Kenneth D. Taylor
|
Kenneth D. Taylor OC |
|
|---|---|
 |
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| Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Iran | |
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In office September 1977 – January 1980 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister |
Pierre Trudeau (1977–79) Joe Clark (1979–80) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kenneth Douglas Taylor October 5, 1934 Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | October 15, 2015 (aged 81) New York City, New York, United States |
| Spouse(s) | Pat Taylor |
| Alma mater |
University of Toronto University of California, Berkeley |
Kenneth Douglas "Ken" Taylor OC (October 5, 1934 – October 15, 2015) was a Canadian diplomat, educator and businessman, best known for his role in the 1979 covert operation called the "Canadian Caper" when he was the Canadian ambassador to Iran. With the cooperation of the American Central Intelligence Agency, Taylor helped six Americans escape from Iran during the Iran hostage crisis by procuring Canadian passports for the Americans to deceive the Iranian Revolutionary guard, posing as a Canadian film crew scouting locations. Before the escape, the six Americans spent several weeks hiding in the homes of Taylor and another Canadian diplomat, John Sheardown.
Taylor is portrayed by Gordon Pinsent in the Canadian 1981 television film, Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper which dramatizes the cover story for the operation. The later 2012 American film, Argo, focuses more on the CIA and Hollywood's role, with Taylor played by Canadian actor Victor Garber.
Taylor was born in Calgary, Alberta. He completed his BA at Victoria College of the University of Toronto and his MBA at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a brother of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was later honoured with its highest award, Significant Sigma Chi.
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