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Meshach Taylor
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{{short description|American actor (1947β2014)}} {{Infobox person | name = Meshach Taylor | image = Meshach Taylor in NY2011 photo by lia chang.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Taylor in 2011 | birth_date = {{birth date|1947|04|11}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2014|06|28|1947|04|11}} | birth_place = [[Boston, Massachusetts]], U.S. | death_place = [[Altadena, California]], U.S. | occupation = Actor | yearsactive = 1978–2014 | spouse = {{marriage|[[Bianca Ferguson]]|1983}}<!--As marriage ended with his death, year is omitted per Template:Marriage instructions---> | children = 4 }} '''Meshach Taylor''' ({{IPAc-en|Λ|m|iΛ|Κ|Γ¦|k|}}; April 11, 1947 – June 28, 2014) was an American actor,<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|title=Meshach Taylor|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/70074/Meshach-Taylor|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104054540/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/70074/Meshach-Taylor|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2012|archive-date=2012-11-04}}</ref> widely known for his role as Anthony Bouvier on the [[CBS]] sitcom ''[[Designing Women]]'' (1986β93),<ref name=NYT/> for which he was nominated for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series]]. He was also known for his portrayal of Hollywood Montrose, a flamboyant window dresser in the 1987 film ''[[Mannequin (1987 film)|Mannequin]]'' and its 1991 [[Mannequin Two: On the Move|sequel]].<ref name=NYT/> He played Sheldon Baylor on the CBS sitcom ''[[Dave's World]]'' (1993β97), appeared as Tony on the [[NBC]] sitcom ''[[Buffalo Bill (TV series)|Buffalo Bill]]'' opposite Dabney Coleman, and appeared as the recurring character Alastair Wright, the social studies teacher (and later school principal) on the [[Nickelodeon]] sitcom ''[[Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide]]''. ==Early life== Taylor was born in [[Boston, Massachusetts]], the son of Hertha Mae (nΓ©e Ward) and [[Joseph T. Taylor]], former [[Dean (education)|dean]] of students at [[Dillard University]] in [[New Orleans]], who was also the first dean of arts and sciences at [[Indiana University β Purdue University Indianapolis]]. After the family moved from New Orleans to [[Indianapolis]], Taylor graduated from [[Crispus Attucks High School]] in 1964, where he took an interest in acting, and went on to study in the dramatic arts programs at [[Wilmington College (Ohio)|Wilmington College]] (Ohio) and [[Florida A&M University]]. Leaving Florida A&M a few credits shy of graduation, he worked in Indianapolis as a State House reporter for AM radio station WIFE (now [[WTLC (AM)|WTLC]]), where he used the on-air name Bruce Thomas, and as the host of a community-affairs program on television station WLWI (now [[WTHR]]), as Bruce Taylor.<ref name=IndyStar>{{cite news|last1=Lindquist|first1=David|title=TV star and Attucks grad Meshach Taylor dies at 67|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/06/29/meshach-taylor-designing-mannequin-indianapolis-attucks/11703753|access-date=July 1, 2014|work=The Indianapolis Star|date=June 30, 2014}}</ref><ref name=DWOBio>{{cite web|url=http://www.designingwomenonline.com/Bios/Meshach.php|title=Meshach Taylor biography at|website=Designing Women Online|access-date=July 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name=APObit>{{cite news|last1=Moore|first1=Frazier|title='Designing Women' star Meshach Taylor dies at 67|url=http://www.komonews.com/news/entertainment/Designing-Women-star-Meshach-Taylor-dies-at-67-265116221.html|access-date=July 1, 2014|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=June 29, 2014}}</ref> In May 1993, he received his [[bachelor's degree]] in [[theatre arts]] from Florida A&M.<ref name=LATimes1993>{{cite news|last1=Scott|first1=Carolyn Patricia|title=Designing Women's Meshach Taylor Ends The Series As He Began -- With Dignity|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-05-23-tv-38618-story.html|access-date=July 1, 2014|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=May 23, 1993}}</ref> ==Career== ===Theater and teleplays=== Taylor's first professional acting gig was in a national tour of ''[[Hair (musical)|Hair]]''. He honed his craft in repertory theater as a member of Chicago's [[Goodman Theatre]], and the [[Organic Theater Company]] alongside [[Joe Mantegna]], [[AndrΓ© DeShields]], [[Dennis Franz]], [[Keith Szarabajka]], Jack Wallace, and director [[Stuart Gordon]]. While in Chicago, he appeared in David Rabe's ''Streamers'', ''Native Son'' (1979 [[Joseph Jefferson Award]] Nomination for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play), ''[[The Island (play)|The Island]]'' and [[Athol Fugard]]βs ''[[Sizwe Banzi Is Dead]]'', for which he garnered the 1977 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play. He received an Emmy Award for his role as Jim in the [[WTTW]] production of ''[[Huckleberry Finn]]'' and hosted the Chicago television show ''Black Life''. In 1998, Taylor made his [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut as Lumiere in ''[[Beauty and the Beast (musical)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', where he starred alongside [[Toni Braxton]].<ref>[http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=82306 Internet Broadway Database]</ref> In September 2012, he appeared in ''Year of the Rabbit'' at Ensemble Studio Theater-LA as Vietnam veteran JC Bridges.<ref name="talkinbroadway.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/la/la360.html|work=talkinbroadway.com|first=Sharon|last=Perlmutter|title=Year of the Rabbit|date=September 2012}}</ref> ===Television and film=== [[File:Meshach Taylor 1989 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Taylor at the 1989 [[Emmy Awards]]]] In 1977, Taylor moved to Los Angeles, where he crafted a gallery of memorable characters in film and on television, including his Emmy-nominated turn in the CBS sitcom ''[[Designing Women]]''. Taylor played Anthony Bouvier, the deliveryman at the Sugarbaker interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1989, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.<ref name=NYT/> In May 1981, the ninth season of ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'', he was seen as a corpsman in the final episode, "The Life You Save".<ref name="FilmRef">[http://www.filmreference.com/film/99/Meshach-Taylor.html Biodata], filmreference.com; accessed June 29, 2018.</ref> From 1993 to 1997, he was a series regular as plastic surgeon Sheldon Baylor on ''[[Dave's World]]'' (CBS), and had a recurring role as Alastair Wright, the history teacher turned school principal, on [[Nickelodeon]]'s sitcom, ''[[Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide]]'' (2004β07) and ''[[Buffalo Bill (TV series)|Buffalo Bill]]'' on NBC with [[Dabney Coleman]].<ref name="imdb"/> Other appearances include: ''[[The Unit]]'', ''[[Jessie (2011 TV series)|Jessie]]'', ''[[Hannah Montana]]'' as a fashion designer, ''[[All of Us]]'' as Neesee's father, ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]'', ''[[Static Shock]]'', ''[[Caroline in the City]]'', ''[[Aaahh!!! Real Monsters]]'', ''[[Women of the House]]'', ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'', ''[[Punky Brewster]]'', ''[[What's Happening Now!!]]'', ''[[Hill Street Blues]]'', ''[[ALF (TV series)|ALF]]'', ''[[Melba (TV series)|Melba]]'', ''[[The Golden Girls]]'', ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]'', ''[[Barney Miller]]'', ''[[Lou Grant (TV series)|Lou Grant]]'', ''[[The White Shadow (TV series)|The White Shadow]]'', ''[[The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series)|The Incredible Hulk]]'', ''[[The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue]]'', and ''[[Barnaby Jones]]''.<ref name="imdb"/> In 1996, Taylor hosted his own series on [[HGTV]], ''The Urban Gardener with Meshach Taylor'', and in 1998, he hosted ''Meshach Taylor's Hidden Caribbean'' on [[The Travel Channel]]. He was a regular panelist on the 2000 revival of the television [[game show]] ''[[To Tell the Truth]]''. He co-hosted ''Living Live!'' with [[Florence Henderson]] on [[Retirement Living TV]] in 2008 until the program was revamped as ''The Florence Henderson Show''.<ref name="imdb"/> Taylor had been friends with actor [[Joe Mantegna]] since they appeared together in 1969 in the musical ''[[Hair (musical)|Hair]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-08 |title=Lia Chang: Joe Mantegna, Delta Burke, Gerald McRaney, President Bill Clinton and More Remember Meshach Taylor |url=https://liachang.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/lia-chang-joe-mantegna-delta-burke-gerald-mcraney-president-bill-clinton-and-more-remember-meshach-taylor/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Backstage Pass with Lia Chang |language=en}}</ref> Taylor guest-starred in 2012 on ''[[Criminal Minds]]''' [[Criminal Minds (season 8)|eighth season]] in the episode "The Fallen", opposite Mantegna as Harrison Scott, Rossi's former Marine sergeant with whom he served in Vietnam.<ref name="tv.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/criminal-minds/the-fallen-2597817|work=tv.com|title=The Fallen (Season 8, Episode 7)|date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> In January 2014, he reprised this role in "The Road Home" which aired January 22, 2014, just five months before his death.<ref name="tv.broadwayworld.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/criminal-minds/the-road-home-2996303|work=tv.com|title=The Road Home (Season 9, Episode 13)|date=January 22, 2014}}</ref> Mantegna led a ''[[Criminal Minds]]'' [[Criminal Minds (season 10)|tenth season]] episode "Anonymous", to honor Taylor on January 21, 2015. Taylor appeared in such feature films as ''[[Mannequin (1987 film)|Mannequin]]'', ''[[Mannequin Two: On the Move]]'', and ''[[Damien: Omen II]]''.<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|0852886}}</ref> ==Personal life and death== Taylor married actress [[Bianca Ferguson]] in 1983. He had four children, three with Bianca and one from a previous marriage. His children are daughters Tamar, Esme and Yasmine and son Tariq; he had four grandchildren.<ref name="IndyStar"/> Taylor died of [[colorectal cancer]] on June 28, 2014, at his home in [[Altadena, California]].<ref name="colker">{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-meshach-taylor-20140630-story.html|title=Meshach Taylor dies at 67; actor known for 'Designing Women' role|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Colker, David|date=2014-06-29|access-date=2014-07-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-meshach-taylor-dies-20140628-story.html|title=Meshach Taylor, screen and TV star, dies at 67|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=2014-06-29|author=Parker, Ryan|access-date=2014-06-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/meshach-taylor-dead-designing-women-715569|title='Designing Women' Star Meshach Taylor Dies at 67|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=2014-06-28|author=Barnes, Mike|access-date=2014-06-29}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, his four children, his mother Hertha Ward Taylor,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2014/06/15/longtime-ips-teacher-celebrates-th-birthday/10556101|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|date=2014-06-15|author=Ryckaert, Vic|title=Hertha Ward Taylor - Longtime IPS teacher celebrates 100th birthday}}</ref> two siblings, and four grandchildren.<ref name="colker"/> A memorial service to celebrate his life was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) on July 6, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forestlawn.tributes.com/obituary/portrait/Meshach-Thomas-Taylor-101491860|title=Meshach Taylor Memorial|date=July 6, 2014|access-date=June 29, 2018}}</ref> ==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Film and television roles |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1978||''[[Damien - Omen II]]''|| Dr. J. Kayne || |- |1978||''[[Stony Island (film)|Stony Island]]''|| Aldeman's Yes-Man || |- |1981||''[[The Howling (film)|The Howling]]''|| Shantz || |- |1982||''[[The Beast Within (1982 film)|The Beast Within]]''|| Deputy Herbert || |- |1982||''[[The Haircut]]''|| Sam || |- |1985||''[[Explorers (film)|Explorers]]''|| Gordon Miller || |- |1985||''[[Warning Sign (film)|Warning Sign]]''|| Video Technician #2 || |- |1985||''[[What's Happening Now!!]]''|| Buddy Carlton || Recurring role <small>(season 1β2)</small>; 2 episodes |- |1985||''[[The Golden Girls]]''|| Police Officer || |- |1986||''[[One More Saturday Night (film)|One More Saturday Night]]''|| Bill Neal || |- |1986||''[[Inside Out (1986 film)|Inside Out]]''|| Freddy || |- |1986β1993||''[[Designing Women]]'' || Anthony Bouvier || Recurring role <small>(season 1β2)</small>, main role <small>(season 3β7)</small>; 152 episodes<br>Nominated β [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series]] <small>(1989)</small> |- |1987||''[[Mannequin (1987 film)|Mannequin]]''|| Hollywood Montrose || |- |1987||''[[The Allnighter (film)|The Allnighter]]''|| Hotel Detective Philip || |- |1987||''[[House of Games]]''|| Mr. Dean || |- |1988||''[[Kid Safe: The Video]]''|| Marty || Short film |- |1990||''[[Ultra Warrior]]''|| Elijah || |- |1991||''[[Mannequin Two: On the Move]]''|| Hollywood Montrose / Doorman || |- |1992||''[[Class Act]]''|| Duncan's Dad || |- |1992||''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''||Tyler Corbin || |- |1993||''[[Double, Double, Toil and Trouble]]''|| Mr. N || |- |1993β1997||''[[Dave's World]]'' || Shel Baylor || Main role (97 episodes) |- |1997||''[[The Right Connections]]''|| Lionel Clark || |- |1998||''[[The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue]]''|| Cecil || Voice, direct-to-video |- |2000||''Jacks or Better''|| Ron || |- |2000 |''[[Static Shock]]'' |Doctor Harris |Voice, episode: "Aftershock" |- |2001||''[[Friends & Family (film)|Friends & Family]]''|| Bruno || |- |2004β2007||''[[Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide]]''||Mr. Wright||Recurring role (23 episodes) |- |2010||''Wigger''|| Charles Pruitt || |- |2010||''Tranced''|| Cabbie || |- |2011||''[[Hyenas (2011 film)|Hyenas]]''|| Crazy Briggs || |- |2012||''[[Jessie (2011 TV series)|Jessie]]''|| Grimm Haloran || Episode: "The Whining" |- |2012β2014||''[[Criminal Minds]]''|| Harrison Scott || 2 episodes; final role |} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} == External links == {{commons category}} * {{IMDb name|0852886}} *[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/arts/television/meshach-taylor-actor-on-tvs-designing-women-dies-at-67.html?_r=0/meshach-taylor Meshach Taylor obituary at nytimes.com] June 29, 2014 *[https://www.npr.org/2014/07/07/329520145/-fresh-air-remembers-actor-meshach-taylor 'Fresh Air' Remembers Actor Meshach Taylor]'' NPR 'Fresh Air' host Terry Gross pays tribute to actor Meshach Taylor (April 11, 1947 β June 28, 2014) with rebroadcast of 1990 interview. {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Meshach}} [[Category:20th-century African-American male actors]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]] [[Category:21st-century African-American male actors]] [[Category:21st-century American male actors]] [[Category:1947 births]] [[Category:2014 deaths]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male musical theatre actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:Florida A&M University alumni]] [[Category:Male actors from Boston]] [[Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer in California]] [[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]] [[Category:20th-century American male singers]] [[Category:20th-century American singers]] [[Category:Crispus Attucks High School alumni]]
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