Buck Taylor - Early Years, Education, Military

Early Years, Education, Military

Taylor was born in Hollywood, California, to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Taylor, Jr. He has an older sister, Faydean Taylor Tharp (born ca. 1931) of the Greater Los Angeles Area. His father was the character actor Dub Taylor, sometimes known as "Cannonball" Taylor and a native of Richmond, Virginia. Buck Taylor was born in the same year that his father got his first acting role in the film You Can't Take It With You. Dub Taylor, one of cinema's most prolific supporting actors, appeared with dozens of leading actors, including John Wayne and the musicians Tex Ritter and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Buck grew up on the various Hollywood sets. Buck Taylor was close to his father's Texas friend, the Western actor Chill Wills.

Taylor graduated from North Hollywood High School and studied theatre arts at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. In 1960, he tried out for the Olympic Games in gymnastics. He served two years in the United States Navy.