"You can take one of my outfits and it's usually classic design. I don't use tricks."

    About This Interview

    In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Noel Taylor (1913-2010) talks about his early experiences in the theater as an actor and writer before turning his talents to costume designing. He discusses his entrance into television working under NBC contract, primarily on the anthology series Hallmark Hall of Fame. He talks about several of this series productions including "Hamlet," "The Green Pastures," "The Magnificent Yankee," and "Barefoot in Athens."  He discusses such aspects of the craft as creating a shade of white that could be read on camera and painting "embroidery" on costumes as a money-saving technique. He talks about winning an Emmy for Costume Design for "The Magnificent Yankee," in the first year costume design was cited. He details his continued work in television including the 1970s KCET series The Hollywood Television Theater, which earned him a second Emmy award. Finally, he discusses his long association with Katharine Hepburn in all her later work, including Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry. B-roll consists of photos and costume sketches from Hallmark Hall of Fame, Startime's "Turn of the Screw," Hollywood Television Theater, Antony and Cleopatra, Eleanor First Lady of the World, and Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on April 19, 2005 in West Hollywood, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Noel Taylor

    Noel Taylor on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame

    02:20
    Thumbnail of Noel Taylor

    Noel Taylor on making costumes for Dame Judith Anderson in "Medea" on Broadway

    05:40
    Thumbnail of Noel Taylor

    Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne

    01:50
    Thumbnail of Noel Taylor

    Noel Taylor on working with Bette Davis

    03:09
    Thumbnail of Noel Taylor

    Noel Taylor on working with Katharine Hepburn

    07:22
    Thumbnail of Noel Taylor

    Noel Taylor on career achievements and what he does best

    01:48
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On how he got into the theater, and on selling his first play; on his experience of World War II; on returning to Los Angeles after World War II

    15:51

    On making costumes for Dame Judith Anderson in "Medea" on Broadway; on his earliest experiences with television; on costuming King Richard II with Maurice Evans (misidentified as Hamlet) directed by George Schaefer

    00:00

    Chapter 2

    On working with director George Schaefer; on winning special Emmy Awards for his work in costuming on Hallmark Hall of Fame; on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne

    07:46

    On costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame productions of "Alice in Wonderland" a "Cradle Song"; on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Green Pastures"; on fabrics he liked to use for costume designs

    07:11

    On reusing costumes on Hallmark Hall of Fame; on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame; on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Barefoot in Athens"

    06:53

    On appearing in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Teahouse of the August Moon"; on the challenge of doing costume changes on live television; on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman and for Hollywood Television Theatre

    06:44

    Chapter 3

    On costuming for Norman Lloyd's Hollywood Television Theatre; on costuming for Sandburg's Lincoln starring Hal Holbrook; on costuming for Eleanor, First Lady of the World starring Jean Stapleton

    04:33

    On doing research for period costumes; on costuming Grace Kelly starring Cheryl Ladd; on working with Katherine Hepburn and Bette Davis

    12:55

    On costuming for Delbert Mann's Ironclads; on working with Sidney Lumet; on working with Rosalind Russell

    06:04

    On his style; on career achievements and what he does best; on how he'd like to be remembered

    03:59

    Chapter 4

    On b-roll photographs and drawings of some of his projects- Christopher Plummer and Hope Lange in Hallmark Hall of Fame; "Tea House of the August Moon" for Hallmark Hall of Fame; "The Green Pastures" for Hallmark Hall of Fame; Julie Harris in Hallmark Hall of Fame; Julie Harris in Hallmark Hall of Fame; The Lunts in Hallmark Hall of Fame; Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Barefoot in Athens"; Ingrid Bergman in "Hallmark Hall of Fame's" The Turn of the Screw; Hallmark Hall of Fame's "The Story of Paul Muni"; sketch for Katharine Hepburn; working backstage; various sketches of his costumes

    12:00

    Ford Startime

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman

    01:31

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Noel Taylor on the production schedule for designing for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    01:02

    Noel Taylor on winning special Emmy Awards for his work in costuming on Hallmark Hall of Fame

    02:03

    Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne

    01:50

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame productions of "Alice in Wonderland" a "Cradle Song"

    02:19

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Green Pastures"

    03:33

    Noel Taylor on reusing costumes on Hallmark Hall of Fame

    02:21

    Noel Taylor on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame

    02:20

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Barefoot in Athens"

    02:12

    Noel Taylor on appearing in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Teahouse of the August Moon"

    01:33

    Hollywood Television Theatre

    Noel Taylor on costuming for Hollywood Television Theatre

    01:13

    Noel Taylor on costuming for Norman Lloyd's Hollywood Television Theatre and on winning an Emmy Award

    03:10

    Ironclads

    Noel Taylor on costuming for Delbert Mann's Ironclads

    01:22

    Startime: "The Turn of the Screw"

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman

    01:31

    Historic Events and Social Change

    Noel Taylor on his experience of World War II

    05:39

    Television Industry

    Noel Taylor on the Hollywood Blacklist

    01:12

    War

    Noel Taylor on his experience of World War II

    05:39

    World War II

    Noel Taylor on his experience of World War II

    05:39

    Costume Designer

    Noel Taylor on fabrics he liked to use for costume designs

    01:19

    Noel Taylor on the challenge of doing costume changes on live television

    02:27

    Noel Taylor on doing research for period costumes

    00:59

    Noel Taylor on his style

    01:40

    Designers

    Noel Taylor on fabrics he liked to use for costume designs

    01:19

    Noel Taylor on the challenge of doing costume changes on live television

    02:27

    Noel Taylor on doing research for period costumes

    00:59

    Noel Taylor on his style

    01:40

    Classic Anthology Series

    Noel Taylor on costuming for Hallmark Hall of Fame

    23:23

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman

    01:31

    Noel Taylor on costuming for Hollywood Television Theatre

    01:13

    Judith Anderson

    Noel Taylor on making costumes for Dame Judith Anderson in "Medea" on Broadway

    05:40

    Ingrid Bergman

    Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman

    01:31

    Bette Davis

    Noel Taylor on working with Bette Davis

    03:09

    Lynn Fontanne

    Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne

    01:50

    Julie Harris

    Noel Taylor on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame

    02:20

    Katharine Hepburn

    Noel Taylor on working with Katharine Hepburn

    07:22

    Cheryl Ladd

    Noel Taylor on costuming Grace Kelly starring Cheryl Ladd

    01:25

    Sidney Lumet

    Noel Taylor on working with Sidney Lumet

    03:05

    Alfred Lunt

    Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne

    01:50

    Rosalind Russell

    Noel Taylor on working with Rosalind Russell

    01:36

    George Schaefer

    Noel Taylor on costuming King Richard II with Maurice Evans (misidentified as Hamlet) directed by George Schaefer

    01:13

    Noel Taylor on working with director George Schaefer

    02:51

    All Interviews

    Loading Interviews...