Roderick Taylor
Encyclopedia
Roderick Taylor, also known as Rod Taylor or Roderick Falconer, is an American
poet
, recording artist, screenwriter
, television producer
and television director
. Taylor is the father of screenwriter and television/film producer
Bruce A. Taylor with whom he often collaborates.
where he was a Stegner Fellowship
winner in poetry and where he later taught creative writing. Taylor is also a Woodrow Wilson fellowship
winner and winner of the (American Academy of Poets Prize) for his first collection, Florida East Coast Champion.
While still at Stanford, Taylor moonlighted as a singer in a rock band and started writing songs. He signed with Geffen Records
and began a musical career that produced seven albums, principally under the name Roderick Falconer. Later, he wrote music for film and television, including the TV series Witchblade
.
Taylor then began write story ideas and screenplays for television and film, often with his son Bruce, leading to the scripts for theatrical movies such as The Star Chamber
and scripts for pilots like Annihilator and the Western
-themed movies Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues and Wild Horses. In 1985 he developed the science fiction series Otherworld
, for which he served as narrator and also executive produced
; the series failed to even run a full season. In 1998, he produced and directed his own scripted project, the 1998 television movie Inferno.
He wrote the scripts for American Outlaws
(2001) The Brave One
(2007). In 2009, Taylor and son Bruce completed work on Open Graves
, a contemporary horror film.
He won a a Golden Spur
Award from the WWA for Wild Horses, and two Crystal Reel "Best Director" Awards for the Viacom series Super Force
. In 1995 he was awarded the Genesis Award from the Ark Trust Foundation for his work as executive producer and writer of the MTV Dead at 21
. In 2001 Rod and Bruce received a Prism Award Commendation for their work as writers / executive producers on the VH 1 At Any Cost, for which he also wrote and produced the songs.
When not writing for television and film Roderick teaches creative writing at Stanford University
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, recording artist, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and television director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
. Taylor is the father of screenwriter and television/film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
Bruce A. Taylor with whom he often collaborates.
Career
Taylor holds an MA from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where he was a Stegner Fellowship
Stegner Fellowship
The Stegner Fellowship program is a two-year creative writing fellowship at Stanford University. The award is named after American Wallace Stegner , an historian, novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and Stanford faculty member who founded the university's creative writing program. Ten...
winner in poetry and where he later taught creative writing. Taylor is also a Woodrow Wilson fellowship
Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is a private non-profit foundation based in Princeton, New Jersey. It administers programs that support leadership development and build organizational capacity in education. Its current signature program is the...
winner and winner of the (American Academy of Poets Prize) for his first collection, Florida East Coast Champion.
While still at Stanford, Taylor moonlighted as a singer in a rock band and started writing songs. He signed with Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and began a musical career that produced seven albums, principally under the name Roderick Falconer. Later, he wrote music for film and television, including the TV series Witchblade
Witchblade (TV series)
Following a pilot film in August 2000, the cable network TNT premiered a Witchblade television series based on the Witchblade Top Cow Productions comic book series in 2001. Some of the episodes were written by Ralph Hemecker, Marc Silvestri and J.D...
.
Taylor then began write story ideas and screenplays for television and film, often with his son Bruce, leading to the scripts for theatrical movies such as The Star Chamber
The Star Chamber
The Star Chamber is a 1983 American thriller film written by Roderick Taylor and directed by Peter Hyams. It stars Michael Douglas and Hal Holbrook...
and scripts for pilots like Annihilator and the Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
-themed movies Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues and Wild Horses. In 1985 he developed the science fiction series Otherworld
Otherworld (TV series)
Otherworld is a short-lived American science fiction series that aired for only eight episodes from January 26 to March 16, 1985 on CBS. It was created by Roderick Taylor as a sort of Lost in Space on Earth...
, for which he served as narrator and also executive produced
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
; the series failed to even run a full season. In 1998, he produced and directed his own scripted project, the 1998 television movie Inferno.
He wrote the scripts for American Outlaws
American Outlaws
American Outlaws is a 2001 Western film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, and Ali Larter.-Plot:The southern army is trying to track down the Yankee army during the civil war...
(2001) The Brave One
The Brave One (2007 film)
The Brave One is a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Jodie Foster. It was released in the United States on September 14, 2007...
(2007). In 2009, Taylor and son Bruce completed work on Open Graves
Open Graves
Open Graves is a 2009 horror film, directed by Álvaro de Armiñán and written by Bruce A. Taylor and Roderick Taylor, the film stars Eliza Dushku, Mike Vogel, Naike Rivelli and Lindsay Robba.-Plot:...
, a contemporary horror film.
He won a a Golden Spur
Golden Spur
The Golden Spur Awards are literature awards given for distinguished western fiction about the American West by the Western Writers of America. The first Spur Awards were given in 1953.-Recent winners:*Larry McMurtry for Lonesome Dove...
Award from the WWA for Wild Horses, and two Crystal Reel "Best Director" Awards for the Viacom series Super Force
Super Force
Super Force is an action-adventure TV series about a former astronaut who uses an advanced combat suit and motorcycle to fight crime in the city of Metroplex during the year 2020. Among the features of the suit were enhanced strength and armament, whereas the motorcycle had an array of James...
. In 1995 he was awarded the Genesis Award from the Ark Trust Foundation for his work as executive producer and writer of the MTV Dead at 21
Dead at 21
Dead at 21 is a television series broadcast by MTV in 1994. The series ran for eleven thirty-minute episodes with a two part final episode. The series was created by Jon Sherman , and written by Sherman, P.K. Simonds and Manny Coto Dead at 21 is a television series broadcast by MTV in 1994. The...
. In 2001 Rod and Bruce received a Prism Award Commendation for their work as writers / executive producers on the VH 1 At Any Cost, for which he also wrote and produced the songs.
When not writing for television and film Roderick teaches creative writing at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Selected filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Notes | |
| 2009 | Open Graves Open Graves Open Graves is a 2009 horror film, directed by Álvaro de Armiñán and written by Bruce A. Taylor and Roderick Taylor, the film stars Eliza Dushku, Mike Vogel, Naike Rivelli and Lindsay Robba.-Plot:... |
Writer, Executive Producer | |
| 2007 | The Brave One The Brave One (2007 film) The Brave One is a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Jodie Foster. It was released in the United States on September 14, 2007... |
Writer | |
| 2001 | American Outlaws American Outlaws American Outlaws is a 2001 Western film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, and Ali Larter.-Plot:The southern army is trying to track down the Yankee army during the civil war... |
Writer | |
| 1990 | Instant Karma Instant Karma (film) Instant Karma is a 1990 film. Craig Sheffer stars as Zane, a TV producer looking for romance.- Cast :* Craig Sheffer - Zane* Chelsea Noble - Penelope* David Cassidy - Reno* Glenn Hirsch - David* Orson Bean - Dr... |
Director | |
| 1983 | The Star Chamber The Star Chamber The Star Chamber is a 1983 American thriller film written by Roderick Taylor and directed by Peter Hyams. It stars Michael Douglas and Hal Holbrook... |
Writer | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Notes | |
| 1986 | Annihilator | Writer, Executive Producer | |
| 1985 | Otherworld Otherworld (TV series) Otherworld is a short-lived American science fiction series that aired for only eight episodes from January 26 to March 16, 1985 on CBS. It was created by Roderick Taylor as a sort of Lost in Space on Earth... |
Writer, 8 episodes Narrator, 8 episodes Executive Producer, 8 episodes |
|
| 1999-1992 | Super Force Super Force Super Force is an action-adventure TV series about a former astronaut who uses an advanced combat suit and motorcycle to fight crime in the city of Metroplex during the year 2020. Among the features of the suit were enhanced strength and armament, whereas the motorcycle had an array of James... |
Writer, 33 episodes Director, 3 episodes Executive Producer, 33 episodes |
|
| 1994 | Dead at 21 Dead at 21 Dead at 21 is a television series broadcast by MTV in 1994. The series ran for eleven thirty-minute episodes with a two part final episode. The series was created by Jon Sherman , and written by Sherman, P.K. Simonds and Manny Coto Dead at 21 is a television series broadcast by MTV in 1994. The... |
Writer, 12 episodes Executive Producer, 12 episodes |
|
| 1998 | Inferno | Writer, Producer | |
| 2000 | At Any Cost | Writer, Producer | |
| 2001–2002 | Witchblade Witchblade (TV series) Following a pilot film in August 2000, the cable network TNT premiered a Witchblade television series based on the Witchblade Top Cow Productions comic book series in 2001. Some of the episodes were written by Ralph Hemecker, Marc Silvestri and J.D... |
Writer, 3 episodes | |
Albums
- Rod Taylor (Asylum, 1973)
- New Nation (United Artists, 1976)
- Victory in Rock City (United Artists, 1977)
- Straight (Metronome Musik [Germany], 1980)
- Rules of Attraction (MCA, 1984)