The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.

Above - face shots of Forrest Taylor and actress/wife Ada Daniels cropped from a 1916 newspaper theater ad. (Courtesy of Jack Tillmany) Above - a young Forrest Taylor - circa 1920. (Courtesy of Ed Phillips) Forrest Taylor - mid 1930s

Edwin Forrest Taylor was born in Ellsworth, Illinois in 1883 and came from a theatrical family. His father, Christopher C. Taylor (1855-1919), was a showman and theater owner/manager in Illinois. Forrest's acting career began in the early 1900s in stage plays. Over the next thirty years, he was a prolific leading man and character player with many theater troupes. Billed as "E. Forrest Taylor", newspapers and trade publications indicate that much of his stage work was "out west" in California, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Oregon and Utah. During those years, Taylor was employed by established theatrical companies such as Willard Mack, Orpheum Players, Colonial Players and the Wilkes Players. On occasion, he formed his own traveling company, and he also managed/directed some productions. While the legitimate stage was his bread and butter, Taylor dabbled in silent films. Circa 1915-1917, he was a star and supporting player in mostly western shorts, initially for the American Film Company followed by a stint with Kalem. And in the late 1920s, he had a few supporting roles including a 1926 Tom Mix oater for Fox (which is among the lost/missing films). He was married twice, and both wives were actresses who appeared with him on the stage. In 1905, he tied the knot with Ada Dirette Daniels while they were performing in Idaho. His second was a 1925 Utah marriage to Ann/Anne Hutchinson Berryman, and that pairing was successful and lasted through Forrest's death in 1965. With Ada, there were two children - son Forrest, born in 1906, and daughter Jeanne, born circa 1915. Son Jack was born about 1927 during Forrest's marriage to Ann/Anne. Following are a few newspaper/trade mentions from 1908-1915 when Forrest was in his mid twenties and had already established himself as a legitimate stage performer: April, 1908 announcement that "E. Forrest Taylor, a young actor who was connected with various stock cos.... has organized a stock co. of his own to tour Utah, Nevada and California. The co. includes ... Ada Daniels ..." May, 1908 - the Taylor-Daniels company were doing the play "Jim the Westerner" in Nevada. April, 1911 - Forrest was with the Maude Leone Players in "The Girl Question" at the Lyceum Theater in Duluth. November, 1911 - "Willard Mack has secured The People's Theater, Chicago ... open an indefinite Stock season October 30. ... engaged the following people ... Forrest Taylor ... Ada Daniels ..." June, 1912 - Forrest was in in Salt Lake City, Utah with the Orpheum Players in "The Conquerors". May, 1913 - Forrest and Ada Daniels were in Salt Lake City with the Utah Stock Company at the Utah Theater (old Orpheum Theater). February, 1915 - Taylor joins the Empress Company in Tacoma, Washington. Jump forward to the 1920s. Forrest and Ada Daniels divorced and his new leading lady was Ann/Anne Berryman. In the mid 1920s, they performed in Denver, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, other locales. He and Ann/Anne married on February 4, 1925 in Farmington, Utah, and a couple years later, son Jack was born. Circa 1926-1930, they settled in sunny California and worked extensively with the Plaza Players in Sacramento and Savoy Players in San Diego. There was a movie series planned for Forrest and Anne.  J. Charles Davis II and his Davis Distributing company handled films from the independents. In the Spring of 1925, Davis announced that Forrest and Ann would star in eight five reel "society comedy dramas". These were to be "Forrest Taylor Productions" from the J. J. Fleming Production company and were to be lensed in Fleming's Beaverton, Oregon facility near Portland. However, the Taylor/Berryman series didn't happen. By the early 1930s, Forrest was near fifty years of age and had been living and working "on the road" for over half of his life. He was no longer leading man material and the stock market crash and Depression had negatively impacted stock theater. Settling on a career in newfangled talking pictures, he became entrenched as a character/supporting player in B westerns and serials, often portraying the boss baddie/brains heavy. As he grew older and grayer, Taylor took on nice guy roles such as the father of the heroine, lawman, doctor, preacher, rancher, etc. As the western and serial faded, he migrated to TV work and can be seen in THE CISCO KID, ROY ROGERS SHOW, GENE AUTRY SHOW, ANNIE OAKLEY and many other early television programs. He had an ongoing role as "Grandpa Fisher" in the 1950s religious/inspirational TVer, THIS IS THE LIFE (not THIS IS YOUR LIFE with Ralph Edwards). THIS IS THE LIFE was a syndicated production from the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. My favorite Taylor role is in the early John Wayne oater, RIDERS OF DESTINY (Lone Star/Monogram, 1933), in which the young Wayne portrays undercover lawman "Singing Sandy". Can you remember this film ... and Forrest Taylor? Greasy Earl Dwire was Taylor's gunslingin' henchman, and in the street shootout near the end of the film, Wayne plugs Dwire through both wrists. Taylor, who has been foiled by Wayne at every turn, is nervously munching and mouthing a cigar through the entire six reels. And during the climatic chase, Taylor and his mount (Yak Canutt doubling for him) go over a cliff and he drowns in the river (with bubbles rising to the surface of the water). A few more good Forrest Taylor westerns come to mind: He's a preacher in one of Bob Steele's better Supreme oaters, THE RED ROPE (Supreme, 1937). A no-good father and son, played by Forrest Taylor and Bob Terry, are out to get heroine Joan Barclay's ranch in the Tim McCoy TEXAS WILDCATS (Victory, 1939). Taylor is out to rule the Cherokee Strip and build a cattle empire in the Tex Ritter RIDIN' THE CHEROKEE TRAIL (Monogram, 1941). In the Range Busters WRANGLER'S ROOST (Monogram, 1941), he's a minister/deacon trying to build a church. But years earlier, Taylor was the notorious outlaw Black Bart. A kind and sympathetic Taylor plays a circuit judge in the Eddie Dean Cinecolor COLORADO SERENADE (PRC, 1946). The storyline is enhanced with the discovery that no-good Dennis Moore is the judge's long lost son who was kidnapped as a youngster and raised by gang boss Warner Richmond. Taylor, as "Father Sullivan", helps Indian Agent Eddie Dean and sidekick Emmett Lynn clean up a gang that is trying to drive Indians off their land in the Cinecolor ROMANCE OF THE WEST (PRC, 1946). Taylor plays another judge in the Eddie Dean Cinecolor CARAVAN TRAIL (PRC, 1946). This time he's on the wrong side of law, employed by crooked saloon owner Robert Barron. Taylor's stage and film career spanned about sixty years, from approximately 1905 through the early 1960s. Les Adams has him in about 325 sound films and of that quantity, there's 200+ westerns and about three dozen cliffhangers. His credits at Republic Pictures number about 75 for the period 1937-1953 and most are B westerns and serials. Taylor was good at his craft - he had realistic facial expressions and mannerisms. And he delivered his lines clearly and with appropriate intonation, skills honed from decades on the stage without the benefit of microphones and sound equipment. In his later years, Forrest Taylor suffered from heart disease. He passed away away from a pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure at the Palm Harbor General Hospital, Garden Grove, California on February 19, 1965.

The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), California Death Index, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), ProQuest obituaries, death certificate, and funeral notice provide more on Forrest Taylor and family:

• 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.
• Marriage record (not the marriage license) of Edwin Forrest Taylor to Ada D. Daniels on October 9, 1905 in Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWD6-TVQ
• Ancestry had the birth certificate of Edwin Forrest Taylor, Jr., born August 20, 1906 in Payson, Utah County, Utah. Parents were 22 year old Edwin Forrest Taylor, actor, born Ellsworth, Illinois and 24 year old Ada Dirette Daniels, actress, born Payson, Utah. This is the first child born to Ada.
• 1910 census - living with Ada Daniels' parents (Joseph and Melinda Daniels) in Payson, Utah is their 3 year old grandson Edwin F. Taylor: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5XD-DWQ
• World War I draft registration dated September 9, 1918 - 34 year old Edwin Forrest Taylor was born December 29, 1883. He and wife Ada Daniels Taylor live at 841 South 4th Avenue, Pocatello, Bannock County, Idaho. He is a self employed "Theatrical Mgr. - Northern Utah and Southern Idaho": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-26176-54260-46?cc=1968530
• Marriage record (not the marriage license) of Edwin Forrest Taylor (born December 29, 1883 in Illinois) to Anne Hutchinson Berryman (born June 12, 1900 in England) on February 4, 1925 in Farmington, Davis County, Utah. Both listed their status as divorced. His parents were Chris C. Taylor and Elizabeth Smith. Her parents were John Hutchinson and S. J. Butterworth: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8PK-TN5
• 1930 census - living in San Diego, California are 47 year old Forrest E. Taylor (born Illinois), his 29 year old wife Anne H. (born England), their 3 year old son Jack F. (born California), a servant and a lodger: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC6X-R6M
  Ancestry had the 1930 census takers worksheet - the Taylor family is renting at 4226 Hawk Street, San Diego. The occupations of Forrest and wife Anne are "Actor - Theater" and "Actress - Theater", and Forrest answers "No" to the are you a military veteran question.
• 1930 census - living in Seattle, King County, Washington are 43 year old Ada Daniels Taylor (born Utah) and her 15 year old daughter Jeanne Taylor (born Idaho). Jeanne would have been born about 1915: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC3S-W3L
• 1940 census - 56 year old Edwin F. Taylor (born Illinois), 37 year old wife Ann H. (born England) and 13 year old son Jack F. (born California) are living in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CX-R16
  1940 census takers worksheet: they're renting, but it was difficult to read their address (looks like 915 North Martel, Los Angeles). Taylor reports his occupation as "Actor - Motion Pictures" and in 1939, he worked 19 weeks and earned $2750.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-27797-4239-32?cc=2000219&wc=MMYH-FM1:n1288196710
• 1942 World War II registration for Edwin Forrest Taylor. He and wife Ann reside at 5017 Ledge Avenue, North Hollywood, California. He lists his birth info as December 29, 1883 and Ellsworth, Illinois, and his occupation as "Free Lance Actor": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16370-128253-56?cc=1861144
• Death certificate: 81 year old Edwin Forrest Taylor was born December 29, 1883 in Illinois, and his parents were Christopher C. Taylor (born New Jersey) and Elizabeth Smith (born California). His occupation was "Actor - Self Employed - Movies", and he and wife Ann H. Taylor lived in Garden Grove, Orange County, California. He had suffered from heart disease (duration years), and passed away from pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure at the Palm Harbor General Hospital, Garden Grove, California on February 19, 1965. Son Jack F. Taylor was the death certificate informant. Funeral director and burial location was Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.
• You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and check the California Death Index. There you will find a record for: Edwin F. Taylor, born 12/29/1883 in Illinois, Mother's maiden name of Smith, and he passed away on 2/19/1965. There is a corresponding record (for Edwin Taylor) in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).
  The California Death Index also has a record for Ann H. Taylor and she passed away on June 27, 1984 in Orange, California. She was born June 12, 1898, father's last name was Hutchinson, and her mother's maiden name was Butterworth: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPJY-NXT
• The February 22, 1965 edition of the Los Angeles (California) Times newspaper had a funeral notice. Forrest was survived by wife Ann H. Taylor, sons Jack F. Taylor and Forrest Don Taylor, married daughter Jeanne Elizabeth Hall, and a brother, Walter Taylor.

Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for Forrest Taylor at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6079809/forrest-taylor

There were many traces of Forrest Taylor's father, Chris Taylor, and Chris' son Walter in census and death records as well as tradezines (which are available at the Internet Archive):

Trade publication highlights and quotes:

• January 8, 1916 issue of Moving Picture World: "Actor's Dad an Exhibitor. Manager Chris Taylor of Dreamland at Kewanee features his son, E. Forrest Taylor, in western pictures every Monday."
• June 17, 1916 issue of Moving Picture World: "Kewanee, Ill. --- Manager Chris Taylor of Dreamland theater has received word that his son, E. Forrest Taylor, has accepted a position with one of the producing companies of the Kalem."
• June 7, 1917 issue of Motography: "Chris Taylor, well know Kewanee showman, has leased the Apollo theater at Princeton (Illinois)."
• August 11, 1917 issue of Motography: "The Apollo theater, Princeton's (Illinois) oldest and largest playhouse, has passed into the hands of the Taylor circuit, when a five year lease was signed for the rental of the theater to Chris Taylor, a Kewanee showman of thirty years experience." and "Mr. Taylor is an old and successful showman. For the last ten years he has been located in Kewanee, where he is the manager of the new Rialto and Dreamland theaters and Windmont Park."
• December 22, 1917 issue of Motography: "Change of management at the Grand Theater at Kewanee is announced. Chris Taylor, manager of the Rialto and Dreamland picture houses and his son, Walter, have taken over the Opera House."

Census and death records:

• 1900 census - 42 year old Chris Taylor (born Pennsylvania), his 20 year old wife Clara M. (born Illinois), two year old son Walter I. (born Illinois), and 68 year old grandmother Letitia Hand (born Illinois) live in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS4H-FZJ
  1900 census takers worksheet - Chris and Clara have been married for three years; she's had one child (Walter); Chris' occupation is "Advertising solicitor": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11783-125920-74?cc=1325221
• Chris Taylor's name was misspelled when the 1910 census was digitized. He's listed as "Cris C. Faylor" at both Family Search and Ancestry.com:
  1910 census - 55 year old Cris C. Faylor (born Pennsylvania) and his 29 year old wife Clara (born Illinois) reside in Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKDZ-ND1
  Ancestry had the 1910 census takers worksheet - they are renting on East Second Street, Kewanee, Illinois. Cris C. Faylor's occupation is "Manager - Theater" and Clara is his second marriage. 29 year old Clara has been married for 14 years and had one child and one child is still living. Thus, her marriage to Chris Taylor was circa 1896 when she was about 15 years old. Son Walter is not listed with them.
• Illinois Death index (not the death certificate) - Christopher Columbus Taylor was born March 1, 1855 in Bristol, Pennsylvania; his occupation was "Theatrical Manager"; and he and wife Clare E. Taylor lived in Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois. Christopher Columbus Taylor passed away on October 27, 1919 and burial was in Bloomington, Illinois: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ7R-VJQ
• Find A Grave website has a photo of the marker for Charles Christopher Taylor (1855-1919) who is interred at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10986746
• 1920 census - renting in Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois are 40 year old Clara Taylor (born Illinois; widowed) and her 22 year old son Walter (born Illinois): https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ4Q-7YN
• Illinois Death index (not the death certificate) - 64 year old Clara Taylor was born July 22, 1880 in Lexington, Illinois. Name of spouse was Christopher Taylor. She passed away March 14, 1945 in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois and burial in Bloomington, Illinois: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N34X-P9M

Some comments and questions about Forrest Taylor and family:

Some Taylor biographies have him born in Bloomington, Illinois. However, he lists Ellsworth, Illinois on his World War II draft registration as well as the 1906 birth certificate for son Jack. Perhaps he was born in Bloomington but the family home was in Ellsworth. The driving distrance between those two locales is about eighteen miles.

Some Taylor biographies note that his father Christopher Taylor was a newspaperman and hailed from New Jersey. Not so - he was a well known theater owner and manager in Illinois and was born in Pennsylvania.

According to the death certificate, Forrest's mother was Elizabeth Smith (born California). A major issue is that the 1890 census is unavailable. 1900 and 1910 census records indicate that his father Chris Taylor had married a second time circa 1896 to Clara Taylor. Have not found anything on first wife Elizabeth and whether she passed away or they divorced.

Some bios have Forrest serving in the military during World War I. That doesn't seem possible due to his stage work during that period. Plus he responded "No!" to the are you a military veteran question in the 1930 census.

The funeral notice for Forrest lists sons Jack F. Taylor and Forrest Don Taylor, married daughter Jeanne Elizabeth Hall, and a brother, Walter Taylor. I can account for son Jack, daughter Jeanne, and brother Walter. I'm guessing that the Edwin Forrest Taylor, Jr. who was born 1906 in Utah is the son named Forrest Don Taylor in the funeral notice.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Forrest Taylor: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0852365/

Family Search has a profile and photo of Ada Daniels (1879-1951): https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/17777951

The Internet Broadway database has several plays during the period 1918 - 1926 with Edwin Taylor: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/edwin-taylor-61913

The Internet Broadway database has several 1933-1947 plays listed for Forrest Taylor as both a performer and stage manager. However, this is probably not our B western Forrest Taylor as he was extremely busy doing films circa 1946-1948: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/forrest-taylor-61920

Daniel Neyer's "The Files of Jerry Blake" serial website has a webpage on Forrest Taylor doing serials: https://filesofjerryblake.com/serial-character-actors-2/forrest-taylor/

Boyd Magers has a profile on Taylor at his Western Clippings website: http://www.westernclippings.com/heavies/forresttaylor_charactersheavies.shtml

There's about twenty American Film Company titles from 1915-1916 for E. Forrest Taylor at the American Film Company (nicknamed the "Flying A") website which is maintained by the University of California at Santa Barbara. The page includes a small portrait shot of our Forrest Taylor. When you get to this webpage, click on the letter T, and scroll down the listing for E. Forrest Taylor: https://flyinga.filmandmedia.ucsb.edu/people/index.html

The University of Washington, J. Willis Sayre Photograph collection, has two circa 1911 photos of stage actor E. Forrest Taylor. One of the photos is clearly our Forrest Taylor. Go to:
https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/sayre/id/9850
https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/sayre/id/9017

The Google Newspaper archive has a couple papers with mentions of Forrest Taylor:
Forrest Taylor Players in Portland and Eugene, Oregon, 1925: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19251028&id=jaxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5011,4624221&hl=en
1932 article on actress Ada Daniels, former wife of Forrest Taylor: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1338&dat=19320907&id=TtFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4vQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7262,1318170&hl=en

Billing himself as "E. Forrest Taylor", Forrest was a prolific stage performer from the early 1900s through the early 1930s. And he did a few silent films.

Above - E. Forrest Taylor and Ada Daniels in Utah in 1913. Above - E. Forrest Taylor with his own company on the Orpheum Circuit circa 1916 in Idaho. Note that the troupe was doing several plays. Above - E. Forrest Taylor circa 1920 in Utah. His co-star, Ann Berryman, would become Mrs. Taylor in 1925. Above - trade ad from late 1915 for Forrest Taylor and Helene Rosson in THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT, one of the Mustang shorts from the American Film Company and distributed by Mutual. Helene Rosson was the sister of directors Arthur Rosson, Richard Rosson and cinematographer Harold Rosson, and she was married to - and divorced from - Ashton Dearholt (producer of the 1935 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN serial that starred Herman Brix/Bruce Bennett). Forrest's father was a theater owner/operator in Illinois. From the January 8, 1916 issue of Moving Picture World: "Actor's Dad an Exhibitor. Manager Chris Taylor of Dreamland at Kewanee (Illinois) features his son, E. Forrest Taylor, in western pictures every Monday." (Courtesy of Dana Driskel and the American Film Company website (link above)) Above are Anna Little and a young Forrest Taylor in an unidentified American Film Company silent circa 1916. Taylor would have been about thirty years old when he did this film.