Directing

Sam Taylor

Born August 13, 1895 · New York City, New York

Died March 6, 1958 · aged 62

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 …

Known For

Safety Last!

Safety Last! · 1923

MovieComedyRomance

When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.

Skyline

Skyline · 1931

Skyline is a 1931 drama film directed by Sam Taylor and starring silent film veteran Thomas Meighan. It is based on a novel, East Side, West Side by Felix Riesenberg. It was produced and released by Fox Film Corporation.

The Freshman

The Freshman · 1925

MovieComedyRomance

An unathletic college freshman ridiculed by his peers for his mannerisms strives to become popular by making the football team.

The Cat's-Paw

The Cat's-Paw · 1934

Naive Ezekial Cobb, brought up by his missionary father in China returns to America to seek a wife. Corrupt politicians enlist him to run for mayor as a dummy candidate with no chance of winning. Their plan backfires as he wins and embarks upon a reform crusade.

Girl Shy

Girl Shy · 1924

MovieComedyRomance

Harold Meadows is a shy, stuttering bachelor working in a tailor shop, who is writing a guidebook, The Secret of Making Love, for other bashful young men. Fate has him meet rich girl Mary, and they fall in love. But she is about to wed an already married man, so our hero embarks upon a hair-raising daredevil ride to prevent the wedding.

Du Barry, Woman of Passion

Du Barry, Woman of Passion · 1930

Du Barry, Woman of Passion

MovieDramaRomance

Jeannette Vaubernier, an impulsive shopgirl en route to deliver a hat, dreams of luxury and position as she saunters through the woods, and attracted by a pool of water, she disrobes and plunges in. Cosse de Brissac, a handsome private in the King's Guards, comes to her rescue and they become sweethearts. Meanwhile, Jean Du Barry, a shrewd roué, takes note of her at the millinery shop and tricks her into staying at La Gourda's, where she soon becomes a favorite among the men.

Kiki

A young Frenchwoman is determined to get into and stay in show business, no matter what. Then she's determined to win a recently divorced man's heart... again, no matter what.

Princess Jones

Princess Jones · 1921

Princess Jones, the niece of a country store keeper, dreams of being a wealthy, glamorous lady. While at an luxurious nearby resort she meets the wealthy Arthur Forbes, who falls in love with her and buys her an expensive coat. This leads her to be mistaken by the other guests as a Balkan princess and attracts the eye of a gang of kidnappers.

Filmography

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Safety Last!

Safety Last! · 1923

MovieComedyRomance

When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.

Director

Skyline

Skyline · 1931

Skyline is a 1931 drama film directed by Sam Taylor and starring silent film veteran Thomas Meighan. It is based on a novel, East Side, West Side by Felix Riesenberg. It was produced and released by Fox Film Corporation.

Director

The Freshman

The Freshman · 1925

MovieComedyRomance

An unathletic college freshman ridiculed by his peers for his mannerisms strives to become popular by making the football team.

Story

The Cat's-Paw

The Cat's-Paw · 1934

Naive Ezekial Cobb, brought up by his missionary father in China returns to America to seek a wife. Corrupt politicians enlist him to run for mayor as a dummy candidate with no chance of winning. Their plan backfires as he wins and embarks upon a reform crusade.

Writer

Girl Shy

Girl Shy · 1924

MovieComedyRomance

Harold Meadows is a shy, stuttering bachelor working in a tailor shop, who is writing a guidebook, The Secret of Making Love, for other bashful young men. Fate has him meet rich girl Mary, and they fall in love. But she is about to wed an already married man, so our hero embarks upon a hair-raising daredevil ride to prevent the wedding.

Director

Du Barry, Woman of Passion

Du Barry, Woman of Passion · 1930

Du Barry, Woman of Passion

MovieDramaRomance

Jeannette Vaubernier, an impulsive shopgirl en route to deliver a hat, dreams of luxury and position as she saunters through the woods, and attracted by a pool of water, she disrobes and plunges in. Cosse de Brissac, a handsome private in the King's Guards, comes to her rescue and they become sweethearts. Meanwhile, Jean Du Barry, a shrewd roué, takes note of her at the millinery shop and tricks her into staying at La Gourda's, where she soon becomes a favorite among the men.

Director

Kiki

A young Frenchwoman is determined to get into and stay in show business, no matter what. Then she's determined to win a recently divorced man's heart... again, no matter what.

Director

Princess Jones

Princess Jones · 1921

Princess Jones, the niece of a country store keeper, dreams of being a wealthy, glamorous lady. While at an luxurious nearby resort she meets the wealthy Arthur Forbes, who falls in love with her and buys her an expensive coat. This leads her to be mistaken by the other guests as a Balkan princess and attracts the eye of a gang of kidnappers.

Writer

The Gamblers

The Gamblers · 1919

Catherine Ames impulsively marries district attorney James Darwin after suffering Wilbur Emerson's neglect. Emerson turns to a career of high finance, but borrows unlawfully on notes to avoid disaster. Darwin prosecutes the investigation case. One of Emerson's business associates, George Cowper, gives a signed confession to Darwin. Emerson breaks into Catherine's room to obtain the confession, but is caught by Darwin, who accuses his wife of unfaithfulness.

Writer

For Heaven's Sake

For Heaven's Sake · 1926

For Heaven's Sake

MovieComedyAction

An irresponsible young millionaire changes his tune when he falls for the daughter of a downtown minister.

Director

Lady of the Pavements

Lady of the Pavements · 1929

Lady of the Pavements

Karl, a German diplomat in Paris, discovers that his fiancée, Diane, has been unfaithful. He tells her that he would rather marry a 'girl of the streets' than her. Outraged, Diane enlists the services of a Spanish singer/dancer from a disreputable nightclub to pose as a sophisticated, convent-educated singer, and surreptitiously arranges for her to meet Karl.

Writer

Coquette

Coquette · 1929

A Southern belle's flirtation with a working man leads to tragedy.

Producer

The Woman Disputed

The Woman Disputed · 1928

The Woman Disputed

MovieHistoryDrama

An adventuress in love with an Austrian agrees to become the mistress of a Russian officer in exchange for the release of Austrian hostages.

Director

Grandma's Boy

Grandma's Boy · 1922

A meek young man must find the courage within when a rogue tramp menaces his hometown.

Story

Nothing But Trouble

Nothing But Trouble · 1944

Nothing But Trouble

Two bumbling servants are hired by a dizzy society matron to cook and serve a meal for visiting royalty.

Director

Devil's Lottery

Devil's Lottery · 1932

Devil's Lottery

Intricate, soapy drama of romance, heartbreak, and murder amongst a diverse group of sweepstakes winners visiting a newspaper tycoon's estate.

Director

My Best Girl

My Best Girl · 1927

MovieDramaComedy

Joe Merrill, son of the millionaire owner of a chain of 5 and 10 cent stores, poses as Joe Grant, and takes a job in the stockroom of one of his father's stores, to prove that he can be a success without his father's influence. There he meets stockroom girl Maggie Johnson, and they fall in love. This causes problems, because Mrs. Merrill had planned for her son to marry Millicent Rogers, a high society girl.

Director

Why Worry?

Why Worry? · 1923

A hypochondriac vacations in the tropics for the fresh air - and finds himself in the middle of a revolution instead.

Director

Now or Never

Now or Never · 1921

A young man, unaccustomed to children, must accompany a young girl on a train trip.

Scenario Writer

A Sailor-Made Man

A Sailor-Made Man · 1921

A Sailor-Made Man

An idle, wealthy playboy foolishly joins the Navy when the father of the girl he wants to marry tells him to get a job to prove himself worthy.

Story

Among Those Present

Among Those Present · 1921

Among Those Present

An ambitious coat-room checker impersonates an English nobleman.

Writer

The Taming of the Shrew

The Taming of the Shrew · 1929

The Taming of the Shrew

Adapted from Shakespeare's play: Baptista Minola, a wealthy resident of Padua, is the father of Katherine and Bianca. The younger daughter, Bianca, is charming and has many suitors. But her father will not allow Bianca to be married until her older sister, who is notoriously quarrelsome and bad-tempered, is married first. When Petruchio comes from Verona to Padua in search of a wife, he hears of this situation, and he accepts the challenge of trying to woo and marry the ill-natured Katherine.

Director

Vagabond Lady

Vagabond Lady · 1935

MovieDramaComedy

Josephine Spiggins is thinking of marrying John Spear, the stuffed-shirt son of a department store owner. When John's free-spirit brother Tony returns from touring the South Seas in his boat, the "Vagabond Lady," Jo is attracted to him instead.

Director

In Honor's Web

In Honor's Web · 1919

Wealthy businessman Frank Powell falls in love late in life with Olive Meade, the sister of Governor Carroll Carson's wife Irene. One day Frank sees Olive embracing his younger brother Bert. As he leaves dejectedly, Frank discovers Irene, whose busy elderly husband neglects her, with society idler Rodney Foster.

Writer