The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Jack Taylor, a legendary figure in horror cinema who passed away at the age of 99. The Academy of Cinema in Spain confirmed the news on Tuesday, May 12. Born George Brown Randall, Taylor became a cult icon both in the United States and Spain, where he settled in the 1960s and built most of his prolific career, particularly in the horror genre and the so-called “Spanish Horror” movement.
Taylor was a favorite actor of director Jesús Franco, starring in classic titles such as ‘Necronomicón’ (1968) and ‘El conde Drácula’ (1970). He also appeared in international blockbusters like ‘Conan the Barbarian’ (playing a priest alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger), Roman Polanski’s ‘The Ninth Gate,’ and ‘Mil gritos tiene la noche.’
In the early stages of his career in the U.S., Taylor worked with stars like Marilyn Monroe on ‘The Jack Benny Show’ and met legends such as Marlene Dietrich. After his initial years in America, he moved to Spain and lived in the Madrid neighborhood of Chamberí for more than six decades. His first role on Spanish soil was a small part in the epic ‘Cleopatra’ (1963), followed by a string of horror and exploitation films including ‘X sukkubus’ (1968), ‘Eugenie’ (1970), ‘La noche del monstruo de sangre’ (1970), ‘Farsa sexual’ (1972), ‘La venganza del doctor Mabuse’ (1972), ‘Vampiro femenino’ (1973), ‘Hermanas sexys’ (1977), and ‘Pasión vudú’ (1977).
Shortly before his death, Taylor coordinated the publication of his memoirs titled ‘Mis 100 años de cine’ (My 100 Years of Cinema) alongside filmmaker Víctor Matellano. In the book, he recalled his experiences with figures like Johnny Depp, Roman Polanski, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Academy of Cinema and the Union of Actors and Actresses confirmed his passing, highlighting his elegance and status as an icon of European cult cinema.