The Birds star Rod Taylor dies at 84

The Birds star Rod Taylor has died, aged 84. The Hollywood actor passed away at his home on Wednesday (07Jan15), surrounded by family and friends.
The Australia-born star was best known for his iconic role in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 classic The Birds, opposite Tippi Hedren, who paid tribute to him in a statement.
It reads: “There are so many incredible feelings I have for him. Rod was a great pal to me and a real strength, we were very, very good friends. He was one of the most fun people I have ever met, thoughtful and classy, there was everything good in that man.”
Taylor appeared in more than 50 films throughout his six-decade long career, including films such as The Time Machine, The Train Robbers, The Catered Affair, Sunday in New York, 101 Dalmatians, and his last acting credit, Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 war film Inglourious Basterds, in which Taylor played Winston Churchill.
He also starred in a number of TV series, including Murder, She Wrote and Walker, Texas Ranger, and appeared in various stage productions in his native Australia.
Taylor is survived by his wife of 35 years, Carol, and their daughter Felicia.