About
| Birth Name: | Malcolm John Taylor |
| Birth Notes: | 13 June 1943, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, UK |
| Height: | 5' 8 1/2" |
| Nicknames: | Mick |
| Family: | * Kelley McDowell (12 November 1991 - present); 3 children * Mary Steenburgen (29 September 1980 - 1 October 1990) (divorced); 2 children * Margot Bennett (21 April 1975 - 15 September 1980) (divorced) |
| Biography: | Malcolm John Taylor was born on June 13, 1943, in Leeds, England, to working-class parents Charles and Edna Taylor. His father was a publican and an alcoholic. Malcolm hated his parents' ways and fought against it. His father was keen to send his son to private school to give him a good start in life, so Malcolm was packed off to boarding school at 11. He attended the Tunbridge Boarding School and the Cannock House School in Eltham, Kent. At school he was beaten with the slipper or cane every Monday for his waywardness. Whilst at school, he decided that he wanted to become an actor; it was also around this time that his love for race cars began. He attended the London Academy of Music and Art to study acting. Meanwhile, he worked at his parents' pub but lost his job when the pub went bankrupt, his father drinking all the profits. He then had a variety of jobs, from coffee salesman to messenger. His first big-screen role was in Poor Cow (1967), although his 2-minute scene was ultimately cut from the completed film. Soon after, he caught the attention of director Lindsay Anderson who cast him in the role of a rebellious student in his film If.... (1968). The film catapulted Malcolm to stardom in Britain but failed everywhere else. He was so enthusiastic about the film's success that he wanted to do another right away. He began writing what would become the semi-autobiographical O Lucky Man! (1973). Meanwhile, he starred as the infamous Alex DeLarge in Stanley Kubrick 's controversial A Clockwork Orange (1971), a role that caused him to be typecast as a manic psychopathic villain. In early 1976, he spent nearly a year working on what would later be one of the most infamous films of all time, the semi-pornographic Caligola (1979), financed by Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione. Around that time, the British film industry collapsed, forcing him to flee to America to continue working. His first American film was Time After Time (1979). He then did Britannia Hospital (1982), the last part of Lindsay Anderson 's working-class trilogy that started with If.... (1968). In the mid-1980s, the years of alcohol and drug abuse, including $1000 a week on cocaine, caught up with him. Years of abuse took its toll on him; his black hairs were now grey. Looking older than he really was, nobody wanted to cast him for playing younger roles. The big roles having dried up, he did many B-rated movies. The 1990s were kinder to him, though. In 1994, he was cast as Dr. Soran, the man who killed Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Generations (1994). He was back on the track, playing villains again. He played another in the classic BBC mini-series, "Our Friends in the North" (1996). Today, with more than 100 films under his belt, he is one of the greatest actors in America. He still doesn't have American citizenship, but he likes the no-nonsense American ways. He currently resides in the northern suburb of Los Angeles. |
Filmography
| A Clockwork Orange (1971) as Alex/Alexander DeLarge/Alex Burgess |
| Aces High (1976) as Maj. John Gresham |
| Caligola (1979) as Caligula |
| Cat People (1982) as Paul Gallier |
| Class of 1999 (1990) as Doctor Miles Longford |
| Cut Off (2006) as James Burton |
| Cyborg 3: The Recycler (1995) as Lord Talon |
| Evilenko (2004) as Andrej Romanovic Evilenko |
| Exquisite Tenderness (1995) as Dr. Stein |
| Fist of the North Star (1995) as Ryuken |
| Gangster No. 1 (2000) as Gangster 55 |
| Halloween (2007) as Dr. Samuel Loomis |
| Halloween II (2009) as Dr. Samuel Loomis |
| Hidalgo (2004) as Major Davenport |
| I Spy (2002) as Gundars |
| I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2003) as Boad |
| If.... (1968) as Mick Travis |
| In Good Company (2004) as Teddy K - Globecom CEO |
| O Lucky Man! (1973) as Michael Arnold Travis/Plantation thief |
| Poor Cow (1967) as Billy |
| Tank Girl (1995) as Kesslee |
| The Book of Eli (2010) as Lombardi |
| The Compleat Beatles (1984) as Narrator |
| The List (2007) as Desmond Larochette |
| The Player (1992) as Himself |
| Time After Time (1979) as H. G. Wells |
| Voyage of the Damned (1976) as Max Gunter |
| Zerkalnie voyni: Otrazhenie pervoye (2005) as Murdock |
| 2103: The Deadly Wake (1997) as AKA Captain Sean Murdoch |
| A Documentary on the Making of 'Gore Vidal's Caligula' (1981) as Himself - 'Caligula' |
| Asylum (1997) as Sullivan Rane/Doc |
| Barry Munday (2010) as Mr. Farley |
| Based on True Events (2010) as Harold Weintraub |
| Beings (1998) as Ian |
| Between Strangers (2002) as Alan Baxter |
| Blue Gold: World Water Wars (2008) as Narrator |
| Blue Thunder (1983) as Col. F.E. Cochrane |
| Blues Man (2010) as Henry McKinney |
| Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) as O.B. Keeler |
| Bolt (2008) as Dr. Calico |
| Bopha! (1993) as De Villiers |
| Britannia Hospital (1982) as Mick Travis |
| Buy & Cell (1987) as Warden Tennant |
| Bye Bye Benjamin (2006) as Mr. Coleman |
| Chain of Desire (1992) as Hubert Bailey |
| Cross Creek (1983) as Max Perkins |
| Dangerous Indiscretion (1995) as Roger Everett |
| Delgo (2008) as Raius |
| Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone (2005) as Ogthar |
| Disturbed (1990) as Dr. Derrick Russell |
| Doomsday (2008) as Dr. Marcus Kane |
| Dorian (2001) as Henry |
| Easy A (2010) as Principal Gibbons |
| Exitz (2007) as Percy |
| Fatal Pursuit (1998) as Bechtel |
| Figures in a Landscape (1970) as Ansell |
| First Platoon (2011) as Rex Necro |
| Get Crazy (1983) as Reggie Wanker |
| Golf in the Kingdom (2010) as Julian Lange |
| Happily Ever After (1993) as Lord Malice |
| Hugo Pool (1997) as Henry Dugay |
| Il maestro (1989) as Walter Goldberg |
| In the Eye of the Snake (1990) as Professor Baldwin |
| It Was 20 Years Ago Today (1987) as Narrator |
| Jezebel's Kiss (1990) as Benjamin J. Faberson |
| Johnnie Be Good (2011) as Himself |
| Just Visiting (2001) as Wizard |
| Kids of the Round Table (1997) as Merlin |
| Look Back in Anger (1980) as Jimmy Porter |
| Love Lies Bleeding (1999) as Malcolm Mead |
| Maggio musicale (1990) |
| Milk Money (1994) as Waltzer |
| Monster Butler (2010) as Roy Fontaine |
| Moon 44 (1990) as Major Lee |
| Mortacci (1989) as Edmondo |
| Mr. Magoo (1997) as Austin Cloquet |
| My Life So Far (1999) as Uncle Morris MacIntosh |
| Nazis: The Occult Conspiracy (1998) as Narrator |
| Never Apologize (2007) as Himself |
| Night Train to Venice (1993) as Stranger |
| O Lucky Malcolm! (2006) as Himself |
| Perfectus (2011) |
| Pinocchio 3000 (2004) as Scamboli |
| Pound of Flesh (2010) as Noah Melville |
| Rag Tale (2005) as Richard Morton |
| Red Roses and Petrol (2003) as Enda Doyle |
| Ringer (1996) as Noel |
| Royal Flash (1975) as Captain Harry Flashman |
| Santiago Files (2010) as Narrator |
| Schweitzer (1990) as Albert Schweitzer |
| Sharks of the Red Triangle (1995) as Narrator |
| Southern Cross (1999) as Felipe Solano |
| Stanley and Us (1999) as Himself |
| Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001) as Himself |
| Star Trek: Generations (1994) as Dr. Tolian Soran |
| Suck (2009) as Eddie Van Helsing |
| Suing the Devil (2011) as Satan |
| Sunset (1988) as Alfie Alperin |
| Tempesta (2004) as Paul Valenzin |
| Tempo (2003) as Walter Shrenger |
| The Barber (2001) as Dexter Miles |
| The Big Brass Ring (1997) as Kim Mennaker |
| The Caller (1987) as The Caller |
| The Collaboration (2010) as Thornton |
| The Company (2003) as Alberto Antonelli |
| The Devil's Banker (2011) as Bishop Marcinkus |
| The Evening Journey (2008) as Captain Henry |
| The First 9 1/2 Weeks (1998) as Francois Dubois |
| The Gardener (1998) as Ben Carter |
| The Invocation (2010) as Himself |
| The Passage (1979) as Capt. Von Berkow |
| The Raging Moon (1971) as Bruce Pritchard |
| The Secret World of Superfans (2008) as Himself |
| The Spider (2011) as Von Wessel |
| Tigers Are Better Looking (1979) |
| Tsareubiytsa (1991) as Timofeyev/Yurovsky |
| Vamps (2011) as Vlad |
| Vent d'est (1993) as General Smyslowosky |
| What If Cannabis Cured Cancer (2010) as Kurt Cannabis |
| Where Truth Lies (1996) as Dr. Vernon Renquist |
| Y2K (1999) as Seward |
Trivia
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* His first wife, Margot Bennett , was Keir Dullea's ex-wife. Keir was the main character in Stanley Kubrick 's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), while McDowell was the main character in Kubrick's next film, A Clockwork Orange (1971). * Father of actress Lilly McDowell, born in 1981. * Uncle of Alexander Siddig ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993)). * Father of producer/director Charlie McDowell, born in 1983. * Along with Sir John Gielgud, he is one of only two actors to play both King Arthur and Merlin. He played King Arthur in Arthur the King (1985) (TV) and Merlin in Kids of the Round Table (1997). * 13 of his films shown at retrospective tribute at NYC's Walter Reade Theatre in May 2002, where he introduces the least known of these, The Connection. * Has said that his favorite actor of all time is James Cagney. * Received death threats from overzealous Star Trek fans after his character killed Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Generations (1994). * He and Wife, Kelley McDowell, had a son, Beckett Taylor McDowell (born January 29, 2004). * Claims Gangster No. 1 (2000) to be his best work since A Clockwork Orange (1971). * Was the first well-known actor to appear non-animated and in the flesh for "South Park" (1997) because he is one of Trey Parker 's favorite actors and he was specifically requested. * Has appeared in three different films involving time travel: Time After Time (1979), Star Trek: Generations (1994) and Just Visiting (2001). * His performance as Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange (1971) was ranked 100 on the list of the "100 Greatest Film Performances of All Time". * His performance as Alex De Large in A Clockwork Orange (1971) is ranked #68 on Premiere Magazine's "100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time". * Lives in Santa Barbara, CA. * Owns another home in Britain and a summer retreat in Tuscany. * Good friends with Christine Noonan and David Sherwin . * Was captain of the rugby and cricket teams at his high school. * As he wanted to get into the SAG, he took his mother's maiden name McDowell because there was another British actor called Malcolm Taylor . * Born to Charles Taylor, a pub owner, and his wife Edna McDowell, a hotelier, he grew up with an older (Gloria) and a younger sister. * He and Wife, Kelley McDowell, had a son, Finnian Anderson McDowell (born December 23, 2006). * His job as a coffee salesman provided inspiration for O Lucky Man! (1973). * In an interview he said that a magazine named him "King Of Punk" after his appearance in "A clockwork orange". This is probably because of the punk references that appears in the movie, such as the droogies costume style. * Has been a friend of Aubrey Morris ever since they worked together in A Clockwork Orange (1971). * Announced that his wife, Kelley McDowell, is expecting their third child, a boy, in January 2009 [September 8, 2008]. * Third son, Seamus Hudson McDowell, was born on January 7, 2009. * When he went to meet with Stanley Kubrick for the first time, he had little knowledge of film and confused him with Stanley Kramer. In preparation, McDowell's friend and mentor, Lindsay Anderson , showed him all of Kubrick's films from Paths of Glory (1957) to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). |
Quotes
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* The best thing I did was abuse myself when younger - I dabbled in everything, cocaine, booze, women - because now I don't have to do it anymore. * There are no great scripts - just great films. * [When asked what his favorite Stanley Kubrick film was]: "A Clockwork Orange (1971)! I never saw any of the others." * [Reflecting on A Clockwork Orange (1971)]: "It's a remarkable film that has survived as such a classic and I'd be a raving idiot not to be thrilled with that." * He didn't want me at first, told me about the big-name actor he could get, how he was taller than I was - I'm five eight and a half - but I said, 'That's nothing, I can stand on a box.' * I did a picture I loved called Time After Time (1979), and the people who saw it loved it. We had a big opening in Toronto at the Festival of Festivals - huge - and they gave us a fabulous reception. Great city, Toronto - Mary ('Mary Steenburgen' (qv)) and I loved it there. Great restaurants, great people. The studio hired these so-called experts' to tell them how to market the film. And these silly asses took a poll to determine a 'recognition' factor. And more people recognized Jack the Ripper, which was 'David Warner 's role in the movie, than H.G. Wells, who I played in the movie. Hardly anyone recognized the name H.G. Wells, in fact. So they decided to go with a campaign that stressed Jack the Ripper, which was all well and good except that people didn't want to see another movie about Jack the Ripper, and they stayed away in droves. I've got a big piece of that film, but I haven't seen a penny, and I probably never will. However, I did meet my wife making that movie, so I don't really mind! * "I got to be the hero in that one. It's a very whimsical part, a wonderful part, H.G. running after Jack the Ripper ('David Warner (I)' (qv)) and meeting this modern woman ('Mary Steenburgen' (qv)). Of course, it's very special to me because I met Mary (('Mary Steenburgen' (qv)), we got married, and we had two children. Even though we're not together now, she is the mother of my children and that film is where we met. It's also a damn good film!" - On Time After Time (1979) * I think that's crap. I think that's pathetic. Go get another job. Listen: We're in the business of illusion. We are illusionists. Seriously, that is absolutely pathetic. You're telling me to do a love scene, you actually have to have penetration? That's absolutely beyond pathetic. If you can't think of any way of making that exciting, you're in the wrong job. That's what I think. I remember when they did Don't Look Now, and they thought that Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie actually made love on camera. It's laughable. They were just two extremely gifted actors who made everybody believe they did and ran with it. There was no way there was penetration on the set. No way. Because that crosses over into a porno picture, and I don't care which way you dress it up.- on unsimulated sex scenes in mainstream films, often sourced to his film Caligola (1979) * [on playing psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis in Halloween (2007)] I want to make Loomis a man with a tremendous ego. I've met some of these doctors through the years, where there is more ego in it than there is [interest in what's] best for the patient, and if they can get a book out of it - which of course he has done - it's a bestseller, and that's so much better. * [on Donald Pleasence] I did know Donald. I met him in London at the Royal Court Theatre. He was a tremendous actor - he played those wonderful sinister parts. I particularly remember him in two performances: He was in two great plays, one was written by Robert Shaw called The Man in the Glass Booth (1975) and the other was a Harold Pinter play, _The Caretaker_. * The definition of insanity in Texas is so insane that it's impossible to be insane in Texas. * [on Stanley Kubrick ] Probably one of the five greatest directors that ever lived. * There's nobody who's ever going to come close to John Ford . * [on Halloween (1978)] John Carpenter 's a master, and he made an extraordinary film. * [on horror movies] I'm not that keen on them, to be honest. I find them tedious, most of them, really kind of schlocky and terrible character development and thin storylines. The ones that I've seen, they're usually pretty bad because they're very low budget. * [on Wes Craven and The People Under the Stairs (1991)] I went to see the film and I was just riveted by this thing. I thought, 'My God, this guy is brilliant. I'd love to work with him.' * [on playing the character Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange (1971)] I don't think I have ever had that much fun doing the work. He was a wicked son of a bitch. * [On Rob Zombie] He's got a definite point of view. He has just done horror films because that's all they want him to make. For him to get out of that, which he will, is going to be tough. He is a far better director than a horror movie director. The way he looks at the material and the way he gives you reign but also gives you boundaries. * [Referring to Lindsay Anderson ] I loved him, more than any other man, ever. More than my father I think. I loved him. |
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