Trivia

Taylor had completely retired from acting when Quentin Tarantino offered him the role of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Bastardos sin gloria (2009). At first, Taylor declined the part, suggesting that Tarantino should cast Albert Finney (who had played Churchill to great acclaim in La tormenta que se avecina (2002), but eventually the director talked him into it.

In the early 1970s, he saved the Australian Opera (now Opera Australia) with a $250,000 donation.

Rod Taylor fell down about two weeks before his death and was hospitalized. He returned home and he subsequently had a heart attack and died in his bed at his home in Beverly Hills, CA, surrounded by his family and friends.

Became a US citizen in 1982.

Taylor refused a screen test for James Bond, considering it beneath him. "Every time a new Bond picture became a smash hit," he later admitted, "I tore out my hair.".

Briefly pursued a career as a painter before turning to acting.

20th Century-Fox considered him for the astronaut role in 1968's El planeta de los simios (1968) but, perhaps seeking a bigger box office name, gave the part to Charlton Heston.

He was widely regarded as one of the most handsome leading men of his generation, although by the end of the 1960s, he became out of shape due to his heavy drinking.

He was once engaged to Anita Ekberg, who died four days after him.

Played Tarzan in an Australian children's radio serial in the early 1950s.

Ran his own TV production company, Rodlor Inc..

Was originally considered for the role of Roper in Operación dragón (1973) but was thought to be too tall, compared to the actor he'd be sharing many action scenes with, Bruce Lee -- the part eventually played by John Saxon.

He was considered for the role of Colonel George Taylor in El planeta de los simios (1968) before Charlton Heston was cast.

Co-starred in three Elizabeth Taylor films: "Giant" (1956), "Raintree County" (1957), and "The V.I.P.s" (1963).

His father was a steel-construction contractor and draftsman, and his mother, a children's book author.

He originally planned to become an artist, and as a teenager he studied at the East Sydney Technical and Fine Arts College. He became interested in acting. He saw Laurence Olivier in "Richard III" on an Old Vic tour, and this inspired him to become an actor.

Is one of two actors to appear in movies directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Quentin Tarantino; Bruce Dern is the other.

His second wife, Mary Beth Hilem, died on 7 March 2009.

Father of Felicia Taylor with his second wife, Mary.

He was considered to star with John Wayne in Río Bravo (1959), El fabuloso mundo del circo (1964), and Lucha de gigantes (1967), before he finally got to work with Wayne in Los chacales del oeste (1973).

Rod Taylor and Anita Ekberg broke off their engagement a year after getting engaged.

Father: William Sturt Taylor; mother: Mona Stewart.

Appeared in three films nominated for Best Picture Oscar: Gigante (1956), Separate Tables (1958), and Bastardos sin gloria (2009).

Met his wife, Carol Kikumura, in 1960 when she was an extra on his TV series Hong Kong (1960). They dated for a short time, but broke up when Carol moved to Las Vegas. The couple rekindled their romance in 1971 and dated steadily for an additional nine years before finally marrying in 1980.

He later said focusing so much on action films in the late 1960s had been a mistake.

Attended East Sydney Art College.

He gave his height as 5'10".

His films after the 1960s were often little-seen by audiences.