FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

Quiz about The Murder of William Desmond Taylor

The Murder of William Desmond Taylor Quiz

Noted silent film director noted more in death than in life. Who killed him and why?

A multiple-choice quiz by blakey. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
blakey

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
148,353

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1509

Last 3 plays: Johnmcmanners (10/10), Guest 1 (7/10), Guest 68 (3/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Where was William Desmond Taylor originally from? Hint

England

Scotland

Wales

Ireland

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. When was his body discovered? Hint

September 1, 1922

June 3, 1920

February 2, 1922

April 2, 1923

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Who was found rummaging through the drawers of his house when the body was discovered? Hint

His butler

His girlfriend

His wife

His driver

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. What else was found at the house that linked two other people to the crime? Hint

All of these

Blond Hairs on his clothes

Love letters

A thirty eight caliber bullet

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. What cleared all the women in Taylor's life? Hint

There was no lipstick on his clothing

He was gay

No real motive

Nothing they were still suspects

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. What was Taylor trying to stop in Hollywood that could also have led to his death? Hint

Playing favorites

Illegal Alcohol

Drug pushers

Kickbacks

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Two others were also suspects in the case that, at one time, were close to him. Who were they? Hint

His banker and attorney

His wife and daughter

His Stepmother and Grandchild

His partners

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. His murder and what two other scandals led to the almost demise of Hollywood? Hint

Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson

Fatty Arbuckle and Rudolph Valentino

Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin

Fatty Arbuckle and Wallace Reid

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Was William Desmond Taylor his real name?

Yes

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Who was eventually tried for the crime? Hint

Nobody

Edward Sands

Mabel Normand

Henry Peavey

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Most Recent Scores

Nov 23 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 10/10
Nov 18 2024 : Guest 1: 7/10
Oct 30 2024 : Guest 68: 3/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where was William Desmond Taylor originally from?

Answer: Ireland

He was born in 1872, and moved to New York in 1890.

2. When was his body discovered?

Answer: February 2, 1922

In his study with a bullet in his back.

3. Who was found rummaging through the drawers of his house when the body was discovered?

Answer: His girlfriend

Mabel Normand, his girlfriend and famous comedienne, she was also a suspect. The press also disclosed her as a heavy cocaine user.

4. What else was found at the house that linked two other people to the crime?

Answer: All of these

Mary Miles Minter, the young star who was supposed to be the next Mary Pickford, had left love letters behind in Taylor's apartment - and blonde hairs were found on Taylor's coat. Minter's mother, Charlotte Shelby, was the stage mother extraordinaire, controlling her daughter's life down to her meals. She certainly wouldn't have wanted her daughter in a love affair with a 50-year old man - and she owned a .38 caliber pistol. Any of these people could be the murderer.

5. What cleared all the women in Taylor's life?

Answer: Nothing they were still suspects

Neighbors reported hearing the shot and saw a young, dark haired man leaving the house.

6. What was Taylor trying to stop in Hollywood that could also have led to his death?

Answer: Drug pushers

His girlfriend, Mabel Normand, was a noted cocaine user. After he saw what it was doing to her and others he asked the Federal government to stop the pushers.

7. Two others were also suspects in the case that, at one time, were close to him. Who were they?

Answer: His wife and daughter

Taylor married the daughter of a wealthy Wall Street broker and had a daughter while in New York. In 1908, he deserted them and moved to the west coast.

8. His murder and what two other scandals led to the almost demise of Hollywood?

Answer: Fatty Arbuckle and Wallace Reid

Shortly before Taylor's death, Fatty Arbuckle was accused of sexual misconduct by a prostitute. After Taylor's death, Wallace Reid died from a drug overdose. Censorship boards seized the opportunity to wage a war against Hollywood. The morals groups threatened to put an end not only to the behavior of the stars, but to the entire movie industry.

This led to a movement to clean up Hollywood and a new age of censorship and studio control was born.

9. Was William Desmond Taylor his real name?

Answer: no

He was born William Cunningham Dean Tanner, then took the name Pete Tanner and changed it Cunningham Dean. After deserting his wife and daughter he changed it to William Desmond Taylor.

10. Who was eventually tried for the crime?

Answer: Nobody

There were so many more suspects with behind the scenes motives that complicated the case and no clear suspect ever emerged. His case is still open to this day.

Source: Author blakey

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.