Born Spangler Arlington Brugh on August 5, 1911, in Filley, Nebraska, the future Hollywood star demonstrated a wide array of talents from a young age. At Beatrice High School, he excelled in track and field, won oratory contests, and played the cello in the school orchestra. His early ambitions led him to study music at Doane College before switching to pre-med at Pomona College in California. But fate had other plans.

A performance in a campus play caught the attention of an MGM talent scout, earning him a seven-year studio contract—and a new stage name: Robert Taylor.

Taylor made his film debut in 1934’s Handy Andy alongside Will Rogers. Just a year later, his breakthrough role opposite Irene Dunne in Magnificent Obsession (1935) cemented his place as a romantic lead. With his striking features and screen presence, he was soon dubbed “The Man with the Perfect Profile.”

In 1939, Taylor married acclaimed actress Barbara Stanwyck, forming one of Hollywood’s golden couples. Though their marriage ended in 1951, their union remained one of the most talked-about relationships of its time.

During World War II, Taylor served as a flight instructor in the U.S. Navy. His contributions extended beyond the cockpit—he appeared in training films and narrated the Academy Award-winning documentary The Fighting Lady.

His film career spanned more than three decades, with standout roles in Camille (1936) opposite Greta Garbo and the epic Quo Vadis (1951). Off-screen, Taylor shared a lasting friendship with fellow actor and future President Ronald Reagan.

He passed away on June 8, 1969, at the age of 57. In a fitting and heartfelt tribute, then-Governor Ronald Reagan delivered the eulogy at Taylor’s funeral. Robert Taylor is laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, in the Court of Freedom’s Garden of Honor.