work as an animal rights activist. "Whenever the subject of compulsory rabies inoculation or vivisection came up," wrote the United Press, "Miss Taylor was always in the fore to lead the battle against the measure." She was the president and founder of the California Pet Owners' Protective League, an organization that focused on finding homes for pets to prevent them from going to local animal shelters. In 1953, Taylor was appointed to the Los Angeles City Animal Regulation Commission, which she served as vice president. Death Taylor died of cancer at her home in Los Angeles on April 15, 1958, at the age of 63. The Los Angeles City Council adjourned that same day "out of respect to her memory." Ex-husband Jack Dempsey said, "I'm very sorry to hear of her death. I didn't know she was that ill. We hadn't seen each other for about 10 years. She was a wonderful person." Her funeral was held on April 17 in Pierce Bros. Hollywood Chapel. She was interred at Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. She was survived by her mother, Ida "Bertha" Barrett Boylan; her sister, Helen Taylor Clark; and a niece, Frances Iblings. She left an estate of more than $10,000, most of it to her family and $200 for the care and maintenance of her three dogs, which she left to her friend Ella Mae Abrams. Legacy Taylor was known for her dark features and for the sensuality she brought to the films in which she appeared. Gossip columnist Erskine Johnson considered her "the screen's No. 1 oomph girl of the 20s." For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Estelle Taylor was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1620 Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Awards One of Photoplay'''s Best Performances of the Month (June 1929) for Where East Is East One of Screenland's Ten Best Portrayals of the Month (November 1931) for Street SceneFilm portrayal In the 1983 American television biopic Dempsey'', Estelle Taylor was portrayed by British actress Victoria Tennant. Filmography Notes References External links Estelle Taylor at Virtual History Estelle Taylor in The Silent Collection by Tammy Stone A 1922 portrait of Estelle Taylor—which looks to be on a movie set—and a 1936 portrait 1894 births 1958 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Wilmington, Delaware American artists' models American women singers American film actresses American silent film actresses American stage actresses American