Editing Rod Taylor (section)

===Stardom===
Taylor's first leading role in a feature film was in ''[[The Time Machine (1960 film)|The Time Machine]]'' (1960), [[George Pal]]'s adaptation of the science-fiction classic by [[H. G. Wells]], with Taylor as the time traveller who, thousands of years in the future, falls for a woman played by [[Yvette Mimieux]]. Taylor played a character not unlike that of his ''Twilight Zone'' episode of a year earlier and the film ''[[World Without End (film)|World Without End]]'' in 1956.

In or around 1960, he was approached regarding the role of [[James Bond]] in the [[James Bond in film#Eon Productions|first feature-length Bond film]]. Taylor reportedly declined to become involved because he considered the character of Bond "beneath him".<ref name="smh-obit">Juddery, Mark (13 January 2015). [https://www.smh.com.au/national/rod-taylor-the-hollywood-star-who-never-forgot-he-was--an-aussie-20150113-12n0cc.html "Rod Taylor, the Hollywood star, who never forgot he was an Aussie"]. ''The Sydney Morning Herald''. Retrieved 7 September 2018.</ref> Taylor later commented: "Every time a new Bond picture became a smash hit ... I tore out my hair."

Taylor starred in Alfred Hitchcock's horror thriller ''The Birds'' (1963), along with [[Tippi Hedren]], [[Suzanne Pleshette]], [[Jessica Tandy]], and [[Veronica Cartwright]], playing a man whose town and home come under attack by menacing birds. Taylor then starred with [[Jane Fonda]] in the romantic comedy ''[[Sunday in New York]]'' (also 1963).

During the mid-1960s, Taylor worked mostly for MGM. His credits including ''[[The V.I.P.s (film)|The V.I.P.s]]'' (1963), his first feature-film role as an Australian, with [[Richard Burton]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]], and [[Maggie Smith]]; ''[[Fate Is the Hunter (film)|Fate Is the Hunter]]'' (for [[20th Century Fox]], 1964) with [[Glenn Ford]] and Suzanne Pleshette; ''[[36 Hours (1964 film)|36 Hours]]'' (1964) with [[James Garner]]; ''[[Young Cassidy]]'' (1965) with [[Julie Christie]] and Maggie Smith; ''[[The Liquidator (1965 film)|The Liquidator]]'' (1965) with [[Jill St. John]]; ''[[Do Not Disturb (1965 film)|Do Not Disturb]]'' (1965); and ''[[The Glass Bottom Boat]]'' (1966), both co-starring [[Doris Day]].

He began to change his image toward the end of the decade to more tough-guy roles, such as ''[[Chuka (film)|Chuka]]'' (1967), which he also produced, and he starred in ''[[Hotel (1967 film)|Hotel]]'' (1967) with [[Catherine Spaak]]; ''[[Dark of the Sun]]'' (or ''The Mercenaries'', 1968), again with Yvette Mimieux; ''[[Nobody Runs Forever]]'' (1968) in which he played [[New South Wales Police]] Sergeant [[Scobie Malone]], this being Taylor's first starring feature-film role as an Australian; and ''[[Darker than Amber (film)|Darker than Amber]]'' (1970) as [[Travis McGee]].

He was also reportedly up for the role of martial artist Roper in the [[Bruce Lee]] vehicle ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' (1973). The film was directed by [[Robert Clouse]], who had also directed Taylor in ''Darker than Amber''. Taylor was supposedly deemed too tall for the part, and the role instead went to [[John Saxon]].<ref>[http://www.cityonfire.com/commentary/etd.mp3 City On Fire (audio commentatary)]</ref>