ROBERT TAYLOR: A Biography by Charles Tranberg (paperback)

"Chuck Tranberg meticulously and painstakingly  researched, explored, and carefully chronicled this fascinating time in history. He offers us a glimpse into early Hollywood where the studio system incubated and dominated so many stars, Robert Taylor among them."

-Terry Taylor, son of Robert Taylor, in his introduction to this book.

Robert Taylor was one of Hollywood's biggest stars for over thirty-years and starred in such classic films as Magnificent Obsession, Camille, A Yank at Oxford, Waterloo Bridge, Johnny Eager, Quo Vadis, Ivanhoe  and The Last Hunt.  He worked with the cream of Hollywood leading ladies:  Irene Dunne,  Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Vivien Leigh,Lana Turner, Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck, who he later married, just to name a few.  An open and friendly man who usually tried to avoid controversy, Taylor stepped into it when he became a so-called friendly witness appearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee during the height of the Washington investigations into alleged Communism in Hollywood.  It has haunted his reputation to this day.  A happy second marriage to actress Ursula Thiess produced two children and gave Taylor a contentment he lacked in his earlier marriage.  Author Charles Tranberg takes a fresh look at the actor who was once called, "The man with the perfect profile."  This book also takes a fascinating look at the Hollywood Studio system which existed during Taylor's hey-day. 

Article in the Beatrice Daily Sun