It's a great feeling once you make the other side

Robert Taylor holds the record of having the longest running contract with one studio, i.e. MGM, having been on their payroll from 1934 to 1958. Dubbed "The Man with the Perfect Profile" by the studio's publicity department, Taylor appeared in films of different genres in the 1930s, always playing a nice guy. Moving into the next decade, MGM decided Taylor needed an image change, so the 1940s saw him tackle more gritty parts, including a criminal on parole in Mervyn Leroy's Johnny Eager (1941) and Katharine Hepburn's villain husband in Undercurrent (1946). 

In a letter to an admirer dated 15 September 1941, Taylor, who was in the midst of filming Johnny Eager, talks about this transition from "college boy" type of roles to "more mature" roles and about being recognised by one's peers. In the end, Taylor would never receive the ultimate peer recognition, i.e. an Oscar or a nomination. The only recognition he did receive during his career was the Golden Globe Henrietta Award for World Film Favorites in 1954, a prize he shared with Alan Ladd. 

Robert Taylor: The Man with the Perfect Profile

Robert Taylor and Van Heflin in a scene from Johnny Eager. While Taylor delivered a fine performance, it was Van Heflin who stole the show with his Oscar-winning performance as Eager's loyal and sensitive friend.

Source: icollector.com

Forgive me if I was rude or thoughtless

Here's a short note from Robert Taylor to Ginger Rogers who dated each other somewhere in the 1930s. Their dating was probably instigated by MGM (Taylor's studio) who wanted Taylor to be seen as a man-about-town, and Ginger Rogers was just one of the several women he went out with (according to Victoria Wilson, A Life of Barbara Stanwyck, 2013). Taylor's note to Rogers is a note of apology. I'm not sure when and why it was written, but apparently Rogers had missed out on a great party and Taylor was the cause of her missing it (perhaps he had promised to take her and later changed his mind?) At any rate, Taylor's handwritten note can be seen below.

Transcript:

Dear Ginger-

From all reports the party Saturday night was a wonderful one. I can't tell you how sorry I am for being even partially the cause of your missing it.

You do understand, I know, the reasons responsible for my sudden reversal -- and I hope you will forgive me if I was rude or thoughtless.

Fondly, 

Bob

Via: robert taylor actor

I do appreciate your kindness

On 14 May 1939, Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Taylor got married. Their marriage had been arranged with the help of Taylor's studio MGM. The two stars had been seeing each other since 1936 (after they starred together in My Brother's Wife), but it wasn't until 1939 that the studio thought it was time for them to get married. An article on unmarried Hollywood couples in the January issue of the popular magazine "Photoplay" (click here to read the article) had apparently opened MGM's eyes and the big boss Louis B. Mayer now insisted on the couple marrying. Mayer even went as far as supervising the wedding arrangements himself.

The newlyweds on 14 May 1939; their marriage would last until 1951. Barbara Stanwyck never remarried and would later state that Robert Taylor was the love of her life.

The following note was written by Barbara Stanwyck to Eddie Mannix, vice-president at MGM. Two days after her wedding to Robert Taylor, Barbara thanks Mannix for the flowers he sent her, presumably on the occasion of her wedding.

Source: bonhams/ image reproduced with permission

Transcript:

May 16/39

Dear Eddie.

Thank you so much for your beautiful flowers. I do appreciate your kindness to me and I sincerely hope I shall please all of you as much as I know Bob has. The very best for you always Eddie, and bless you,

Barbara