回复：【长篇阅读】公子的传记

Returning home, flying at 15,000 feet, one of the props stalled because of heavy icing conditions. The plane began spinning to the right. They recovered from that one just as the other prop stalled and “Missy” spun to the left. They continued to spin while losing altitude. Beery, who was asleep in the back, fell to the floor while the plane weaved and bumped around in the sky. Suddenly they dropped several thousand feet—Taylor and Couser doing what they could at the controls while Beery was rolling around on the floor.
At 10,000 feet, the Beechcraft leveled off. Couser looked over at Taylor . . . Taylor looked at Couser: “That was a real gut buster!”
They made an emergency landing at the nearest airport in the snow. Beery was stick and bruised. Taylor said they had better stay the night and have the plane checked over.
“Shit!” Beery yelled. “I’m not going up there with you again. I’m takin’ a bus home!”
Returning to Los Angeles, Taylor got some clean clothes, called Tom Purvis, who was in New Orleans, and said he’d pick him up. “We’re goin’ to New York!”
Purvis said, “When Bob said he’d besomeplace at a certain time, he was there. He never changed his plans and he was never a minute off!”

They ended up at The Waldorf Towers in New York, and though Taylor did not like night clubs, he insisted they go on the town.
When they entered the club he said he wanted to talk to his “favorite” waiter. Tom assumed he was planning a special dish. (“Bob was a food hound!”)
Sitting over drinks at the table, Tom was hit in the head by a waiter’s tray. It was a light tap and ignored.
The next time the same waiter almost dropped a meal in Tom’s lap with an elbow dug into an ear. This time Tom feltit. He was annoyed but continued his conversation.
Five minutes passed when the same waiter approached. Six-foot three-inch, 240 pound Tom Purvis stood up this time and was ready.
Taylor waved the waiter off. “Just wanted to see how much you could take,old Buddy!”
“I was ready to flatten him, Dilly.”
“C’mon, let’s go for some food!”
“I’m with you. Let’s get a menu.”
“Not here. Ol Missy’s waitin’! How about Washington?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Taylor kept a wild schedule with “Missy,” his haven. He would rather fly than eat and he often flew JUST to eat.
From Los Angles he would wing to Palm Springs for lunch, to San Francisco for dinner or to New Orleans for some exotic food at Antoine’s. Or to Oregon to fish for steelhead trout or to Texas to hunt quail or to California to hunt duck.
Otherwise his personal life had little to offer. He had found himself with two mothers—Ruth and Barbara—and solved this by flying off anywhere to escape.
Ruth began to show signs of senility. Her mind was deteriorating, although she was still praying and preaching the evils of sex. She was in her own world, and though she still referred to her famous son as Arly, now she was Robert Taylor’s mother.
She urged Bob to take a more active interest in religion and it became impossible for them to discuss thisintelligently. Bob believed in God and prayer, but was not a churchgoer. He considered people who only went to church on Christmas and Easter hypocritical.
“But Arly, you have to prove to God that you love him—go out of your way to worship. Hollywood is a wicked town.”
Bob listened and would never argue about God or not attending church with his mother. His friends said that she did have an effect on him religiously, though he kept his feelings to himself.

Chapter 8
Barbara and Bob each knew that their marriage was in serious trouble, although neither admitted it to the other.They tried to remedy it with a vacation in Europe. Barbara’s amazing career kept her stimulated, and though there had never been an ounce of jealousy on Bob’s part, he was eaten up inside because he had not been offered a good movie part since Undercurrent.
Their European visit was widely publicized.In London they were mobbed and the police had to hoist the couple on their shoulders. In the confusion Bob got a black eye. The morning papers printed: MOB SHINES ROBERTTAYLOR, and there were snickers in Hollywood:“Since when is Barbara a mob?”
Helen Ferguson, who handle public relations for the Taylors, met the couple when they arrived back in New York. Barbara was eager to get to work, and Bob was happy just to be home, but Helen said she had tickets to the theatre. Maurice Chevalier was appearing and the three attended.
When the curtain went down, an usher came up to them and said that they had been invited backstage.
Barbara and Bob were very sensitive about such things and would never go backstage unless specially asked. Helen said surely the usher had asked the right party: “Let’s not insult Mr. Chevalier.”

When they arrived backstage no one seemed to pay much attention to them and they had to search for the dressing room, where they sat and waited for some time. Barbara wanted to leave, Bob started for the door, but Helen urged them to stay just a few more minutes.
Chevalier walked in and completely ignored them! Barbara turned purple and sat almost in tears. Bob took her by the arm and led her out into the street.
“Barbara was hurt and shocked,” Helen said.“Bob didn’t stop talking about the rudeness of Maurice Chevalier all the way to the hotel. He went on and on and on. Barbara never said a word—just sat there trembling!”
This incident infuriated Taylor!
He had had a boring vacation anyway and to end it like this upset him.
They returned to Hollywood, but home to Bob was just another place to hang his hat until he could get to the airport and take off.

Barbara hurried back to work in Sorry,Wrong Number and was nominate again for an Academy Award. She shrugged it off: “Not that I wouldn’t like to have an Oscar, but I’ve lost three times before and it’s hard to get your expectations up and not win. It’s bad luck to discuss it. Besides,” she said graciously, “I feel Olivia De Havilland really deserves it for The Snake Pit.”
Barbara was wrong and Jane Wyman got it for Johnny Belinda.
Taylor wasn’t being hounded for interviews these days, but during one of the few he did not sound very happy: “I was better off financially when I was drawing a Lieutenant's pay than before or after the war. We were left with ＄5,000 a year more between us when I was earning comparatively nothing. Barbara was able to divide her income between us for taxation but I guess she’d rather have me home and pay more income tax.”
To pacify him, MGM threw him a crumb—TheHigh Wall with Audrey Totter. Taylor played the role of a war veteran accused of killing his wife and Miss Totter portrayed the psychiatrist who helps him prove himself innocent.
He did a worthy job in the movie, but in general The High Wall went unnoticed until he made headlines because of his testimony before a visiting subcommittee of the House Un-American Activities Committee inquiring into Communist activity in Hollywood.

His testimony not only brought the public to see The High Wall, but also brought him to the forefront as an outstanding American. He volunteered to testify in Washington.
REDS DISRUPT FLIMS, SAYS TAYLOR—ASKS DEPORTATION
“Film star Robert Taylor testified today that some of his fellow players ‘act an awful lot like Communists’ and are a ‘disrupting influence’ in the movie industry. Naming names, he took the stand in the investigation of Communism in Hollywood and testified that Howard Da Silva and Karen Morley are followers of the party line.
However, he stressed, Communists in Hollywood are the ‘rotten apple in the barrel.’ He said 99.99 percent of the film colony were of the same opinion.
He drew applause from the packed room by declaring, ‘If I had my way, they would all be sent back to Russia or some other unpleasant place!’ ”

Taylor’s appearance drew such a crowd that wooden barricaders were put down in the corridors. Giggles were heard when Robert Stripling, chief committee investigator, asked, “How long have you been employed as an actor?”
Laughter almost drowned the reply of “since1934."
Question—Have you found considerable Communists or fellow travelers asserting influence over the movies?
Answer—I have been looking for Communists for a long time! I have seen more indications recently, especially in the preparations of scripts. I’ve seen things that appear on the pink side.
Question—Does any element in the Screen Actor’s Guild follow the Communists’ line?
Answer—Yes, sir. I must admit I have seen this. I am a member of the Board of Directors and it seems that at general membership meetings, certain people, if not Communists, seem to be working awfully hard to be one.
Question—Do they have a disrupting influence?
Answer—On issues in which there is considerable agreement, certain persons “stare’—not seeming to understand.Howard Da Silva and actress Karen Morley are among those who disrupt things at the meetings. They, among others, ask questions and keep the sessions running to one or two o’clock in the morning.

Representative Richard Nixon (R-Calif.)congratulated Taylor on his patriotism and fearlessness in testifying. He predicted Taylor would face ridicule and the smeartactics of the Communists as a result of his appearance that day.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Taylor said. “Anytime the left wing groups ridicule me, I take it as a compliment!”
The hearing room was jammed to capacity. Asixty-five-year-old woman scrambled up onto a radiator for a better look at the screen star, fell to the floor and struck her head. Several people, in the mad rush to the door when Taylor was preparing to leave, stepped on her. Many had their clothes torn and ripped as half of the audience left their seats to follow their hero.
Hundreds of women formed a pied-piper-like procession behind him for more than a block down the street to his car.
The hearing was halted temporarily because of the commotion and made exodus. The court ordered more policemen on duty for the following day’s hearing when Robert Montgomery, Gary Cooper, George Murphy and Ronald Reagan were scheduled to testify.

The pictures that appeared in the papers the following day revealed a stern and serious Robert Taylor. It was reported that he was annoyed by the feminine commotion, giggles and cheers and felt that this was a very solemn thing and should not have been treated like a circus by the public.
The Hungarian Ministry of Interior immediately banned all Taylor films. This was the first open Hungarian action against Hollywood productions since the wartime expulsion of all Allied films.
Russia’s government organ, Isvestia, unmercifully panned Taylor, as predicted by Nixon: “There was a time when in Americait was the vogue to sympathize with the Soviet Union.
“Quite a big business was done on this and Robert Taylor did it also. But other times set in, and under the influence of definite laws, it becomes fashionable to renounce one’s sympathies ‘to expose.’ One may think that on this as well, Robert Taylor had done quite a job.”
“Mr. Taylor is without bravery or stable views!”
Isvestia went on to praise Charlie Chaplin,calling him a good example of talent.
Taylor said little about all the thunder caused by his voluntary testimony except that he would not argue with anyone about allegiance to the United States. It was a waste of valuable time, but if anyone sympathized with Communism, he would gladly buy him a one-way ticket to Russia—“As long as they don’t come back!”

He loved to discuss politics, however. He was active during election campaigns and once said when his candidate lost, “Maybe if I had stayed out of it the guy would have won!”
As a result of the enormous publicity he was getting, Taylor was mobbed wherever he went. People wanted to touch him, punch him like an old buddy, reach out to shake his hand.
He was constantly interrupted in public. Drinks were sent over to his table in restaurants and the senders always followed up with a visit to his table. “I didn’t mind this type of adoration, if that’s what you could call it. Folks would come over and talk to me about how they felt conncerning world problems or about a relative who had been killed in the war. I sat over many a cold steak, but being admired for just standing up for what I believed was right, seemed normal to me—but a big thing to them.”
Taylor probably signed as many autographs during 1947 and 1948 than he had ten years earlier. Tom Purvis said “Dilly” seemed to be enjoying the fact that so many people were coming forth to express their views on Communism. “However,”Tom said, “I never noticed before that Bob carefully checked every piece of paper shoved in his face for an autograph. Seems he was stung once by someone who put a carbon underneath the sheet he was signing and his signature was on something else. Bob didn’t elaborate, but not only did he make sure there was nothing underhanded going on, he also refused to sign “With Love,” not wanting to seem phony either.

One evening when a group of high school girls rushed into a restaurant and surrounded Cary Grant’s table, Grant played a little joke on Taylor.They explained they were on a scavenger hunt and had to get a star’s autograph.
Grant, with a straight face, looked up and said, “But you girls don’t want my autograph when Bob Taylor’s sitting right over there in the corner.”
It worked. They left Grant and scurried over to Taylor’stable, much to his disappointment. One of the girls said, “I don’t know too much about you, Mr. Taylor, except one night I brought my boy friend home to meet the family. When he left I asked my mother what she thought of him and she said, ‘Well, he’s no Robert Taylor!’ and then I saw you on the front page of all those newspapers. I’m kinda a Frank Sinatra fan, but even if you can’t sing, I’d still like your autograph.”
Taylor laughed. “Better think it over, little girl. I don’t wear red socks like Van Johnson, either.”
“That’s okay, he hasn’t got a pointed forehead! What is that thing?”
“They call it widow’s peak.”
“You’re cute, anyway. Thanks for the autograph. Now my mom won’t get mad if I’m late getting home tonight!”
“Yes, give my best to Mother.”
Taylor said, after that episode, he hadn’t known that there were little girls who were not aware of “Pretty Boy!” It must have been a shock to realize that their mothers were probably the ones who had torn his clothes off.

Taylor’s forty-first movie was The Bribe with Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price and John Hodiak. His role of a Federal Agent who investigates a smuggling ring in the Caribbean was a serious one. The critics said he was “very good indeed when violence moves into the movie with tremendous crescendo.”
The best result of Taylor’s doing The Bribe was meeting Ava Gardner . . .
Barbara was taking a good solid look at her marriage. The trip with Bob to Europe had beena failure. If she complained about his being away from home with his guns and fishing gear in the past, that was nothing compared to his absences now.
“He flew from Los Angeles to New Orleans and back by way of Detroit just to test a new plane radio,” she said. When he got home he shouted, “It works!”
“God, for a moment I thought he meant the plane!”
Barbara referred to “Missy” as the crate and had yet to go near it. Friends told her it might be very wise to take an interest in Bob’s flying. He had 2,500 hours to his credit now and was aiming for more.
One morning she shocked Bob by volunteering to go up with him on a short flight. “It looks a clear day and you probably won’thit any mountains, right?”
Bob was so excited he didn’t believe it until she actually boarded the plane.
But there was no doubt that Barbara was terrified. She grabbed the seat with both hands and hung on for dear life. Sheclosed her eyes and remained silent.
When they landed in Palm Springs an hour later, she was pale and sick . . . and surprised that she was still alive.

The fact that she flew with Bob was a miracle and the greatest gift she had ever given him. He talked about it for weeks and called everyone: “Hey, The Queen thinks I’m a helluva pilot!”
He called Ralph Couser, who said it was unusual to hear Bob excited about anything because of his amazing control. But anyone who doubted his elation that day in Palm Springs didn’t know Robert Taylor.
Barbara went further. She even attempted to ride a motorcycle, and the reporters were there to take pictures. However, she looked as if she were going to the moon instead of just down the block. Whether she ever got the motor started is not known, but it was apparent that she was doing whatever she could to please Bob.
She went on one camping trip with him and her only comment was, “Never again.” Barbara was hardly the outdoor type and not the least bit athletic.
One close friend said, “It was obvious to everyone she was trying to salvage her marriage. But the traits that Bob had once admired in her were now annoying. Her aggressiveness, rough language, frankness and telling Bob what to do and how to do it, was getting on his nerves and he was embarrassed.

“When Bob returned from the Navy he found himself with two mothers. He loved Barbara but not the way a man loves a wife. He began to compare her to his real mother,who was at least a lady regardless of whatever else she was.”
Taylor’s friends all said she didn’t like them and they didn’t like her. She especially resented Ralph Couser, who was Bob’s constant companion. Couser was not only a friend, but also had been hired by MGM to go along with Bob ashis co-pilot when he was on location.
Though Taylor went out of his way to pacify Barbara—including carrying several St. Christopher medals with him at all times and keeping quiet during arguments—he was confused and terrified at this stage of his life. He told Barbara he had a prostate problem and it was difficult for him to be anattentive husband until the condition could be corrected.
Barbara didn’t accept this excuse. If a man was not getting satisfaction at home, he was getting it elsewhere.
Bob began to believe he wasn’t normal. Perhaps all that “Pretty boy” nonsense was true after all and finally catching up with him. Maybe he did have desires in other directions and didn’t realize it. The whole world had accused him of being a homosexual and now Barbara was intimating the same just because he spent so much time with his friend Ralph Couser.
When Couser telephoned Taylor at home, Barbara yelled, “Hey, Bob,your wife wants to talk to you!”
He took it and much more.