It’s a weird sensation when someone you’ve written a book about dies. I never actually met Rod Taylor but I would have spent, I guess, two years researching and writing about his life and career. I’m sad I never got the chance to meet him but he had a wondrous life – a working class kid from Lidcombe who got to travel the world, make a lot of money, do a job he loved, have flings with a succession of glamorous women and act in a lot of terrific films and TV shows. He also made lots of friends, got to marry his soul mate (his third time at bat but better late than never!) and from all accounts he kept active and engaged until the end. And for twenty years he was the biggest Aussie star in Hollywood – Vale Rod, and thanks for such adventures.

Mark Hartley and Paul Harris were kind enough to have me on Film Buff’s Forecast on Jan 31 to talk about the life and times of Rod Taylor. A link to the interview is here. It’s about 57 mins in.

See also here.