If the links below are not working, or are only partially loading, Taylorology can also be obtained here . Unless otherwise indicated, all material on this website may be freely redistributed.

If you think the book "A Cast of Killers" (1986 edition) is accurate, you may find Taylorology 65 of particular interest. Most of the historical errors were corrected or qualified in the Twentieth Anniversary Edition.

If you are totally unfamiliar with the Taylor case and would like a general introduction, read "I Know Who Killed Desmond Taylor" in Taylorology 50 or, for those more visually inclined, read Rick Geary's graphic novel Famous Players: The Mysterious Death of William Desmond Taylor .

Below is the contents list for issues of "Taylorology", with an electronic link to each issue. The publication centered on the unsolved 1922 murder of silent film director William Desmond Taylor , but there is reprinted material on, and interviews with, other silent stars including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Mabel Normand, Olive Thomas, Blanche Sweet, William S. Hart, Lillian Gish, Harold Lloyd, Rudolph Valentino, Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, and many others.

Taylorology Issues

Taylorology 4:

A Few Murder Suspects

Fragments from Taylor's Life

Suggested Reading

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder":

Foreword (by Kevin Brownlow), Introduction, Prelude, Bon Mots

Taylorology 5:

The Connette Episode

Deposition by Leslie Henry

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 2:

Wild Hollywood Parties--Fact or Fiction?, William Desmond Taylor

Taylorology 6:

Why Taylor's Servant Thought Mabel Normand was the Killer

1929 Interview with Charlotte Shelby

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 3:

Mabel's Reading Matter, The Funeral, The Investigation, The Law

Index to A CAST OF KILLERS

Taylorology 7:

The Case Against Thomas Dixon

Fragments from the Police File

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 4:

Love Letters, Frozen Horror, Untamed Hollywood,

Frank Mayo vs. The Press, Tall Tales #1: Walter Underwood

Taylorology 8:

Wallace Smith: February 8, 1922

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 5:

Doug and Mary Run the Gauntlet; The Fourth Estate;

Tall Tales #2: Harry Fields; Psychic Visions

Taylorology 9:

Mary Miles Minter vs. American Film Co.

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 6:

Evil Hollywood, Hollywood Treads Softly, Editorial Contemplations

Taylorology 10:

25 Flashes of Mabel Normand

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 7:

The Kidnapping of Henry Peavey; Odds & Ends;

Tall Tales #3: The Atlantic City Confession



Taylorology 11:

"Hollywood Mysteries"--Shredded

"The Humor of a Hollywood Murder" Part 8:

Confessions, Confessions; Poetry Potpourri; The Public Speaks;

Epilogue: August 1923

Taylorology 12:

Time-Life's "Unsolved Crimes"--Bravo!

Did a Canadian Army Veteran Kill Taylor?

Charlotte Shelby's Last Two Interviews (1937)

Interview with Mary Miles Minter (1937)

Wallace Smith: February 10, 1922

"The Truth About Hollywood":

Part 1 [A brief tour of 1922 Hollywood]

Taylorology 13:

"The Truth About Hollywood":

Part 2 [Drugs, Alcohol and Sexual Morality]

Part 3 [What Happens to a New Girl in Hollywood?]

Part 4 [Brief Tour of Some Hollywood Studios]

Taylorology 14:

March 1926: Cyclone around Keyes

"The Truth About Hollywood":

Part 5 [How Much Do the Stars Earn?]

Taylorology 15:

William T. Sherman, Guest Editor:

Some Responses to a Number of Points Made in TAYLOROLOGY

In Defense of Mabel Normand

The Issue of Peavey's Credibility

The Credibility of Howard Fellows' Testimony

The Time Element Problem

Evidence for a Cover-Up

Summaries of the Cases against Charlotte Shelby and Carl Stockdale

Taylorology 16:

William T. Sherman, Guest Editor:

Some Glimpses of The Shelby Family Caught up in The Taylor Case

"The Mystery of the Movie Director" by Sidney Sutherland

A Look at the Character of D.A. Thomas Lee Woolwine & His Administration

Taylorology 17:

The Return of Ellery Queen and Erle Stanley Gardner

Allegations that Henry Peavey Murdered Taylor

When did Mary Miles Minter Learn of Taylor's Death?

Flashes of Margaret Shelby

Wallace Smith: February 11, 1922

Taylorology 18:

Adela Rogers St. Johns:

Eulogy, Apology, Psychology, Mythology

Taylorology 19:

The Case against Edward Sands:

Who was Sands?

Items Suggesting Sands was the Killer

Sands' Sexuality

Was Sands the Person Seen by Faith MacLean?

Was Robbery an Element of the Murder Motive?

Strange Phone Calls Received by Taylor

Conclusions Regarding Sands

Wallace Smith: February 14, 1922

Taylorology 20:

Mini-Reviews: Munn and Martinez

Did James Kirkwood Kill Taylor?

Hollywood Social Events 1914-1922

Wallace Smith: February 15, 1922

Taylorology 21:

The Last Day of Taylor's Life

Wallace Smith: February 16, 1922

"Has Mabel Normand Solved the Taylor Murder?"

Taylorology 22:

The 1937 Grand Jury Investigation

Statements by Carl Stockdale

Where was Adolph Zukor on February 2, 1922?

Interviews with Julia Crawford Ivers

Who was the Drug-Addicted Scenario Writer?

What was the Real Name of Mary Miles Minter?

The Path of the Fatal Bullet

Wallace Smith: February 20, 1922

Taylorology 23:

"The Colorful and Romantic Story of Wm. D. Taylor's Remarkable Life"

Wallace Smith: February 21, 1922

Taylorology 24:

Contemporary Reviews of Films Directed by William Desmond Taylor

Sources for More Information about Taylor's Films

Taylorology 25:

The Court-Martial of Edward Sands

Wallace Smith: February 22, 1922

Taylorology 26:

Review: New Book on Mabel Normand

Juanita Hansen, Part I

Wallace Smith: February 23, 1922

Taylorology 27:

Juanita Hansen, Part II

Wallace Smith: February 24, 1922

Taylorology 28:

Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle

Taylorology 29:

Taylor's "Lost Years" -- 1908-1912

Wallace Smith: February 25, 1922

Taylorology 30:

"The Sins of Hollywood: An Expose of Movie Vice"

Taylorology 31:

Douglas and Faith MacLean

Wallace Smith: February 27, 1922

Taylorology 32:

Interviews with Mary Miles Minter: The Taylor Years

Wallace Smith: February 28, 1922

Taylorology 33:

The Life and Death of Olive Thomas

Taylorology 34:

The Dispatches of Richard Burritt

Taylorology 35:

Testimony of Charlotte Shelby

Testimony of Leslie Henry

Taylorology 36:

Ray Frohman Interviews:

Charlie Chaplin, Dorothy Gish, Louise Glaum, William S. Hart

Ruth Roland, Blanche Sweet, Clara Kimball Young

Taylorology 37:

Mary Miles Minter in Hawaii

Mary Miles Minter Moves Out

Minter and Chaplin

Taylorology 38:

Silent Films of Taylor's Associates on Home Video

Wallace Reid, Part I

Taylorology 39:

Woolwine's Statement Regarding Mary Miles Minter

Wallace Reid, Part II

Taylorology 40:

Taylor in the British Army

Personal Appearances by Silent Stars in the Weeks after the Murder:

Monte Blue, Hobart Bosworth, Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne,

Mary Carr, Lew Cody, Viola Dana, Miss DuPont, Elsie Ferguson,

Pauline Frederick, Hoot Gibson, Lillian Gish, Mildred Harris,

Hazel Howell, Louise Lovely, May McAvoy, Martha Mansfield,

Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Marie Prevost, Herbert Rawlinson,

Will Rogers, Ruth Roland, Gladys Walton, Claire Windsor

Taylorology 41:

The Casting Couch and Sexual Harassment in Early Hollywood

Leslie Henry's Suicide Plan

Taylorology 42:

"Mabel Normand's Own Life Story!"

Taylorology 43:

"Untold Tales of Hollywood"

Taylorology 44:

"Untold Tales of Hollywood" (conclusion)

Taylorology 45:

Interviews with Taylor's Ex-Wife

Mabel Normand on the Witness Stand:

Testimony at the William Desmond Taylor Inquest

Testimony at the Horace Greer Hearing

Testimony at the Horace Greer Trial

Taylorology 46:

Flashes of Charlie Chaplin

Taylorology 47:

The Photoplayers' Club

Taylorology 48:

Kathlyn Williams

Taylorology 49:

The Screenwriters Defend Hollywood in the Murder Aftermath:

Gertrude Atherton, Beulah Marie Dix, Elinor Glyn, Frances Harmer,

Rupert Hughes, William Parker, Louis Sherwin, Rob Wagner,

Frank Woods and Thompson Buchanan, Waldemar Young

Taylorology 50:

"I Know Who Killed Desmond Taylor"

Taylorology 51:

Charlie Chaplin Interview from 1916

Anita Loos

Taylorology 52:

William Desmond Taylor's Words:

Articles Written by Taylor

Comments Attributed to Taylor

Taylorology 53:

Louella Parsons Interviews with Actors:

Monte Blue, Douglas Fairbanks, George Fawcett, Robert Harron,

Sessue Hayakawa, Houdini, Harold Lloyd, Tom Mix,

Wallace Reid, Ben Turpin, Rudolph Valentino

Taylorology 54:

Mabel Normand Here and There

Taylorology 55:

Interviews with Mary Pickford

Taylor Case Errors in "Forbidden Lovers"

Taylorology 56:

Taylor/Minter Film Available on Home Video

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day One

Taylorology 57:

Antonio Moreno

Taylorology 58:

Minter and Shelby in Paris

In Defense of Charlotte Shelby

"The Tragic Life Story of Mabel Normand"

Interviews with Taylor's Sister-In-Law

Mary Miles Minter and "Broken Blossoms"

Two Interviews with Mary Pickford

Taylorology 59:

Richard Willis:

William Desmond Taylor's First Hollywood Interview

Poetic Eulogy for Taylor

More Interviews by Richard Willis:

Carlyle Blackwell, Mona Darkfeather, Hobart Bosworth, Adele Lane,

D. W. Griffith, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley

Taylorology 60:

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Two

Taylorology 61:

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Three

Mary Miles Minter: The Pre-Taylor Years

Taylorology 62:

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Four

Who's Who in the Taylor Case

Clara Beranger Comments on "The World's Applause"

Taylorology 63:

Louella Parsons Interviews with Actresses:

Beverly Bayne, Betty Blythe, Clara Bow, Marguerite Clark,

Elsie Ferguson, Dorothy Gish, Juanita Hansen, Osa Johnson,

Alice Joyce, Mae Marsh, Violet Mersereau, Alma Rubens,

Gloria Swanson, Blanche Sweet, Alice Terry

Taylorology 64:

Mabel Normand and "Goldwyn"

Another Taylor Film on Home Video?

In Print: "The Big Book of Scandal!"

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Five

Hollywood Studio Production During the Week of Taylor's Murder

Photoplay Editions of Taylor's Films

Taylorology 65:

175 Errors and Contradictions in "A Cast of Killers"

Taylorology 66:

Interviews with Edna Purviance

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Six

Taylorology 67:

Louella Parsons Interviews with Directors:

J. Stuart Blackton, Herbert Brenon, William De Mille,

Abel Gance, D. W. Griffith, Ralph Ince, Rex Ingram,

Ernst Lubitsch, Fred Niblo, John S. Robertson, Victor Seastrom

Taylorology 68:

Six Interviews with Buster Keaton

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Seven

Taylorology 69:

Retraction: The Drug-Addicted Scenario Writer

Henry Peavey Accuses Mabel Normand

Testimony of Margaret Shelby Fillmore

Letter from Marjorie Berger to Mary Miles Minter

Public Response to the Taylor Murder

Mabel Normand and the Police Gazette

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Eight

Taylorology 70:

Review: "Mysteries & Scandals"

Jeanie Macpherson

Taylorology 71:

Drugs in Early Hollywood

The Death of Zelda Crosby

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Nine

Taylorology 72:

Flashes of Charlie Chaplin, Part II

Taylorology 73:

Taylor's "Tom Sawyer" on Home Video

Review: "Death in Paradise"

Mabel Normand Here and There, Part II

"The Indiscretions of a Star"

Taylorology 74:

Fragments of Taylor in Hollywood

Fifteen Years after the Murder: Mary Miles Minter Speaks

Gossip from "Capt. Billy's Whiz Bang"

The Mishawum Manor Scandal

Statement by Lowell Sherman Regarding the Arbuckle Party

A Dictionary of Flapper Slang

"The Jinx on Mabel"

Taylorology 75:

Errors in "Fallen Angels"

Capt. Edward A. Salisbury

Taylorology 76:

Mary Miles Minter Here and There

Taylorology 77:

Maurice Tourneur

Taylorology 78:

Contemporary Reviews of Films Directed by William Desmond Taylor, Part II

Taylorology 79:

Contemporary Reviews of Films Directed by William Desmond Taylor, Part III

Taylorology 80:

Blanche Sweet

Taylorology 81:

Review: "Balboa Films"

"Balboa Films": Response from the Authors

Charlotte Shelby's 1929 Statement

Mary Miles Minter's "Engagement" to William Desmond Taylor

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Day Ten

Taylorology 82:

Mabel Normand in "Photoplayers Weekly"

Fragments from Official 1922 Statements: Fellows, Dumas, Maigne

The Federal Trade Commission vs. Famous Players-Lasky

Rudolph Valentino characterizes Charles Eyton

Affidavit filed by Charles Eyton regarding Rudolph Valentino

Taylorology 83:

"Suzanna" on Home Video

Mack Sennett

Taylorology 84:

Margaret Gibson's Deathbed Confession:

"I Killed William Desmond Taylor!"

Taylorology 85:

James Bean's Theory Regarding Taylor's Killer

Rumors, "Solutions," and Strange Reports

William Desmond Taylor's Injuries

Why Margaret Gibson Changed her Screen Name

Margaret Gibson Arrested for Extortion

More Thoughts Regarding Margaret Gibson

Additional Comments on Margaret Gibson by Ray Long

Letter from Margaret Gibson's Husband

Taylorology 86:

Reporting the Taylor Murder: Days 11 and 12

Fan Magazines React to the Taylor Case

Taylorology 87:

Contemporary Editorials Discussing the Taylor Case

Taylorology 88:

Some Errors in A&E's "City Confidential"

Herb Howe's Last Article about Mabel Normand

May Rupp's Accusation

Taylor Fighting Censorship

Flashes of Neva Gerber

More Gossip from Capt. Billy's Whiz Bang

D. W. Griffith Comments on the Taylor Case

Taylorology 89:

Gareth Hughes

James Kirkwood

Taylorology 90:

Taylor the Actor: Vitagraph Film Plots

Don Osborn

The First Fictionalization of the Taylor Murder

Injury and Illness in 1914 Hollywood

"Perfect Crimes? Nickell/Taylor" by Ray Long

Taylorology 91:

Marguerite Clark

Taylorology 92:

Thomas Ince

Taylorology 93:

Interviews with Actors and Actresses Directed by Taylor:

Ethel Clayton, Dustin Farnum, Elsie Ferguson, May McAvoy,

Jack Pickford, Theodore Roberts and Myrtle Stedman

Taylorology 94:

Did Drug Gangsters Kill Taylor?

"Filming the Great Idea"

Taylorology 95:

The Motion Picture Directors' Association

Taylorology 96:

Alvarado Court: The 1920 Census

Taylor's Activities in the Week Prior to his Death

Interview with George Lasher

A Visit to the Favorite Players Studio

Itinerary of the Fanny Davenport Troupe during the Taylor Years

E-Mail Bouquets from Taylorology Readers

Taylorology 97:

Three Documents from the Police File

Taylorology 98:

Was William Desmond Taylor a Drug Pusher?

Did Antonio Moreno Hear the Fatal Shot?

When Did Mabel Normand First Return to the Murder Scene?

The NAACP and the Taylor Case

The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill and the Taylor Case

Were Taylor and Robert W. Service Roommates?

Why were Minter's Love Letters Given to the Newspapers?

Eulogy Fragments

Taylorology 99:

Robert P. Shuler



Taylorology 100:

Twisted by Knaves

"What I Think of Mary Miles Minter" by Jeanie Macpherson

The 1929/30 Flare-Up of the Taylor Case

Mary Miles Minter vs. CBS