Eric Archdale Tayler (4 December 1921 – 6 August 1997) was a New Zealand-born television producer, director and actor, best known for his work for the BBC in the United Kingdom and the ABC in Australia.

Eric Tayler
Born
Eric Archdale Tayler

(1921-12-04)4 December 1921
Died6 August 1997(1997-08-06) (aged 75)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityNew Zealand
Occupation(s)Television actor, director, producer
SpouseLyn James
Children2 (including Sally Tayler)

Biography

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Tayler was born in Hamilton, New Zealand, and educated at Auckland Grammar School.[1] He served in the New Zealand Army during World War II as part of the second New Zealand Expeditionary Force.[2]

In 1947, Tayler moved to London, where he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from 1947 to 1950, which was where he met his wife, Welsh-Australian actress Lyn James, with whom he had two children. In 1955, Tayler joined the drama department of the BBC, working on such programmes as Maigret, Z-Cars and a 1962 adaptation of Oliver Twist. In 1965, Tayler joined the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a producer,[1] where he produced several drama series including Contrabandits.[3]

Select credits

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  • The Affair (1965)
  • The Pigeon (1966)
  • Wall to Wall (1966)
  • Getting along with the Government (1966)
  • Nice n Jucy (1966)
  • Contrabandits (1967–68) - won a Penguin for Contrabandits
  • Australian Plays (1969–70)
  • Dynasty (TV series) (1970–71)
  • Dead Men Running (1971) - director, co writer
  • The Far Country (1972)
  • Over There (1972)
  • Certain Women (1973)
  • Three Men of the city (1973)
  • The Fourth Wish (1975)
  • You Just Can't Win (1976)
  • Arena (1976)
  • The Emigrants (1977)
  • A Place in the Word (1978)
  • Loss of Innocence (1978) - director
  • Bit Part (1978)
  • Timelapse (1980)
  • Friends of the Family (1980)
  • Levkas Man (1981)
  • Jonah (1981)
  • The Groom's Tale (1981)
  • MPSIB (1981)
  • Learned Friends (1982)
  • City West (1984)

References

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  1. ^ a b McLintock, A. H. (1966). An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
  2. ^ "Eric Archdale Tayler". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Four decades of Aussie cop shows". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 September 2004. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
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