Jud Taylor

Judson Taylor (February 25, 1932 – August 6, 2008) was an American actor, television director, and television producer.

Born in New York City, Taylor graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.

Taylor is perhaps best known for his directorial work on 1960s television shows such as Star Trek, Dr. Kildare, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In the early 2000s, he directed several episodes of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Taylor also directed more than 40 made-for-TV movies, including the award-winning Tail Gunner Joe and Foxfire, and the final film appearances of both Susan Hayward (in Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole (1972)) and David Janssen (in City in Fear (1980)).

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, before becoming an established director, Taylor worked as an actor. He had a recurring role on Dr. Kildare as "Dr. Gerson". He appeared in several episodes of The Fugitive and Twelve O'Clock High playing different characters. Other TV programs in which he had small roles included Gunsmoke, Men of Annapolis, and Wagon Train. He also played the part of Goff, one of three Americans, in the feature film The Great Escape.

Taylor was vice president of the Directors Guild of America from 1977 to 1981 and president from 1981 to 1983.

He died in New York City in 2008, following a long illness.

Actor

• Attack! (1956 World War II film) – Pvt. Jacob R. Abramowitz - radioman
• General Electric Theater (1 episode, 1957) – Bellboy
• The Garment Jungle (1957) – Latzo (uncredited)
• Gunsmoke (1 episode, 1957) – Ed Thorpe
• Harbormaster (1 episode, 1957) – Pete
• Men of Annapolis (2 episodes, 1957-1958) – Red Magruder / Weaver
• The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1 episode, 1959) – Charlie Buffalo
• Follow the Sun (1 episode, 1961) – Peter
• Wagon Train (1 episode, 1961) – Arthur
• Dr. Kildare (16 episodes, 1961–1965) – Dr. Thomas Gerson
• The Interns (1962) – Dr. Van Wyck (uncredited)
• The Great Escape (1963) – 2nd Lieutenant Goff
• The Fugitive (5 episodes, 1963–1965) – Sergeant Rainey / Toby Weems / Joey / Floyd (final television appearance)
• 12 O'Clock High (3 episodes, 1964–1965) – Lieutenant Morgan / Sergeant Loren / Lieutenant Harold Zimmerman

Director

TV series

TV movies

Producer

• Return to Earth (1976)
• Woman of the Year (1976)
• Incident at Crestridge (1981)

Writer

• Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1 episode, 1965)