THE INTERVIEW WITH HERBERT RAWLINSON WHICH FOLLOWS WAS EXTRACTED FROM

*TAYLOROLOGY*

* A Continuing Exploration of the Life and Death of William Desmond Taylor *

* Issue 40 —- April 1996

WITH THE KIND PERMISSION OF THE EDITOR, BRUCE LONG.

What is TAYLOROLOGY?

TAYLOROLOGY is a newsletter focusing on the life and death of William Desmond Taylor, a top Paramount film director in early Hollywood who was shot to death on February 1, 1922. His unsolved murder was one of Hollywood’s major scandals.

CONTENTS OF ISSUE 40 INCLUDE:

Personal Appearances by Silent Stars in the Weeks after the Murder of

William Desmond Taylor:

Monte Blue, Hobart Bosworth, Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne,

Mary Carr, Lew Cody, Viola Dana, Miss DuPont, Elsie Ferguson,

Pauline Frederick, Hoot Gibson, Lillian Gish, Mildred Harris,

Hazel Howell, Louise Lovely, May McAvoy, Martha Mansfield,

Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Marie Prevost, Herbert Rawlinson,

Will Rogers, Ruth Roland, Gladys Walton, Claire Windsor

Interview with Herbert Rawlinson in San Francisco February 10, 1922

SAN FRANCISCO CALL

William Desmond Taylor, murdered Los Angeles motion picture director, was "a well bred gentleman and a man among men," according to Herbert Rawlinson, motion picture star, who today is a guest at the Hotel St. Francis.

Although Taylor was somewhat secretive, insofar as he did not discuss his personal troubles with other men, there was nothing which indicated that the slain director was a mystery man in any sense of the word, according to Rawlinson.

"I first knew ‘Bill’ Taylor about seven or eight years ago when the old Photo Players’ Club was organized in Los Angeles," said Rawlinson. "When in Los Angeles I live at the Athletic Club and Taylor made a habit of dropping in at the club two or three times a week and having dinner with some of the boys there. He frequently called me on the telephone, and it was an almost weekly event for us to go out to the golf links and play eighteen holes together.

"I could never speak too highly of ‘Bill’ Taylor. During my acquaintanceship with him I never heard anyone utter a word against him. Whenever Taylor’s name was mentioned someone present invariably took occasion to say, "He's a real man through and through," or some phrase to that effect.

"To me he was the personification of everything that a gentleman should be. At all times he was a gentleman. Whether he was talking to a poor little extra girl out on location or whether he was conversing with a leading woman at a party, he was courteous and conducted himself in a manner that would be a credit to any man. "

"Electricians and stage hands and property men all were treated with the same courtesy and respect as a manager or star. In this connection I am speaking from my recollection of my experience during the four weeks that I worked under Taylor. At that time I was working with Ethel Clayton, when we made 'Wealth.' Never in my motion picture career have I more thoroughly enjoyed four weeks’ work than those under Taylor."

"So far as his private or home life was concerned, I can say but little, because he was not the type of man who discussed such matters."

"So far as I know, and I believe that I knew 'Bill' Taylor as well as any other man in Los Angeles, he had no known enemies and did not fear violence at the hands of any one."

"The death of William Desmond Taylor has taken from the motion picture industry one of its best loved and highest type members. To know him was to admire him and be his friend."

"He was a man among men."