About
"You can take one of my outfits and it's usually classic design. I don't use tricks."
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.
Highlights
Noel Taylor on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on making costumes for Dame Judith Anderson in "Medea" on Broadway
Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
Noel Taylor on working with Bette Davis
Noel Taylor on working with Katharine Hepburn
Noel Taylor on career achievements and what he does best
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
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
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
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
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"
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
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
On doing research for period costumes; on costuming Grace Kelly starring Cheryl Ladd; on working with Katherine Hepburn and Bette Davis
On costuming for Delbert Mann's Ironclads; on working with Sidney Lumet; on working with Rosalind Russell
On his style; on career achievements and what he does best; on how he'd like to be remembered
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
Shows
Ford Startime
Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on the production schedule for designing for Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on winning special Emmy Awards for his work in costuming on Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
Noel Taylor on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame productions of "Alice in Wonderland" a "Cradle Song"
Noel Taylor on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Green Pastures"
Noel Taylor on reusing costumes on Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on costuming the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Barefoot in Athens"
Noel Taylor on appearing in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "Teahouse of the August Moon"
Hollywood Television Theatre
Noel Taylor on costuming for Hollywood Television Theatre
Noel Taylor on costuming for Norman Lloyd's Hollywood Television Theatre and on winning an Emmy Award
Ironclads
Noel Taylor on costuming for Delbert Mann's Ironclads
Startime: "The Turn of the Screw"
Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman
Topics
Historic Events and Social Change
Noel Taylor on his experience of World War II
Television Industry
Noel Taylor on the Hollywood Blacklist
War
Noel Taylor on his experience of World War II
World War II
Noel Taylor on his experience of World War II
Professions
Costume Designer
Noel Taylor on fabrics he liked to use for costume designs
Noel Taylor on the challenge of doing costume changes on live television
Noel Taylor on doing research for period costumes
Noel Taylor on his style
Designers
Noel Taylor on fabrics he liked to use for costume designs
Noel Taylor on the challenge of doing costume changes on live television
Noel Taylor on doing research for period costumes
Noel Taylor on his style
Genres
Classic Anthology Series
Noel Taylor on costuming for Hallmark Hall of Fame
Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman
Noel Taylor on costuming for Hollywood Television Theatre
People
Judith Anderson
Noel Taylor on making costumes for Dame Judith Anderson in "Medea" on Broadway
Ingrid Bergman
Noel Taylor on costuming the Ford Startime production of "Turn of the Screw" starring Ingrid Bergman
Bette Davis
Noel Taylor on working with Bette Davis
Lynn Fontanne
Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
Julie Harris
Noel Taylor on costuming Julie Harris on several episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame
Katharine Hepburn
Noel Taylor on working with Katharine Hepburn
Cheryl Ladd
Noel Taylor on costuming Grace Kelly starring Cheryl Ladd
Sidney Lumet
Noel Taylor on working with Sidney Lumet
Alfred Lunt
Noel Taylor on the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of "The Magnificent Yankee" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
Rosalind Russell
Noel Taylor on working with Rosalind Russell
George Schaefer
Noel Taylor on costuming King Richard II with Maurice Evans (misidentified as Hamlet) directed by George Schaefer
Noel Taylor on working with director George Schaefer