Sam Taylor
An image from Why Worry?, one of the productions that also features Sam Taylor.
Sam Taylor

Sam Taylor

August 13, 1895 — New York City, New York

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 Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew had the screen credit "additional dialogue by Sam Taylor". However, no extant prints of the film contain this credit, and there is no documentary evidence that it ever existed.

Taylor directed eight feature films with Lloyd as star, with a number of them being co-directing with Fred C. Newmeyer. Taylor also directed Pickford in her first "talkie" feature with Coquette (1929), which garnered the latter an Academy Award.

Taylor died at the age of 62 in Santa Monica, California.

Safety Last!

Safety Last!

1923

The Freshman

The Freshman

1925

Girl Shy

Girl Shy

1924

Never Weaken

Never Weaken

1921

Grandma's Boy

Grandma's Boy

1922

For Heaven's Sake

For Heaven's Sake

1926

Why Worry?

Why Worry?

1923

Dr. Jack

Dr. Jack

1922