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Born William Cunningham Deane-Tanner in Ireland, he came to the United States in 1890. A short acting career in New York City followed, but he quit acting after marrying the daughter of a wealthy Wall Street broker, who provided Taylor with funding to set up a business. He and his wife were well known in New York society, until he deserted his wife and daughter in 1908. From this time he was known by the name William Taylor.
He moved to Hollywood and worked as an actor, before making his first film as director The Awakening in 1915. Over the next few years he directed more than forty films, served in the Canadian Army, and served as President of the Motion Picture Director’s Association .
He directed some of the great stars of the day including Mary Pickford, Wallace Reid, Dustin Farnham and his protégée Mary Miles Minter.
On the morning of February 1, 1922 his body was found inside his residence in the Westlake Park area of downtown Los Angeles, CaliforniaThis article is about the city in California. For other uses of 'Los Angeles' see Los Angeles (disambiguation The City of Los Angeles widely known by its abbreviation L. is a large coastal metropolis in Southern California in the western United States. by his valet. He had been shot in the back.
Henry Peavey was Taylor’s valet and he discovered his body. His prior history before working for Taylor included arrests for vagrancy and public indecency. Taylor had put up bail for him and was due to appear in court on his behalf later in February. Initially suspected of the crime, he was cleared by police. Before his death in 1937 a magazine published an interview in which he stated that the murder had been committed by “a well known actress and her mother”; another rival magazine published his comment as “a well known actress”, with neither magazine qualifying the statement.
Mabel NormandMabel Normand ( November 16, 1892 February 20, 1930) was a US film actress, who was a popular comedienne in silent films. Born Mabel Ethelreid Normand in Staten Island, New York, Normand worked as an artist's model before entering films in 1910. She met d was a popular actress and close associate of Taylor. They had a friendship which some people believed to be a sexual relationship, and Taylor was alleged to have been deeply concerned by Normand’s cocaineCocaine is a crystalline alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant, creating a euphoric sense of happiness and hyperthermia. Though most often used recreational addiction. She was the last person known to have seen him alive, and was seen leaving his home at 7.45 pm on the evening of the murder. She was in a happy mood as she left.
Faith McLean was the wife of actor Douglas McLean and the couple were neighbours. At 8pm she heard a loud noise which startled her and when she went to her front door to investigate came face to face with a young man emerging from Taylor’s home. McLean described how he paused for a moment before turning back and entering the door in the manner that he had forgotten something. His casual manner caused no suspicion in McLean and she reasoned that she’d heard a car backfire.
Charles Eyton was the General Manager of Paramount Studios. After Taylor’s death, several people stated that he had orchestrated a party of employees to go to Taylor’s home and remove incriminating items, before police had been notified of the death. Director King VidorKing Vidor ( February 8, 1894 November 1, 1982) was an American film director. He was born in Galveston, Texas. A freelance newsreel cameraman and cinema projectionist, he made his debut as a director in 1913 with the two-reel film In Tow''. In Hollywood later recalled a conversation with one of these men, art director George Hopkins who said that they had removed items that linked Taylor sexually to several Hollywood actresses, as well as a number of underage males that Peavey had procured for him.
Mary Miles Minter was a popular actress who had been guided through her career by Taylor. Letters found in Taylor’s home suggested the possibility of a sexual relationship between the 50 year old Taylor, and 22 year old Minter, and that it had started when Minter was below the age of consent.
Charlotte Shelby was Minter’s mother. She was described as having an obsessive hold over her daughter, and a vested interest in her career. Writer Adela Rogers St. John wrote that Shelby was torn by her maternal protection for her daughter who was being exploited by a male predator, and her own attraction for Taylor.