Who would have thought that Rodney Sturt Taylor would become a "Time Traveler", the voice of a Dalmatian, or turn down the role of "James Bond - 007"? This is a look at some of the early work of an Australian actor who became known as Rod Taylor.
He was born in Lidcombe, New South Whales, Australia, on January 11, 1930. Rodney's father was William Sturt Taylor, both a steel construction contractor, and a commercial artist. His mother was Mona (Thompson) Taylor, a writer of over one-hundred short stories and children's books. His great-great-grand-uncle was the "Surveyor General of Central Australia", British Army Officer Charles Napier Sturt, the source of his middle name, a 19th-Century explorer of the "Australian Outback".
While attending, "East Sydney Technical and Fine Arts College (now, the "University of New South Whales)", Rodney's mother pushed him to become an artist, but one fateful day he saw Sir Lawrence Olivier, in an "Old Vic", touring production of William Shakespeare's, "Richard III", and decided to become an actor. His first work was a combination of radio and Australian stage productions. Taylor's first on-screen appearance was in an Australian 1951 short, "Inland with Sturt", portraying his great-great-grand-uncle's partner George Macleay. It was about the expedition down the Murrumbidgee and Murray rivers. However, it was the Australian motion picture, 1954's, "King of the Coral Sea", that truly introduced Australia and slowly the world to Rodney Taylor, portraying American "Jack Janiero".
Above, Rodney Taylor is seen in the lower left corner, but by the time the movie arrived in the United States, on June 24, 1956. He had already been seen, if not known by name, on American television and in supporting United States motion picture roles.
Back in1950, Walter Elias Disney filmed Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson's, "Treasure Island". The story behind that filming will be found in my article "Walt Disney's Four British Tax Feature Films (1950 to 1954)" at:
For Rodney Taylor's third on-screen appearance, he was a pirate, thought dead, from the story in the
Walt Disney movie:
LONG JOHN SILVER aka: LONG JOHN SILVER'S RETURN TO TREASURE ISLAND released in Australia on December 16, 1954, the United Kingdom on December 17, 1954, and the United States on December 21, 1954
Producer Joseph Kaufmann (Kaufman) decided to make a sequel to the highly successful Walt Disney motion picture, that was based upon Robert Louis Stevenson's public domain novel, and hired Martin Rackin.
Rackin had been writing screenplays since 1941, four of these, recently, were the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy, 1951's, "The Stooge", the Raoul Walsh directed, 1951, "Distant Drums", starring Gary Cooper, and the back to back Red Skelton's, 1953, "The Clown", and 1954's, "The Great Diamond Robbery". As a producer, Martin Rackin would also write, John Wayne's, 1959, "The Horse Soldiers", and as a producer and director, he made Don Siegel's, 1970, "Two Mules for Sister Sara", starring Clint Eastwood and Shirley MacLaine, among several other feature films.
Kauffmann also hired Byron Haskin, the director of the Walt Disney motion picture to direct. My article is "Produced by GEORGE PAL, Directed by BYRON HASKIN: War of the Worlds 1953, The Naked Jungle 1954, Conquest of Space 1955, The Power 1968" found at:
Some of the Cast:
Robert Newton recreated his role from the Walt Disney feature film as "Long John Silver". There will be a link in the last motion picture I will mention that will take my reader to one of Robert Newton's early films, as the hero, with a young actress named Maureen O'Hara. As for now, my article is "Robert Newton IS 'Long John Silver': The Definitive Motion Picture Pirate of the Caribbean" sailing the Spanish Main after flint's treasure at:
Connie Gilchrist portrayed "Purity Pinker". She would join Newton in the one season, television series, "The Adventures of Long John Silver", spun-off from this motion picture. She made her stage debut in 1917, at 22, and prior to her first on-screen role, as "Arline Merriweather" in 1940's, "Hullabaloo", starring Frank Morgan and Virginia Grey, had appeared on stage in England, France, and Broadway.
Lloyd Terrell portrayed "Captain Mendoza" aka: "El Toro". The New Zealand actor was in 1954's, "King of the Coral Sea", and to add to title confusion, 1954's, "Return to Treasure Island". Which was about a modern day descendant of "Jim Hawkins", portrayed by Dawn Addams, returning with Tab Hunter, to the island with another map.
Grant Taylor portrayed "Patch". Most of my readers may know, or not, that Grant Taylor portrayed "General Henderson, the President of IAC (International Astrophysical Commission)", on Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's television series, "UFO". He had just been in Burt Lancaster's, 1954, "His Majesty O'Keefe". He was also in the short subject, 1951's, "Inland with Sturt", and the television series, "The Adventures of Long John Silver".
Kit Taylor, Grant's son, portrayed "Jim Hawkins". This was 12-years-old Kit's first on-screen appearance, and he followed this feature film with the television series, "The Adventures of Long John Silver".
Above left to right, Kit Taylor, Robert Newton, and John Grant.
Rodney Taylor portrayed "Israel Hands". Rodney came to the United States after filming this Australian and United States co-production.
The Basic Adventure Story:
It is sometime after the events in "Treasure Island', and "Long John Silver" and his remaining crew members are stuck in the fictional town of Portobello, in the British West Indies. The tavern is owned by "Miss Purity Pinker", whose goal in life is to marry "Long John". Who has a map showing where more of "Flint's Treasure" is buried on the island, but he needs a special medallion to read it.
Word is received that the Spanish pirate, "Mendoza - El Toro" has captured a ship carrying "Governor Sir Henry Strong's", portrayed by Harvey Adams, daughter, "Elizabeth", portrayed by Thora Smith. "El Toro" is holding for ransom, but of more interest to "Long John Silver", is that "Jim Hawkins" was on-board the ship. "Jim" has been press-ganged into being "El Toro's" cabin boy, but the pirate underestimates the young lad. He has been able to free "Dod Perch", portrayed by Elwyn Daniel, and sent him to track down "Long John Silver" for help. However, two of "El Toro's" men get to "Perch" before he can reach "Silver", and as "Dod Perch" dies, he whispers to "Long John", "Mendoza", "Strong", and "Hawkins". "Captain Long John Silver" visits "Governor Strong", and his wife, "Lady Strong", portrayed by Muriel Steinbeck, and proposes that he will deliver the ransom to keep "El Toro" unaware of the government rescue of their daughter.
During the dropping off of the ransom, "Long John" and "Billy Bowlegs", portrayed by Henry Gilbert, go to "Mendoza's" ship and the crafty "Long John" blackmails "El Toro" over his plan to hoard the ransom money.
He suggests that "Mendoza" leave "Elizabeth Strong" on shore as a means of luring the Governor's man-of-war's away and that they sack the King's unguarded warehouses. "Mendoza" begins to double-cross "Long John", but its the other way around as "Silver's" crew capture "El Toro" and his men along with what's in the warehouses. While this is happening, "Jim Hawkins" and "Elizabeth Strong" are escaping the Spanish pirate and his crew.
When he first came on-board and reunited with "Jim", "Long John Silver" realized that the boy was wearing the medallion to decode the second treasure map.
Back at the Governor's house, "Jim" is offered a chance to go back to England, but "Long John" wants the boy and the medallion to come with him to "Treasure Island". "Silver" is given a chance to crew the slave ship that "Jim Hawkins" was to go back to Bristol on. That's under the command of "Commander Asa MacDougal", portrayed by George Simpson Little. This also gets the pirate out of becoming engaged to "Purity Pinker".
At sea, "Jim" discovers the plan and reports it to "McDougal", and the pirates are captured. "Captain McDougal" now maroons "Long John Silver" and his crew on an island that happens to be the secret hideout of "Mendoza". "Jim" realized that he cannot trust "McDougal" and goes with the pirate crew to "El Toro's" island.
Into the bay comes "Mendoza" and his ship, unknowing that "Silver" is there.
Before the two sides come together, "Jim Hawkins" sets "El Toro's" warehouse on fire, distracting him and his crew. "Long John", "Jim", and "Silver's" crew take over "Mendoza's" ship and it's off to "Treasure Island" once again!
On shore, "Sliver", "Jim" and his crew head for the old stockade.
However, on the island is "Israel Hands", he was shot by "Jim Hawkins" and thought to be dead (see the Disney movie), but he is still alive and now blind. The blind "Hands" has sets traps and is killing off "Long John's" men one at a time, and keeping him trapped within the stockade. To make matters worse, of course, "El Toro" arrives with his men and this forces "Israel Hands" to join with "Long John", but only for a promise that when "Mendoza" is defeated, "Hands" gets a passage to Cornwall, and revenge upon "Jim Hawkins".
Before "Mendoza" and his men arrive, "Long John" and the others leave following the decoded map. "El Toro" orders the stock cade burned to the ground. Meanwhile, two things take place, the first is "Silver" leads everyone to the cave where the treasure is to be buried. The second, is "Jim Hawkins" leads "Israel Hands" out of the caves and to the cliffs, where the blind pirate falls over a cliff. As "Jim" returns to the caves, he is taken by "Mendoza", to be used as bait for "Long John". Only, "El Toro" miscalculates the cunning of his opponent and it is his men that are attacked by "Silver's". In the end "El Toro" finds himself and the survivors of his men, having traded places with "Long John", and marooned on the island. While, the others set sail for Portobello.
Cut to rich business man, "John Silver" dinning with "Governor Strong". "Silver" and his crew are pardoned from being pirates, for saving "Elizabeth Strong", and making a nice donation to "Government House". Followed by "Mr. Silver" and "Jim Hawkins" riding off, before "Purity Pinker" can carry-out a shotgun wedding.
Rodney "Rod" Taylor followed the feature film in 1955, with three appearances on the American anthology television series, "Studio 57", two on the anthology series, "Lux Video Theatre", an episode of the "Warner Brothers" western television series "Cheyenne", and even a small, uncredited
role, in "20th Century Fox's", historical drama, 1955's, "The Virgin Queen", starring Bette Davis as
"Queen Elizabeth the First", and Sir Richard Todd, as "Sir Walter Raleigh". Along with a role in the Alan Ladd, Edward G. Robinson, and Joanne Dru, 1955, "Hell on Frisco Bay", at 16th-billing,
and ended that productive year with 8th-billing in the Sterling Hayden, "B" western, "Top Gun".
The first half of the 1950's was fearful of what is known as "The Second Red Scare". American's thought there were Communists everywhere, even that nice family next door, who might have thought the same of you. This brought on a fear that the Soviet Union might actually drop Atomic bombs on American cities. The low budget, but well written and acted motion picture, 1952's, "Invasion U.S.A.", starring Gerald Mohr, Peggy Castle, and Dan O'Herlihy, is an excellent example of America's "Red Scare Fear".
Science fiction ramped up during the decade, and the thought of "What If" it happened appeared in several motion pictures. Such as, 1950's, "Rocketship X-M", producer and director Arch Obler's, 1951's, "Five", and the same year's "Unknown World".
Then there was:
WORLD WITHOUT END released on March 25, 1956
The original story, and screenplay was written by the motion picture's director Edward Bernds. He started out on "Three Stooges" comedies as both writer and director, but although his name may be forgotten. For 1950's science fiction feature films, besides this motion picture that he wrote and directed, was the excellent and overlooked, 1958, "Space Master X-7", the cult classic, 1958's, "Queen of Outer Space", and the first sequel to 1958's, "The Fly", 1959's, "The Return of the Fly".
Hugh Marlowe portrayed scientist "John Borden". In 1951, Marlowe, was the "Judas"character in director Robert Wise's, "The Day the Earth Stood Still". He would follow this motion picture in stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen's, 1956, "Earth vs the Flying Saucers".
Nancy Gates portrayed "Garnet". Gates started on-screen acting at the age of 14, in the Charles Laughton and Jon Hall, 1942, "The Turtles of Tahiti". She was primarily a "B" actress, but had a role in Frank Sinatra and Sterling Hayden's, 1954, film-noir classic, "Suddenly". For the last year she was making appearances on different television programs, later in 1956, Gates, co-starred with Louis Hayward and Teresa Wright, in the movie version of hypnotist Morey Bernstein's best selling non-fiction work, "The Search for Bridey Murphy".
Nelson Leigh portrayed "Dr. Eldon Galbraithe". For his 175 roles, Nelson Leigh was a solid supporting actor between 1940 and 1975. He was an actor that always looked familiar, but you couldn't put a name to him. For many years at the "Hollywood Pilgrimage Theater", he portrayed "Jesus" every Easter. On television he was in 39-episodes of the Christian television series, "This Is the Life". While
his motion pictures included 1943's, "Lassie Come Home", and Bela Lugosi's, "Return of the Vampire", 1955's, "The Creature with the Atom Brain", and "The Virgin Queen".
Rod Taylor portrayed "Herbert Ellis". Taylor would follow this picture with the uncredited role of "Al", in the Paul Newman, 1956, Korean War drama, "The Rack", based upon the 1955 television drama by Rod Sterling.
Christopher Dark portrayed "Henry 'Hank' Jaffe". Alfred Francis DeLeo was an actor, screenplay writer, and member of the Screen Actor Guild's Foreign Film Committee. Among his other films were Frank Sinatra's, 1954, "Suddenly", and Sinatra's odd western, 1956's, "Johnny Concho". When not appearing on stage, he was mainly seen on television.
Above left to right, Hugh Marlowe, Christopher Dark, Nelson Leigh, and Rod Taylor
The Edward Bernds Basic Screenplay:
This 1956 fairly intelligent science fiction starts in March 1957, as the world's first space flight, a reconnaissance around the planet Mars, is returning.
Back on Earth, the audience meets "Hank Jaffe's" family at the command center. They are "Mrs. Jaffe", portrayed by Nancy Howard, his young son, portrayed by Hugh Corcoran, and his younger daughter, "Ginny Jaffe", portrayed by Mimi Gibson. In the still, it appears to be David Alpert as the
"Military Public Relations Officer". The family is waiting the return of the space craft and asking for an update.
On board the space craft are the mission's commander, "Dr. Eldon Galbraithe", engineer "Henry 'Hank' Jaffe", radio man, "Herbert Ellis", and scientist, "John Borden". Everything is normal and the four men look forward to their return to Earth and "Hank", the only married man, to his family. Suddenly, the space craft is accelerating at an unbelievable speed and the crew is knocked unconscious.
When the four men regain consciousness, they find that the ship has crashed onto a snow covered mountain range with breathable air and very small traces of radiation. Everything fits that their back on Earth, possibly in the rockies, but are they?
They start down the mountain side, and enter an area reminiscent of Colorado. As the four continue, they come upon a grave yard and the shock that they are back on Earth, but the dates on the headstones go to the year 2188. The four theorize that the ship went through a "Time Dilation" caused by the velocity the space craft's engines reached. "Borden" believes they're two-hundred years beyond the year on the headstones. When an Atomic War must have taken place. "Hank" is in tears realizing how long ago his wife passed away, and that he never saw his children grow up. Those in charge of the mission didn't want a married man on it, but unforeseen circumstances contributed to his choice.
The four continue their journey and spot a cave that might give them good shelter for the night ahead. However, inside, they are attacked by a giant mutated spider.
Next, the four men are attacked by a small group of mutated humans, the result of the Atomic War.
They're backed up against a mountain wall, when a hidden door slides open, and the four men enter as the door way slides close. Next, they find themselves in a futuristic looking tunnel and a non-mutate human man appears and motions to them to follow.
They emerge in front of a group of men sitting at a long table under the leadership of "Timmek", portrayed by Everett Glass, and questions from both groups begins. "Timmek" asks what year did they leave Earth and was told 1957. His response is that it is not 200-years in Earth's future, but 551. The year is now, in their calendar system, 2508.
Above left is Everett Glass, with Stanley Fraser portraying "Elda".
"Timmek" questions the weapons the four were using against the mutates, and upon learning, asks the four to turn them over to the council. They are a peaceful community and require no weapons of war.
The four are shown to comfortable quarters in a very high technological society, but secrets of these human survivors now starts to come out. There are few children born, and those that are born, are very fragile in health. From living under ground the men have become less virile. In contrast, the women are still very healthy and can bear children.
The four men from the Earth's past ask the obvious question. Why, with the acknowledged change to the Earth surface over the past hundreds-of-years and the reduction of the radiation to almost 1957's levels. That the human society has not reclaimed the surface from the mutants? The answer seems more of an excuse, this society is content with their existence and comforts. However, in truth, except for the women, the men are not strong enough to farm the now safe soil.
The story changes to the expected "Hollywood" love triangle. When, "Timmek's" daughter, "Garnet", starts to fall for "John Borden". However, the man he first saw in the tunnel, "Mories", portrayed by Booth Colman, has always considered, "Garnet", his future mate. He will become the trouble maker for the last third of the story.
Meanwhile, the scientist "Elaine", portrayed by Shirley Patterson billed as Shawn Smith, is admiring "Herbert Ellis's" muscular body as compared to the men of 2508, and is thinking of him as a possible mate.
However, there is the young woman named "Deena", portrayed by Lisa Montell. She is very different from the other human women, because she is one of the normal human children born to the mutants that they use to murder at birth. She is also in love with "Herbert".
The jealous "Mories", gets the time traveler's pistols, and starts to plant them in their quarters. So they can be accused of violating their agreement with "Timmek" and sent out upon the Earth's surface. Just then, "Elda" walks in and "Mories" murders him with one of the pistols.
"Deena" is revealed to have witnessed everything. "Mories" grabs her, they struggle, he knocks her out, planning to use another of the pistol's bullets on her, but he hears someone coming.
When "Deena" regain consciousness ---
--- she states seeing "Mories" hiding the guns, and murdering "Elda". "Mories" in panic flees and goes out of the underground community and is killed by the mutants.
"Timmek" is now listening to the men from Earth's past about reclaiming the surface. From "Deena", it is learned that there are many non-mutants in that community used as slave labor, and in fact, the mutants hardly number twenty. The plan is to make a bazooka, and for "John Borden" to challenge the leader of the mutants, "Naga", portrayed by the uncredited Mickey Simpson, defeat him. and become their leader.
The bazooka is made, accompanied by "Deena" to translate and speak to "Naga", the move to retake the surface world is started. "Borden" now fights "Naga", winner takes all.
"John Borden" kills "Naga", and having "Deena" translate, sends the mutates away and tells them never to return. The picture ends sometime in the future with everyone living on the surface and children, some from the now virile males of the underground people, interacting with the children, like "Deena" of the once mutates. This has given their teacher, "Hank Jaffe", a new lease on life. "John" and "Garnet" are a couple, as is "Herbert" and "Deena". "While, "Timmek" remarks that he would never have thought this possible. As the human race now thrives.
Next, Rod Taylor was in two epic motion pictures, one to close out 1956, and one to start 1957, both with one common denominator, Elizabeth Taylor. Should my reader be interested in that "Taylor", my article is "The '7' Husbands of Elizabeth Taylor" in bed with at:
The first of those two epics was from director George Stevens, and was based upon a novel by Edna Ferber.
"Giant", starred Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean. At 10th-billing was Rodney Taylor, portraying "Sir David Karfrey". Who had the start of the motion picture marries the sister of Elizabeth Taylor's, "Leslie Lynnton", "Lucey Lynnton", portrayed by 19th-billed, Carolyn Craig, and then both characters disappear from the story.
Should my reader be interested in this motion picture, it is part of my article "Edna Ferber and the Hollywood Interpretations: Featuring Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Ava Gardner, Jane Wyman, Irene Dunne, Kathryn Grayson, Carolyn Jones and Ginger Rodgers", found at:
Rod Taylor next appeared in "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's" attempt to recreate a film on par to their 1939, "Gone with the Wind". The studio chose author Ross Lockridge Jr's, "Raintree County", the perfect opposite of Margret Mitchell's novel, as this was the American Civil War from the side of the North. The three main roles went to Montgomery Clift portraying "John Wickliff Shawnessy",
Elizabeth Taylor portraying "Susanna Drake Shawnessy", and Eva Marie Saint portraying "Nell Gaither"
Rod Taylor was 6th-billed portraying "Garwood B. Jones", a role he wanted. He by-passed the normal established procedures to try out for a role and went directly to "MGM Chief", Dora Schary. That story is found on the website "The Complete Rod Taylor", at:
Just above Rod Taylor, was 5th-billed Lee Marvin, portraying "Orville 'Flash' Perkins". While, immediately after Rod Taylor, was 7th-billed Agnes Moorehead portraying "Ellen Shawnessy".
Above, Rod Taylor with Lee Marvin, and below he is with Eva Marie Saint.
Below is the main acting cast in a publicity shot.
Rod Taylor had read the novel, published in 1948, which shortly afterwards, stopped being published, until this motion picture came out. Then shortly after the film's release, both the motion picture and the novel became forgotten except by die hard Elizabeth Taylor fans. The story of the troubled production is my article "The Making of 'RAINTREE COUNTY': The 1957 Attempt to Clone 1939's 'GONE WITH THE WIND"at:
Rod Taylor began a period of appearances in different size roles on American Television. These were drama's and westerns between 1957 and 1960, in all eleven programs. Probably the most remembered was "The Twilight Zone" episode, "And When the Sky Was Opened", December 11, 1959.
Her name: X-20. Her type: An experimental interceptor. Recent history: A crash landing in the Mojave Desert after a 31-hour flight 900 miles in space. Incidental data: The ship, with the men who flew her, disappeared from the radar screen for 24 hours. ...
Three astronauts on man's first space flight crash land back on Earth in the desert.
The three are, Rod Taylor portraying "Lieutenant Colonel Clegg Forbes", and at the beginning of his career, James "Jim" Hutton portraying "Major William Gart", and Charles Aidman portraying "Colonel Ed Harrington".
"Major Gart" is hospitalized with a broken leg and "Forbes" and "Harrington" go to a bar for a drink.
"Harrington" has a strange feeling, calls his parents, but they don't remember him. Then "Harrington" just disappears and no one at the bar remembers him. "Forbes" sees another newspaper headline that now reads:
"Forbes" goes to visit "Gart" in the hospital, but he doesn't remember "Harrington", or does their commanding officer.
Next, "Forbes" sees the following newspaper headline.
Note the above picture, as "Forbes" gets a feeling of euphoria, both "Gart" and the space craft vanish, as he yells, "I don't want this to happen".
During this same period, Rod Taylor appeared in three motion pictures, the first was a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock classic, 1943's, "Shadow of Doubt", but with a revised story line and a very low budget. 1958's, "Step Down to Terror", starred Charles Drake as a psychotic serial killer. He returns to his hometown to start a new life by visiting his mother, but co-star Colleen Miller, as his widowed sister-in-law, starts to suspect what he's hiding. Then with the arrival of the third co-star, Rod Taylor as a detective on the serial-killers trail, they start to put two and two together.
The second movie, was the "Academy Award" winning 1958, "Separate Tables", that starred, Rita Hayworth, Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Wendy Hiller, and Burt Lancaster. Rod Taylor had 9th-billing portraying "Charles".
Above, 10th-billed, Audrey Dalton portraying "Jean", with Rod Taylor's, "Charles".
"Separate Tables" was immediately followed by 1959's, "Ask Any Girl", starring David Niven, Shirley MacLaine, and Gig Young. Rod Taylor was 4th billed in this reworking of "Pygmalion". Niven was in the "Professor Higgins" role, who starts fall in love with his subject, Shirley MacLaine.
Above, Rod Taylor portraying "Ross Tayford", Shirley MacLaine portraying "Meg Wheeler", and Jim Backus portraying "Maxwell".
Next, Rod Taylor was given his first leading role in what was to be a little science fiction movie, but as of this writing is still one of the great science fiction classics.
THE TIME MACHINE premiered in Rome, Italy, on May 25, 1960. It did not come to the United States until July 22, 1960, with a premiere in Chicago, Illinois, and not until August 17, 1960, went into "General Release".
The motion picture was produced and directed by George Pal. My article on the creator of the "Puppetoons", 1950's, "Destination Moon", and 1953's, "War of the Worlds" is "A FAN REMEMBERS GEORGE PAL: From 'Puppetoons' to 'Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze"at:
The original story was published in 1895, by Herbert George "H. G." Wells. My article is "H. G. WELLS On the Motion Picture and Television Screens" at:
The screenplay play was written by David Duncan, the English dialogue for the 1956, Toho Studio's. "Sora no Daikaijū Radon, (Giant Monster of the Sky Radon'), released in the United States in 1957, as "Rodan". The screenplay for 1957's, "The Monster That Challenged the World", 1958s, "The Thing That Couldn't Die", 1958's, "Monster on the Campus", and also in 1960, "The Leech Woman".
The Three Main Roles:
Rod Taylor portrayed "George". Taylor's very next role will be discussed after this motion picture.
Alan Young portrayed both "David Filby" and his son, "James Filby". In 1958, Young co-starred with Russ Tamblyn, Terry-Thomas, Pete Sellers, and the "Puppetoons", in George Pal's, "Tom Thumb". From 1961 through 1966, Alan Young portrayed "Wilbur Post", co-starring with a talking horse, on televisions "Mr. Ed".
Yvette Mimieux portrayed "Weena". She was basically a television actress at this time, but just before this role. Mimieux had 4th-billing in the crime drama, "Platinum High School", starring three names going back to the 1940's, Mickey Rooney, Terry Moore, and Dan Duryea. However, she followed this motion picture with 1960's, "Where the Boys Are", with 3rd-billing behind Dolores Hart, and George Hamilton.
The Four Supporting Characters:
Sebastian Cabot portrayed "Dr. Philip Hillyer". Cabot had just portrayed "Mr. Pip" aka: "The Devil" in the April 15, 1960, episode, "A Nice Place to Visit", on "The Twilight Zone". After this feature film, he continued with several television appearances.
Tom Helmore portrayed "Anthony Bridewell". Television actor Helmore had just appeared in an episode of the Ray Milland crime series, "Markham", and followed this motion picture with an appearance on the television series "Thriller".
Whit Bissell portrayed "Walter Kemp". Bissell was a fine science fiction and horror actor. His science fiction films included three in 1954, "The Creature from the Black Lagoon", "Target Earth", and the Mickey Rooney comedy, "The Atomic Kid". Without credit, he was "Mr. Hill", in director Don Siegel's, 1956, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Whit Bissell has the distinction of turning Michael Landon into a werewolf, in 1957's, "I Was a Teenage Werewolf", and portrayed "Professor Frankenstein", in 1958's, "I Was a Teenage Frankenstein". While not forgetting portraying "Dr. Oliver Cole", in 1958's, "Monster on the Campus". For my readers interested in Whit Bissell's monster making, my article is "I Was a Teenage Werewolf: 1950's Teenage Horror and Science Fiction Movies" at:
Above left to right, Whit Bissell, Rod Taylor, Sebastian Cabot, Tom Helmore, and Alan Young
Doris Lloyd portrayed "Mrs. Watchett". Between 1920 and 1967, British actress Doris Lloyd appeared in 203 roles. Her films included George Arliss's, 1929, "Disraeli", director James Whale's, 1931, "Waterloo Bridge", 1941's, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", 1943's, "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", 1944's, "The Lodger", the 1946 production of W. Sommerset Maugham's, "Of Human Bondage", and 1954's, "The Black Shield of Falworth".
The George Pal - David Duncan Screenplay:
The story starts on January 5, 1900, with four friends, "Walter Kemp", "Dr. Philip Hillyer", "Anthony Bridewell", and "David Filby" arriving for dinner at their friend, "George's" home. The same group spent December 31, 1899 celebrating the coming New Year at "George's" home, but he seems absent this evening. His housekeeper, "Mrs. Watchett", says she hasn't seen him since he went into his laboratory after they left the previous diner together. It should be noted that their host is always referred to as "George", but the screenplay and cast listings shows him as "H. George Wells". I leave my reader to fill in the complete missing first name.
The four guests are served dinner and still no "George". When suddenly, in the doorway between his laboratory and the dinning room, he appears.
"George's" clothing are torn as if he was in a fight and fire, and his face is covered with ash. He sits down at the dinner table, and begins to tell, what three of his four friends will just consider a fantastic and unbelievable tale.
It starts after their previous dinner together, as they five talk about the year to come and a new century. On the dinning room table sits a small closed wooden box.
When they seem finished with discussing really nothing at all, "George" brings up the subject of "Time".
He goes to the wooden box, opens it, and removes something from inside.
"George" explains what he calls "The Fourth Dimension", but his friends are skeptical of such an idea. Next, "George" takes a cigar and places it on the passenger seat, pressing one of the levers, there is a whirling noise, the model disappears, and three of his friends think it is a magicians parlor trick, but can't locate the model "Time Machine". The three do not believe "George" that it is still occupying the same space, but in a future time. While, "David Filby" doesn't speak, but takes everything in.
Everyone seems to have left, and "George" starts to go toward his laboratory. However, "Filby" is still in the room sitting in a chair. He speaks up and before he leaves, having a feeling about what was said that night, "David" asks "George" not to leave the house, a smiling "George", promises to his friend that he will not leave the house. "David Filby" leaves and "George" goes to his laboratory where a full-size "Time Machine" awaits him.
"H. George Wells" sits himself in his "Time Machine", contemplates what he is about to do, and slightly pushes the lever forward and then pulls it back.
What follows is a group of stop-motion animated sequences as the "Time Traveler" and the audience experiences the idea of moving forward in time. "George" notices a dress shop window across from his house and watches the progress of time as the dresses are changed in a Timelapse sequence.
"George" decides to stop in 1917, leaves the "Time Machine", exits his boarded up house, and takes a walk. It is now that he sees "David Filby", only to find out it is his son "James Filby", who is a soldier in a World War. "George is told that "David" is dead, his house and land are paid for by "James's" father through a trust he administered. "David" had believed that "George", who disappeared on New Year's Eve, 1899, was coming back.
Their talk finished, "George" thanks "Jamie", a name he called "James" as a small child, walks back to his house and the "Time Machine". Leaving a perplexed "James Filby" wondering about the man in old style clothing that knew his father.
Back in the "Time Machine", "George" moves forward and the machine starts to rock, he stops it, only to find out that the year is 1940, and the city is being bombed in another war. Disillusioned by what he is seeing, "George" pushes forward to the year 1966. (For my reader, keep in mind that year was only six past the motion picture's release year and it desired impact on the audience).
"George" is comely walking from the lawn area, where his house once stood, and is now a park memorial for himself. Suddenly, he hears sirens wailing and people in panic heading for underground shelter's.
An old air raid warden approaches, and tells "George" to hurry to an underground shelter. The man turns out to be "James Filby", who becomes even more confused, as he realized the man is the one, not aged, from 1917.
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"George" realizes it is yet another war, but one with atomic powered satellites containing atom bombs. He runs back to the park area and just makes it to his "Time Machine". He pushes the lever forward as the atomic bombs are exploding causing volcanoes to appear and lava to encase him.
As fast as the hot lava moves around him, it cools from the speed the "Time Machine" is traveling at, and then it starts to break away from age. The "Time Machine" suddenly just stops, tips over, and throws "George" out.
"George" regains consciousness, and finds himself in a lush green area in front of a sphinx. Next, he turns the "Time Machine" back up, and sees the date is reading October 12, 802701.
"George" starts to walk through the lush foliage, hears voices, and sees a group of young people beside a river.
As he approaches, "George" sees a girl fall into the water and not one young person moves to help her. Not wasting time, he goes into the water, rescues the girl, and brings her out.
While, at the sphinx, a sound system appears, and a siren starts to wail, that sounds almost like the one's "George" heard in 1966.
The girl gets up as if in a trance, joins the other young people walking toward the sphinx and the siren sound.
"George" fellows the group as they enter the sphinx, but the siren stops. The girl is outside the now closed entrance to the sphinx and with the others does not look like she's in a trance anymore.
They all start to walk away and toward a broken roof, domed structure, and "George" follows them into it.
"George" finds the girl and learns her name is "Weena" and her people are called "Eloi". To his questions, he learns they do not work, only play, their food just appears for them to eat, and they know almost nothing of their history. "George" asks don't they have books? He learns the "Eloi" do not know how to read, but a young man takes "George" and "Weena" to a library. The curtain falls to dust as "George" moves it to reveal shelves of books, but they also turn to dust as he can runs his hand through whole shelves without any resistance.
Outraged at what mankind has become, "H. George Wells", decides to return to his own time. Taking a torch, with "Weena" following, he returns to the sphinx, only to find that someone has dragged the "Time Machine" inside and the entrance doors are shut. "Weena" explains that the "Morlocks" live in there, as one jumps out from hiding, grabs "Weena", but "George's" torch drives it off.
The following day "Weena" shows "George" cone shaped air shafts that the sounds of machinery can be heard from beneath their feet.
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Next, "Weena" takes him to see, or hear the talking rings. Which makes no sense to her, but tells "George" of the 326-year-war between the East and the West. Which led to people living underground, but some returning to the surface when the radiation levels dropped and becoming the "Eloi". However, the still unanswered question is, why are there no adults among them?
With the doors shut, the only way "George" can get into the sphinx is to climb down one of the air shafts, he starts, but the sirens start again and he climbs out. Once again he observe the "Eloi" in their trance like state entering the sphinx through its open doors and one of them is "Weena". He rushes to get to her, but the doors shut him out.
Next, not one "Eloi" will help "George"!
So, he now climbs down a shaft to discover piles of bones and the answer to why there are no adults. The "Eloi" are the food source of the "Morlocks", who were once as human as the people they now eat.
Underground, "George" locates"Weena", is able to get her away from the "Morlocks", and several other "Eloi" join behind them, for their protection, but they still haven't the will to fight back.
Then, one "Eloi", young man follows "George's" action, and strikes a "Morlock", which leads to all of them going against their nature, surprising the "Morlocks".
Under "George's" direction, fires are being set, as he urges the "Eloi" to climb to the surface. While the "Morlocks" are engaged in fighting the fires. On the surface, he tells the "Eloi" to find wood and other burnable materials and toss them down the air vents, causing the fire within the "Morlock" community to expand.
The next morning, the sphinx's doors are open, the "Morlock's" all appear dead and "George" is able to get to his "Time Machine". However, before he can get into the seat, a few surviving "Morlock's" attack the time traveler. He is able to get into the seat and puts the control lever in reverse returning to his home, but because of being moved inside the sphinx, the "Time Machine" is outside his house in the falling snow.
The story returns to the beginning, as "George" now finishes his story, his three friends remain skeptical, but "George" produces a flower "Weena" gave him. Amateur botanist "Filby", admits he has never seen, or knows of such a flower to be in England, and especially not during winter. Outside his house, "George's" skeptical friends all leave after their good-byes and happy new years have been said.
However, "David Filby" stops after the front door has been closed, and goes back into the house to find both "George" and his "Time Machine" gone. He notices that the "TIME MACHINE" had been outside in the snow and was dragged back inside the laboratory, putting it outside the sphinx. "Mrs. Watchett" tells him only three books are missing from "George's" bookcase and "David Filby" seems to know which ones he had to have taken.
When asked by the housekeeper, if "H. George Wells" will ever return. "Filby" tells her not to worry, because "He has all the time in the world".
About this time, according to the January 13, 2015 edition of the Australian, "Sydney Morning Herald", Rod Taylor was approached to do the role of Ian Fleming's, "James Bond, 007", but turned it down. He felt the role was beneath him, but later, he was quoted as saying:
Every time a new Bond picture became a smash hit ... I tore out my hair.
LA REGINA DELLA AMAZZONILa (QUEEN OF THE AMAZONS) released in Italy, on September 8, 1960
This was an example of Italian Peplum (Sword and Sandal).
For my reader unfamiliar with the term, or these motion pictures. My article is "PEPLUM: A Look at the Sword and Sandal Movies from the 1950's and 1960's" fighting at:
I begin the article with:
Kirk Douglas, Richard Burton, Anthony Quinn, Christopher Lee, John Drew Barrymore, Directors Robert Wise and Robert Aldrich, and, yes, Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott. They all came to Italy, from the United States, to make Peplum feature's. This is an overview of what became generically known, from the mid-1950's into the mid-1960's, simply as, SWORD AND SANDAL motion pictures, because they involved heroes with Swords and they all wore Sandals.
However, unlike the actors and directors I mentioned in the above paragraph. Rod Taylor has told several interviewers that he had hoped nobody would discover this motion picture, BUT nothing remains hidden from the movie fan, or film historian.
Like many non-Italian speaking actors during the "Peplum" period of film making, that would carry into what became known as the "Spaghetti Westerns". Italian film makers had the actor speak the lines in whatever their native language was and just dubbed their voices into the needed language for the film's distribution. So, in the case of Rod Taylor, he just said his lines in English, and director Vittorio Sala, just had an Italian, or French voice actor dub his words.
Besides the silliness of the story, another reason Rod Taylor didn't want this Italian Peplum comedy, co-starring American body builder Ed Fury, to be known. Is that when it finally came to the United States in 1964, at the height of the "Sword and Sandal" craze, as "Colossus and the Amazon Queen". Rod Taylor's dubbed into Italian voice was now re-dubbed into English by another voice actor.
Front row left to right, Rod Taylor portraying "Pirro", the comical side-kick, Gianna Maria Canale portraying "La Regina", Nick Fury portraying "Glauco" aka: "Colossus", and Dorian Gray portraying "Antiope".
Skipping his Italian Peplum entry, as far as the career of Rod Taylor was concerned, adding to his performance in "The Time Machine, was a short-lived adventure-drama television series that ended each episode with the words:
Filmed by Twentieth Century Fox Television Inc. at its Hollywood studios and in the Crown Colony of Hong Kong
HONG KONG ABC television series from September 28, 1960 through March 29, 1961
Above, Rod Taylor portraying American journalist "Glenn Evans", and Lloyd Bochner portraying "Chief Inspector Neil Campbell", of the "British Crown Colony of Hong Kong".
In the short 26-episodes, plus the pilot program, run of this series. Among the actresses that Rod Taylor's, "Glenn Evans" interacted with, included Rhonda Fleming, Ann Francis, Beverly Garland, Julie London, Dina Merrill, Susan Pleshette, and Gia Scala,
For Rod Taylor's next feature film, he was cast in one of the leading roles, because of his deep sounding voice and his radio experience.
ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS aka: 101 DALMATIANS released January 25, 1961
Rod Taylor voiced "Pongo", described as "Roger's urbane and dashing pet Dalmatian, Perdita's mate, the father of fifteen, and adoptive father of the eighty-four orphaned puppies. He also serves as the film's narrator."
Rod Taylor returned to Italy in October, 1961, to start filming a movie about "Sir Francis Drake".
ll DOMINATORE DEI 7 SETTE MARI (THE RULER OF THE SEVEN SEAS) premiered in Rome, Italy, in August 1962. The picture came to the United Kingdom and the United States as "SEVEN SEAS TO CALAIS" on March 6, 1963
Although the motion picture is a production of "Adelphia Compagnia Cinematografica" in Italy. Director Rudolph Mate, 1949's, "D.O.A.", producer George Pal's, 1951's, "When Worlds Collide", 1954's, "Black Shield of Falworth", and 1962's, "The 300 Spartans", filmed the motion picture in English.
There were apparently two screenplay writers on the production, but with some confusion.
Given credit on both the 1962 and 1963 releases as screenplay writer, is Flippo Sanjust. He wrote director Mario Bava's, 1959, "Caltiki, the Immortal Monster", and also wrote the screenplays for both Steve Reeves, 1960, "Morgan the Pirate", and 1961's, "The Thief of Baghdad".
While, George St. George, is shown as the screenplay writer, only, in the credits for 1963's, "Seven Seas to Calais".
Rod Taylor portrayed "Sir Francis Drake".
Keith Michell portrayed "Malcolm Marsh". Australian actor Keith Joseph Michell made England's, "Henry VIII" his own, first in the BBC mini-series, 1970's, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", and again in the 1972 feature film, "Henry VIII and His Six Wives". American television audiences may know Michell for the recurring role of charming thief, "Dennis Stanton", on Angela Lansbury's "Murder She Wrote".
Irene Worth portrayed "Queen Elizabeth I". Fairbury, Nebraska, born, Harriett Elizabeth Abrams started on "Broadway" in 1943, joined England's "Old Vic Company" in 1951, and after completing filming on this picture, in 1962, joined the "Royal Shakespeare Company".
A Good Old Swashbuckler:
Like Flippo Sanjust's screenplay for "Morgan the Pirate", don't expect historical accuracy, but that's not to say this isn't a fun trip. That includes privateer "Sir Francis Drake's" battle with the Spanish Armada and "Drake", in the new world, discovering tobacco from the Indian tribes.
Besides "Sir Frances Drake" and "Queen Elizabeth I", the screenplay has three other real persons. They are, Queen Elizabeth's "principal secretary", but actually her spy master, "Sir Francis Walsingham", portrayed by British actor, Basil Dignam. Italian actor Arturo Dominici portraying Spanish ambassador to the court of Elizabeth I, "Don Bernardino de Mendoza", who was also Philip II's spy master. The final real personage appearing in the screenplay is "Mary Queen of Scott's", portrayed by Esmeralda Ruspoli.
On December 16, 1962, Rod Taylor appeared in Episode 9, Season 2, "The Ordeal of Dr. Shannon", on the anthology series, "The Dupont Show of the Week". This had been made as a pilot, that was not picked-up, for a television series about a newspaper reporter, entitled, "Dateline: San Francisco".
"The Ordeal of Dr. Shannon", was next shown in the United Kingdom, on ITV, January 4, 1963.
Which brings me to the last appearance of Rod Taylor that I will be mentioning in this article.
THE BIRDS released in Canada and New York on March 28, 1963
Most fans of director Alfred Hitchcock consider 1960's, "Psycho", his first horror movie. That is technically incorrect, because of a thriller-picture he made in 1927. Which also includes "Hitch's" first on-screen cameo. "The Lodger" is part of my look at early "HITCHCOCK: A Scarf and a Medical Bag, A Conscience, 19th Century Ship Wreckers, The Third Dimension, and A Roving Dead Body" at:
The "19th Century Ship Wreckers" is the film I referred to when speaking about Robert Newton.
Back in 1952, British authoress Daphne du Maurier publish a short story, "The Birds", in a collection of short stories entitled "The Apple Tree". It is a horror story set just after the end of the Second World War. A farmhand, his family, and his community are lethally attacked by flocks of birds.
He was born Salvatore Albert Lombino, but in 1952, he legally changed his name to Evan Hunter. He was an author of crime and mystery novels and under one of his pen names, Ed McBain, wrote 55-novels about the fictional New York, "87th Precinct". Hunter's semi-autobiographical novel, 1954's, "The Blackboard Jungle", became a hard hitting 1955 motion picture, starring Glenn Ford, and Anne Francis, featuring two young actors, Sidney Poitier, and Vic Morrow. Hunter also wrote for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents".
Evan Hunter was chosen by Hitchcock to write the screenplay for "The Birds". The two men started working on ideas in 1961. Which included turning du Maurier's story into a screwball comedy. As the screenplay developed over time, the story turned back to what the authoress had envision, HORROR!
"Hitch" was a frequent visitor to Santa Cruz, California, and there was a small neighboring town, Capitola, on the Northern shore of Monterey Bay. In 1961, Alfred Hitchcock read of an attack by hundreds of "Sooty Sherwater gulls", seen below, on that communities population.
The reason for the strange attack remained a mystery until 1986, when it was discovered that "The Birds", had been affected by "Domoic Acid", a neurotoxin produced by algae that was absorbed by the shellfish that the "Sooty Shearwater's" eat.
Rod Taylor portrayed "Mitch Brenner". Apparently both his work in "Time Machine", and more recently on the short-lived series, "Hong Kong". Brought Rod Taylor to the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, and led to his first major leading role.
Jessica Tandy portrayed "Lydia Brenner". Among her stage roles, was originating "Blanche Dubois", in Tennessee Williams, 1947, "A Streetcar Name Desire", and receiving the "Tony Award for Best Actress". As a film actress, Tandy, had just appeared in 1962's, "Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man", and was nominated for the "Best Supporting Actress Academy Award".
Suzanne Pleshette portrayed "Annie Hayworth". Pleshette had just co-starred with Tony Curtis, in the 1962 comedy, "40 Pounds of Trouble". She followed this motion picture with the 1963 drama, "Wall of Noise", co-starring with Ty Hardin and Dorothy Provine.
Tippi Hedren was introduced and billed as "Tippi" Hedren, actually Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren, and portrayed "Melanie Daniels". Contrary to publicity, this was not her first motion picture, she had an uncredited role in a 1950 movie, "The Petty Girl", starring Robert "Bob" Cummings, and Elsa Lanchester. There had been no other on-screen appearances by Hedren until this motion picture. In 1983, 25-miles from my home, she established the "Shambala Wild Life Preserve".
The Alfred Hitchcock - Evan Hunter Take on Daphne du Maurie:
At a San Francisco pet store, attorney "Mitch Brenner" enters to buy his sister "Cathy Brenner", portrayed by Veronica Cartwright, a pair of lovebirds. He spots socialite, "Melanie Daniels", whom he knows from her court appearance over a practical joke gone wrong. He pretends to think she is a store employee and plays one on her. He tests her lack of knowledge on birds, then reveals who he is and that he knows of her court appearance. "Mitch" leaves the store without buying anything.
"Melanie" is "smitten" by "Mitch", buys the lovebirds, and after learning he has gone to his family's farm for the weekend in the real town of Bodega Bay, in Sonoma, County, drives there.
Needing directions, "Melanie" is told to see school teacher "Annie Hayworth", "Mitch's" ex-lover, whose relationship with him was destroyed by his mother, "Lydia Brenner", who objects to any woman in her son's life. The "Brenner" farm is located across the bay, in a smaller village. "Melanie" rents a boat to cross the bay, planning to discreetly leave the lovebirds at the farm, but instead she is spotted by "Mitch", while she's still on the water. Suddenly, a seagull swoops down and attacks her, and at the boat dock, "Mitch" meets "Melanie".
He takes her to a local diner, and attends to "Melanie's" head wound. Just as his mother, "Lydia", arrives at the diner.
Next, "Mitch" invites "Melanie" to dinner and "Lydia", of course, dislikes the socialite, because of the exaggerated reputation the gossip columnists have of her. For some reason, on the farm, "Lydia's" hens are refusing to eat. At dinner it is discovered that "Melanie" is staying with "Annie" for the night. "Mitch" invites her to "Cathy's" birthday the following day. Back at "Annie's", there is a loud thump against her front door, when it's opened, a dead seagull is there.
At "Cathy's" party, "Melanie" opens up to "Mitch" about her troubled past and her mother running off with another man, when "Melanie" was the same age as "Cathy". Everyone seems to be having fun, when suddenly, the children are attacked by sea gulls.
Later that evening, as "Melanie" dines with the "Brenner's", from the chimney, swarms of sparrows come out and fill the house, and then as suddenly disappear back up the chimney. "Mitch" calls the sheriff, and "Deputy Al Malone", portrayed by Malcolm Atterbury, comes out to the farm.
"Mitch" now insists that "Melanie" stay the night, before going back to San Francisco. The next day, "Lydia" goes to visit her neighbor to discuss why all of the chickens are not eating. Instead, she finds the windows to his house broken, and his body with his eyes gouged out, and flees in terror. At home, "Lydia" is still in a small state of shock, and "Melanie" tells her, that she will go to school and pick-up "Cathy".
As "Melanie" waits outside the school house, crows start to build-up on the jungle gym.
Anticipating an attack, "Melanie" goes into the school and tells "Annie". The school has large windows that if broken will injure the children. The two woman start to evacuate the children as the crows attack.
After the incident and with "Cathy" safe at home, "Mitch" goes looking for "Melanie" and finds her in the diner. Discussions over the bird attacks are taking place, especially between "Mitch" and fisherman, "Sebastian Sholes", portrayed by Charles McGraw. While known local ornithologist "Mrs. Bundy", portrayed by Ethel Griffies, is lecturing everyone that the reported bird attacks cannot be taking place, because different bird species do not work together.
Next, seagulls attack a gasoline attendant and the men inside the diner go out to assist him. They get the attendant to safety within the diner. However, the bird attack has resulted in spilled gasoline and a man is standing in the gasoline paying no attention to his surroundings. He lights a match, drops it, and a major explosion takes place.
During the fire, "Melanie" runs outside to get a better view of the fire. As more seagulls attack, and she takes shelter in a telephone booth, but the gulls are attacking the glass on it. In horror, she watches the blaze spread throughout the village, as the fire department is constantly under attack from "The Birds".
While in a semi-state of shock, "Mrs. Bundy" sits at a table.
"Mitch" and "Melanie" go to "Annie's" house to fetch "Cathy". Only they discover "Annie's" body in the front yard and inside the house, "Cathy" is in a state of shock.
That night, "Mitch" and "Lydia" barricade themselves in the farm house with "Melanie" and the traumatized "Cathy". The birds attempt to breach the boarded-up windows and doors, but do not succeed.
Everyone is asleep, but "Melanie" hears a sound in the attic bedroom and goes up to investigate. There she is attacked by birds who have together, pecked their way through the roof. She is trapped, but "Mitch" appears and gets her out of the attic and closes the door.
"Mitch" decides they must get "Melanie" to a hospital in San Francisco. He gets her car ready for the trip, "Lydia", "Melanie", and "Cathy" get in as "The Birds" are everywhere on the farm, but haven't moved one inch, and "Mitch" drives away as the story ends.
While the two love birds sit contently in their cage on "Cathy's" lap.
Alfred Hitchcock wanted to just leave the picture without any closing credits saying "The End", but he was pressured into adding the words.
Steven Spielberg's animated program, "Animaniacs", did a great parody of "The Birds". It is part of his program, "Hearts of Twilight". Which also contained a parody of Francis Ford Coppola's, "Apocalypse Now". The following link, as of this writing, will take my reader to it:
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