~Ruth Taylor~

Born: January 13, 1905 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Died: April 12, 1984 in Palm Springs, California, USA
~Biography~
A vivacious blond Mack Sennett comedienne, Ruth Taylor nabbed the most sought-after role of
1928, that of Lorelei Lee in the screen version of Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. According
to Taylor, she was one of 200 hopefuls testing for the role. Taylor had been in the Follies prior to
signing with Sennett in 1925 and remained proud of the fact that she was never even asked to
appear in a bathing suit. She was not so proud when losing a leading role in What Price Glory to
fellow Sennett alumna Phyllis Haver, however. "Another Sennett girl makes good," she wrote.
"Wonder if I will." The answer came sooner than she may have anticipated when chosen to play
opposite Alice White in Loos' popular satire. Many critics thought her letter-perfect as the
quintessential dumbbell and there are those who prefer her performance to Marilyn Monroe's in
the 1953 remake. Strangely, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes did not make Taylor a major contender for
stardom, although she was voted a 1928 WAMPAS Baby Star, an honor she shared with Lina
Basquette, June Collyer, and the Mexican spitfire herself, Lupe Velez. College Coquette (1929), a
weak co-ed comedy ruined by poor sound recording, may have been the main reason that she
basically turned her back on Hollywood and today she is mainly remembered as the mother of
prolific actor/screenwriter Buck Henry. A different actress with the same name appeared in a few
films in the late 1910s.

Biography by Hans J. Wollstein, AllMovie.com
~Filmography~
Just Married (1928) .... Roberta
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928) .... Lorelei Lee
Smith's Modiste Shop (1927) ... Minor Role (uncredited)
For Sale, a Bungalow (1927)
Daddy Boy (1927)
... aka Daddyboy (USA: copyright title)
The College Kiddo (1927)
Cured in the Excitement (1927)
The Pride of Pikeville (1927)
Broke in China (1927)
A Dozen Socks (1927)
The Jolly Jilter (1927) ... Alma's Maid
Flirty Four-Flushers (1926)
A Blonde's Revenge (1926) ... Ruth Brown
Kitty from Killarney (1926) (uncredited) .... Bit Role
Hesitating Horses (1926)
The Perils of Petersboro (1926) (uncredited) .... Bit Role
Her Actor Friend (1926)
Smith's Vacation (1926)
Alice Be Good (1926)
Puppy Lovetime (1926) .... Ruth
A Yankee Doodle Duke (1926)
... aka Cave Inn (UK)
Muscle-Bound Music (1926)
A Love Sundae (1926)
Wandering Willies (1926) .... Girl on park bench
Trimmed in Gold (1926) (uncredited) .... Bit Role
From Rags to Britches (1925) (uncredited) .... Bathing Beauty
The Window Dummy (1925)
The Soapsuds Lady (1925)
Take Your Time (1925)
Dangerous Curves Behind (1925)
A Sweet Pickle (1925) ... Minor Role (uncredited)
A Rainy Knight (1925)
Butter Fingers (1925) .... Nellie Perkins
Lucky Stars (1925)
The Iron Nag (1925)
.