Meshach Taylor, a talented African-American actor, was born on April 11, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was raised in New Orleans and Indianapolis, where he attended Crispus Attucks High School. Taylor's interest in acting began in high school, and he went on to study drama at Wilmington College in Ohio and Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida.
After gaining experience in radio and repertory theater, Taylor's first professional break came with a national tour of the musical "Hair." He then became a member of the Goodman Theatre and the Organic Theatre group in Chicago, where he earned a Joseph Jefferson Award for his performance in "Sizwe Banzi Is Dead."
Taylor's early film work included roles in horror films such as "Damien: Omen II," "The Howling," and "The Beast Within." He also made appearances on popular TV shows like "Barney Miller," "Lou Grant," and "M*A*S*H."
In the 1980s, Taylor landed a regular role on the sitcom "Buffalo Bill," but it was his Emmy-nominated performance as Anthony Bouvier on "Designing Women" that brought him widespread recognition. He played the role of a jailbird-turned-assistant to the show's four main characters, and his character was eventually made a full partner in the designer firm.
After "Designing Women," Taylor appeared in the sitcom "Dave's World" for four seasons, playing a poker-playing buddy and neighbor to Harry Anderson. He also made appearances in films like "Mannequin" and "Class Act," as well as a revamped version of the game show "To Tell the Truth."
In his later career, Taylor appeared in low-budget comedy films like "Jacks or Better" and "Friends and Family," as well as horror/drama films like "Tranced" and "Hyenas." He also made guest appearances on TV shows like "The Drew Carey Show," "Hannah Montana," and "Criminal Minds."
Taylor was married to actress Bianca Taylor from 1983 until his death in 2014. He had three children with Bianca, as well as a child from his first marriage. He died on June 28, 2014, at the age of 67, due to complications from colorectal cancer.
