My top five Rod Taylor TV performances – for no reason other than for fun. In no particular order:

1) “The Raider” Playhouse 90 (1959) – an excellent corporate drama with Rod strong in a supporting role, the conscience of the piece (he performed a similar function in “The Great Gatsby” and “The Long March” also for Playhouse 90). Superb ensemble cast including Paul Ford and Donald Crisp, wonderful script. This should be better known.

2) “The Argonauts” Cheyenne (1955) – similar to an anthology drama, this is very self contained. A remake of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) with Rod in the Tim Holt role. This got him a lot of attention and deservedly so.

3) “And When the Sky Was Opened” The Twilight Zone (1959) – superb instalment of the classic series with Rod giving one of his best performances as a doomed astronaut.

4) “The Hitchhiker” Tales of the Unexpected (1980) – most of Rod’s credits in the 70s and 80s were pretty dire but this is a lively entertaining vignette, not the greatest script in the world but joyful to watch Rod and Cyril Cusack together.

5) Hong Kong (1960-61) – Rod Taylor really came into his own as a leading man in this series, a highly enjoyable action series in a Hollywood Hong Kong.