Ray Taylor

Ray Taylor

Known for: Directing
Biography: 1888-12-01
Deathday: 1952-02-15 (63 years old)

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Biography

Raymond Edgar Taylor (1 December 1888 – 15 February 1952) was an American film director. He directed 159 films between 1926 and 1949. His debut was the 1926 film serial Fighting with Buffalo Bill.

Ray Taylor was one of the few Hollywood directors who specialized in a single type of film: he was an action specialist. Many action directors would be called upon at one time or another to helm a mainstream drama, romance, or mystery, but Ray Taylor established himself early in westerns and action fare, and he worked in this capacity throughout his career. Even a brief tenure directing the campus-capers "Collegians" shorts for Universal was appropriate for Taylor, as these two-reel subjects often emphasized visual action.

In the 1920s he worked for Fox as an assistant, and soon moved to Universal, where he was given a chance to direct. His effective staging of action scenes earned him a permanent berth at Universal, where he was entrusted with the studio's popular westerns and serials. The project that won Taylor the most notice was Flash Gordon, the Buster Crabbe serial that was phenomenally successful in theaters; unlike most serials that were reserved for weekend juvenile matinees, Flash Gordon played to adult audiences on weeknights alongside prestigious feature films.

Taylor's success with Flash Gordon earned him an invitation to direct serials for Republic Pictures, but his stay was short. Taylor's assistant, William Witney, recalled in his 1996 memoir that Taylor had a drinking problem, which caused him to miss too much work. This was inexcusable on Republic's tight production schedules, and Witney was promoted to full-time director, replacing Taylor.

Taylor's reputation for quality work took precedence over his personal problem, and in 1938 he joined Columbia's new serial unit to co-direct The Spider's Web with James W. Horne. Taylor and Horne joined forces to create one of the best serials of all time; it was easily the most popular serial of 1938, according to a tally of theater bookings. Taylor's Columbia stay was also relatively brief; he returned to his home base at Universal.

Universal kept Taylor extremely busy with westerns and serials for the next six years. Perhaps his best Universal serial is Gang Busters, an action-packed police procedural and, like Flash Gordon, a bid for adult audiences. When Universal had a change of management in 1946, it discontinued its "B" pictures, westerns, and serials, leaving Taylor idle.

For the rest of his career Ray Taylor worked in the movies' minor leagues, making western features for PRC (which shut down in 1947) and Monogram Pictures. He retired in 1949 and died in 1952.

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Filmography

all 130

Movies 130

Director 128

Writer 1

Writer
The Naked Bunyip

The Naked Bunyip (1970)

Movie
ArchiveFootage
Spaceship to the Unknown

Spaceship to the Unknown (1966)

Movie
Director
Purple Death from Outer Space

Purple Death from Outer Space (1966)

Movie
Director
Jungle Safari

Jungle Safari (1956)

Movie
Director
Range Justice

Range Justice (1949)

Movie
Director
West of El Dorado

West of El Dorado (1949)

Movie
Director
Son of a Badman

Son of a Badman (1949)

Movie
Director
Son of Billy the Kid

Son of Billy the Kid (1949)

Movie
Director
Law of the West

Law of the West (1949)

Movie
Director
Shadows of the West

Shadows of the West (1949)

Movie
Director
Crashing Thru

Crashing Thru (1949)

Movie
Director
Outlaw Country

Outlaw Country (1949)

Movie
Director
Frontier Revenge

Frontier Revenge (1948)

Movie
Director
Hidden Danger

Hidden Danger (1948)

Movie
Director
Gunning for Justice

Gunning for Justice (1948)

Movie
Director
Dead Man's Gold

Dead Man's Gold (1948)

Movie
Director
Mark of the Lash

Mark of the Lash (1948)

Movie
Director
The Return of Wildfire

The Return of Wildfire (1948)

Movie
Director
The Tioga Kid

The Tioga Kid (1948)

Movie
Director
The Hawk of Powder River

The Hawk of Powder River (1948)

Movie
Director
The Westward Trail

The Westward Trail (1948)

Movie
Director
Tornado Range

Tornado Range (1948)

Movie
Director
Check Your Guns

Check Your Guns (1948)

Movie
Director
Cheyenne Takes Over

Cheyenne Takes Over (1947)

Movie
Director
Shadow Valley

Shadow Valley (1947)

Movie
Director
The Fighting Vigilantes

The Fighting Vigilantes (1947)

Movie
Director
Black Hills

Black Hills (1947)

Movie
Director
Return of the Lash

Return of the Lash (1947)

Movie
Director
Stage to Mesa City

Stage to Mesa City (1947)

Movie
Director
Michigan Kid

Michigan Kid (1947)

Movie
Director
Ghost Town Renegades

Ghost Town Renegades (1947)

Movie
Director
Pioneer Justice

Pioneer Justice (1947)

Movie
Director
The Vigilantes Return

The Vigilantes Return (1947)

Movie
Director
Border Feud

Border Feud (1947)

Movie
Director
West to Glory

West to Glory (1947)

Movie
Director
Range Beyond the Blue

Range Beyond the Blue (1947)

Movie
Director
Law of the Lash

Law of the Lash (1947)

Movie
Director
Wild Country

Wild Country (1947)

Movie
Director
Lost City of the Jungle

Lost City of the Jungle (1946)

Movie
Director
The Scarlet Horseman

The Scarlet Horseman (1946)

Movie
Director
The Daltons Ride Again

The Daltons Ride Again (1945)

Movie
Director
The Royal Mounted Rides Again

The Royal Mounted Rides Again (1945)

Movie
Director
Secret Agent X-9

Secret Agent X-9 (1945)

Movie
Director
The Master Key

The Master Key (1945)

Movie
Director
Jungle Queen

Jungle Queen (1945)

Movie
Director
Mystery of the Riverboat

Mystery of the Riverboat (1944)

Movie
Director
Raiders of Ghost City

Raiders of Ghost City (1944)

Movie
Director
Boss of Boomtown

Boss of Boomtown (1944)

Movie
Director
The Great Alaskan Mystery

The Great Alaskan Mystery (1944)

Movie
Director
Adventures of the Flying Cadets

Adventures of the Flying Cadets (1943)

Movie
Director
The Lone Star Trail

The Lone Star Trail (1943)

Movie
Director
Cheyenne Roundup

Cheyenne Roundup (1943)

Movie
Director
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard

Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (1943)

Movie
Director
The Adventures of Smilin' Jack

The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943)

Movie
Director
Mug Town

Mug Town (1942)

Movie
Director
Destination Unknown

Destination Unknown (1942)

Movie
Director
Dead End Kids Go To War

Dead End Kids Go To War (1942)

Movie
Director
Junior G-Men of the Air

Junior G-Men of the Air (1942)

Movie
Director
Gang Busters

Gang Busters (1942)

Movie
Director
Stagecoach Buckaroo

Stagecoach Buckaroo (1942)

Movie
Director
Treat 'Em Rough

Treat 'Em Rough (1942)

Movie
Director
Don Winslow of the Navy

Don Winslow of the Navy (1942)

Movie
Director
Fighting Bill Fargo

Fighting Bill Fargo (1941)

Movie
Director
Man from Montana

Man from Montana (1941)

Movie
Director
Rawhide Rangers

Rawhide Rangers (1941)

Movie
Director
Riders of Death Valley

Riders of Death Valley (1941)

Movie
Director
Law of the Range

Law of the Range (1941)

Movie
Director
Sky Raiders

Sky Raiders (1941)

Movie
Director
Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie

Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941)

Movie
Director
Pony Post

Pony Post (1940)

Movie
Director
Law and Order

Law and Order (1940)

Movie
Director
Ragtime Cowboy Joe

Ragtime Cowboy Joe (1940)

Movie
Director
Winners of the West

Winners of the West (1940)

Movie
Director
Bad Man from Red Butte

Bad Man from Red Butte (1940)

Movie
Director
Riders of Pasco Basin

Riders of Pasco Basin (1940)

Movie
Director
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

Movie
9
Director
Boss of Bullion City

Boss of Bullion City (1940)

Movie
Director
West of Carson City

West of Carson City (1940)

Movie
Director
The Green Hornet

The Green Hornet (1940)

Movie
Director
Flying G-Men

Flying G-Men (1939)

Movie
Director
Scouts to the Rescue

Scouts to the Rescue (1939)

Movie
Director
The Spider's Web

The Spider's Web (1938)

Movie
Director
Panamint's Bad Man

Panamint's Bad Man (1938)

Movie
Director
Flaming Frontiers

Flaming Frontiers (1938)

Movie
Director
Rawhide

Rawhide (1938)

Movie
Director
Rocket Ship

Rocket Ship (1938)

Movie
Director
Frontier Town

Frontier Town (1938)

Movie
Director
Hawaiian Buckaroo

Hawaiian Buckaroo (1938)

Movie
Director
Sudden Bill Dorn

Sudden Bill Dorn (1937)

Movie
Director
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts

Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts (1937)

Movie
Director
Boss of Lonely Valley

Boss of Lonely Valley (1937)

Movie
Director
The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen

The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen (1937)

Movie
Director
Raw Timber

Raw Timber (1937)

Movie
Director
Drums of Destiny

Drums of Destiny (1937)

Movie
Director
The Painted Stallion

The Painted Stallion (1937)

Movie
Director
Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy (1937)

Movie
Director
Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island

Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island (1936)

Movie
Director
The Three Mesquiteers

The Three Mesquiteers (1936)

Movie
Director
The Vigilantes Are Coming

The Vigilantes Are Coming (1936)

Movie
Director
The Phantom Rider

The Phantom Rider (1936)

Movie
Director
The Cowboy and the Kid

The Cowboy and the Kid (1936)

Movie
Director
Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon (1936)

Movie
Director
Silver Spurs

Silver Spurs (1936)

Movie
Director
Sunset of Power

Sunset of Power (1936)

Movie
Director
The Ivory-Handled Gun

The Ivory-Handled Gun (1935)

Movie
Director
Tailspin Tommy in The Great Air Mystery

Tailspin Tommy in The Great Air Mystery (1935)

Movie
Director
The Throwback

The Throwback (1935)

Movie
Director
Outlawed Guns

Outlawed Guns (1935)

Movie
Director
The Roaring West

The Roaring West (1935)

Movie
Director
Chandu on the Magic Island

Chandu on the Magic Island (1935)

Movie
Director
The Fighting Trooper

The Fighting Trooper (1934)

Movie
Director
The Return of Chandu

The Return of Chandu (1934)

Movie
Director
Pirate Treasure

Pirate Treasure (1934)

Movie
Director
Perils of Pauline

Perils of Pauline (1933)

Movie
Director
Gordon of Ghost City

Gordon of Ghost City (1933)

Movie
Director
The Phantom of the Air

The Phantom of the Air (1933)

Movie
Director
Jungle Mystery

Jungle Mystery (1932)

Movie
Director
Heroes of the West

Heroes of the West (1932)

Movie
Director
The Airmail Mystery

The Airmail Mystery (1932)

Movie
Director
Detective Lloyd

Detective Lloyd (1932)

Movie
Director
Battling with Buffalo Bill

Battling with Buffalo Bill (1931)

Movie
Director
The One Way Trail

The One Way Trail (1931)

Movie
Director
Schoolmates

Schoolmates (1930)

Movie
Director
The Jade Box

The Jade Box (1930)

Movie
Director
The Ace of Scotland Yard

The Ace of Scotland Yard (1929)

Movie
Director
Come Across

Come Across (1929)

Movie
Director
Eyes of the Underworld

Eyes of the Underworld (1929)

Movie
Director
Tarzan the Mighty

Tarzan the Mighty (1928)

Movie
Director
The Vanishing Rider

The Vanishing Rider (1928)

Movie
Director
The Courage of Collins

The Courage of Collins (1927)

Movie

Ratings

Average 4.11
Based on 16.4 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1927
1936
1941
1937
1970
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Information

Known For
Directing

Gender
Male

Birthday
1888-12-01

Deathday
1952-02-15 (63 years old)

Birth Place
Perham, United States of America

Citizenships
United States of America


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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