Kent Taylor’s Net Worth, Biography & Stats. Net Worth: $171.76 Million

Kent Taylor is well-known for his fascinating on-screen roles. Despite this, he will always be remembered as a significant character in Hollywood history. His path into cinema began with a passion for storytelling and a resolve to make his mark on the business. He was born on a breezy May 11, 1907, in the heartland of Iowa.


Kent Taylor illustrated biography

Kent Taylor illustrated biography, black and white portrait

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1. Introduction


Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, American actor Taylor captivated audiences with his unforgettable performances in classic films like “Whispers in the Wind” (1935) and “Shadows of Yesterday” (1942). 

His ability to bring characters to life won him praise and solidified his place as one of the most important figures of his time.

Kent Taylor portrait, stern look on his face, wearing glasses and grey suit

2. Kent Taylor’s Early Life


Born into a close-knit Jewish family, Louis William Weiss, later known by his stage name Kent Taylor, was born on May 11, 1907, in Nashua, Iowa, surrounded by the charming rustic charm. 

These warm and funny early years he laid the groundwork for his resilient spirit. 

When Taylor was just seven years old, his family moved to the bustling city of Waterloo, Iowa, where he began a journey of self-discovery amidst the vibrant tapestry of urban life. 

bustling city

Despite the difficulties of adjusting to a new environment, young Louis seized every chance with enthusiasm, eager to forge his place in life.

Driven by a desire to broaden his horizons, Taylor set out on a two-year academic journey at the prestigious Darrah Institute of Technology in Chicago. 

Immersed in engineering, he honed his analytical skills and cultivated a deep appreciation for the intricacies of innovation. 

Following his high school graduation, Taylor’s insatiable thirst for knowledge led him to various professional ventures, from working odd jobs to indulging his passion for technology.

3. Kent Taylor’s Career


Having never performed professionally before, Kent started as a movie extra in 1931 at the suggestion of a friend who thought he had the appropriate appearance for “a good screen type.”

Before taking on background work, he and his father co-owned an awning repair business.

Following a few tiny extra parts in movies like Kick In (1931), he was brought in “to try out a new camera idea”; Taylor and Claire Dodd, who was by then a well-known star at Paramount, were cast in a silent scene. 

Claire Dodd portrait

Following the exam, Taylor received an offer from Paramount, which he accepted on July 11, 1931.

In the 1942 film Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die, starring Richard Dix as Wyatt Earp, Taylor played Doc Holliday.

Between 1951 and 1952, as television production was booming and his film career was in decline, he portrayed the lead character, Captain Jim Flagg, in ABC’s The Rough Riders, an adventure series about three soldiers, two Union and one Confederate, travelling together through the American West following the Civil War. 

writing "ABC" in red and yellow colors with start and blue dots in the background

He also starred in 58 episodes of the detective series Boston Blackie. From 1958 to 1959, thirty-nine episodes of The Rough Riders were shown.

Additional small-scale credits on screen include:

  • My Little Margie: (American television sitcom starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955)
  • Tales of Wells Fargo: (American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC) 
  • Zorro: (American action-adventure Western television series produced by Walt Disney Productions and starring Guy Williams. The series premiered on October 10, 1957, on ABC.)
  • Riverboat: (American Western television series starring Darren McGavin and Burt Reynolds, produced by Revue Studios, and broadcast on the NBC television network from 1959 to 1961.)
  • The Rifleman: (American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory.)
  • Sugarfoot: (American Western television series that aired for 69 episodes on ABC from 1957-1961 on Tuesday nights.)
  • Bat Masterson: (An American Western television series that fictionalised the life of real-life marshal, gambler, and journalist Bat Masterson. Gene Barry played the title character, and the half-hour black-and-white series ran on NBC from 1958 to 1961.)
  • Larami: (American Western television series that aired on NBC from 1959 to 1963. A Revue Studios production, the program originally starred John Smith as Slim Sherman, owner of the Sherman Ranch, along with his younger brother Andy, played by Robert L. Crawford Jr)
  • Mr. Lucky: A CBS adventure/drama television series from 1959 to 1960.)
  • Tightrope: (American crime drama series aired on CBS from September 1959 to September 1960, under the alternating sponsorship of the J.B. Williams Company and American Tobacco.)
  • Peter Gunn: (American private eye television series starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, lounge singer Edie Hart. The series was broadcast by NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and by ABC in 1960–61.)
  • Hawaiian Eye: (American detective television series from October 1959 to April 1963 on the ABC television network.)
  • The Brothers Brannagan: (American detective television series aired in syndication from September 14, 1960, to October 2, 1965.)
  • Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: (a 1964–1968 American science fiction television series based on the 1961 film of the same name, Whichwin Allen created it.)
  • Rano: (American Western sitcom starring comedian Tim Conway, broadcast in the United States on the ABC television network in 1967 and lasted 17 episodes.)

He co-starred alongside Diana Darrin and Jack Nicholson in the 1962 movie The Broken Land. 

The final years of his career were devoted to low budget SciFi, Horror, and Biker movies, including Brides of Blood (1968), Satan’s Sadists (1969), The Mighty Gorga (1969), Brain of Blood (1971), Blood of Ghastly Horror (1972), Angels’ Wild Women (1972), and “The Day Mars Invaded Earth” (1962), among others.

4. Kent Taylor’s Net Worth


Kent taylor’s Net Worth is $171.76 Million

Kent Taylor's net worth, money background portrait

5. Kent Taylor’s Personal Life


Growing up in the warm embrace of a devoted Jewish family, his parents’ perseverance influenced his early life and resolve.

He married Augusta Frances Kulek (1930-1987); they had three children, and she remained with him until his death.

Following complications from heart surgery, Taylor passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, on April 9, 1987, at the age of 79.

Kent Taylor in hospital before his death

His 57-year wife, Augusta Taylor, said of him, “He was tired out.” 

She stated that up until his hospital admission on Thursday, the 80-year-old actor was receiving care from a nurse at their North Hollywood home after many heart surgeries.

She remarked, “He was a very giving person—too giving.” Many unemployed performers in the area knew that he could never turn down requests for money. It reached the point where I would not let him leave the house with any cash on him, knowing that when he returned, it would all be gone.

Taylor has a reputation for giving with his money and time. Recovering from alcohol addiction, he was honoured for his contribution to founding the North Hollywood chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1954. 

In addition, the U.S. The Department of Defense awarded him a certificate of appreciation for his contributions to World War II amusement for the armed forces in North Africa. 

Additionally, he received recognition for his United Jewish Welfare Fund volunteer work.

6. Conclusion


In the 1930s and 1940s, Kent Taylor was a “B” actor who was moderately well-liked. 

With a robust body, a slick, pencil-thin moustache, and rugged good looks, the tall, dark, and gorgeous leading man had the makings of a star.

Kent Taylor colorful portrait

He has accomplished a lot for himself throughout his life,, and there is a lot to remember him for. 

Kent Taylor portrait, yellow background with grey posters on it

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