wonderful review of Rod's biography. I also like a book "that is neither glowingly uncritical nor a mindless hatchet job"
I was a HUGE fan of Rod Taylor's and I am very sad to learn of his passing. But with your recommendation, I now have the bio to look forward to.
Thanks again and keep writing you're really good at it!

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/929204https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/929204Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:26:12 GMT