Forrest Taylor, a veteran American character actor, began his career on the stage before transitioning to silent films as a lead actor. He went on to appear in hundreds of "B" movies, often uncredited, throughout his long career.
Born Edwin Forrest Taylor in Bloomington, Illinois, in 1883, little is known about his early days on stage. However, he did appear in notable films such as "In the Sunset Country" (1915),"April" (1916),"True Nobility" (1916),and "The Abandonment" (1916) before World War I interrupted his career.
After serving in World War I, Taylor resumed his film career in 1926, initially playing strong supporting roles before regressing to atmospheric bits in westerns and cliffhangers. He often played attorneys, judges, scientists, executives, and professors, but his roles were usually minor.
However, Taylor did receive more significant screen time in certain films, such as "Riders of Destiny" (1933),where he played a sagebrush villain, and "The Oregon Trail" (1939),where he was the nemesis to hero Johnny Mack Brown. He also appeared in several popular serials, including "The Green Archer" (1940),"The Spider Returns" (1941),and "The Iron Claw" (1941),showcasing his ability to play hammy roles.
Taylor's on-camera career spanned nearly five decades, during which he transitioned to television programming in the 1950s. He appeared in various TV westerns, including episodes of "Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" (1951),"Annie Oakley" (1954),"The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955),"Maverick" (1957),and "My Friend Flicka" (1955). He also made appearances on "The Cisco Kid" (1950),"Gene Autry's" and "Roy Rogers' weekly shows.
One of his more notable roles was as Grandpa Fisher on the religious TV series "This Is the Life" (1952-1954). Taylor continued to work in television until his retirement in 1962, at the age of 80, after filming an episode of "Bonanza" (1959). He passed away three years later in Garden Grove, California, due to natural causes.
