Elizabeth Taylor is an American actress, famous not only for her roles in several critically acclaimed Hollywood movies, but also for her beauty and her often high profile public and private live. She is the winner of two Academy Awards for best actress, as well as being a feature on PEOPLE magazine covers fourteen times, and was named ‘dame’ by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999. Her private live has also garnered attention, with her many marriages and illnesses. She was a close friend of pop star Michael Jackson and is godmother to two of his children.
Elizabeth Taylor was born in London, England in 1932. Though she was born in England, her parents were American art dealers who had gone to London to set up an art gallery. Her mother had been an actress but retired when she married Taylor’s father. Taylor lived in England until she was seven and then the family moved back to the states before the beginnings of World War II. It was in the city of Los Angeles, CA that Taylor’s beauty caught the eye of a family friend and though she should do a screen test. Universal Studios were impressed and signed her to a contract, where she appeared in her first featured film, “There’s One Born Every Minute” in 1942 at the age of ten. She was released from the contract however, but was soon spotted by MGM.
Taylor would make her first showing for MGM in the movie, “Lassie Come Home” which would lead to a full contract to MGM. She would have small parts until 1944 when she starred in, “National Velvet” with Mickey Rooney. It was a smash hit and made Taylor the top MGM film start at that time. Her status as a star would continue to rise with the films, “Life with Father” , “Courage of Lassie” , and “Elephant Walk” and co-starring with such heavyweights as William Powell and Irene Dunne.
By the early 1950’s, Taylor was an adult and getting adult roles. She would appear opposite James Dean in his last film role, “Giant” and following that with her role opposite Paul Newman in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” . Taylor would be nominated several times for the best actress Academy Award, but would lose out, until 1960, when she would win for her role in the film, “Butterfield 8” . Her win was quite controversial, as some thought it a mercy win due to the events that led up to the ceremony (her husband was killed in a plane crash and she had emergency surgery).
In 1960, Taylor would become the highest paid actress in Hollywood when she signed a contract to play the lead role in 20th Century Fox’s production of “Cleopatra” . The movie is widely known as the most expensive movie production, its budget ballooning to $44 million dollars and nearly bankrupting 20th Century Fox. It currently holds the first place rank on the Forbes magazine and second on the Know Your Money lists for the most expensive films since 1963. It is also the film where Taylor would meet future husband Richard Burton; this relationship caused a stir as both were still married to other people at the time. Taylor would net her second Academy Award for her performance as Martha in the screen adaptation of, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” in 1966. While she would continue to act, as the late sixties gave way to the 1970’s, Taylor’s star status would start to dwindle.
Taylor is known for being married eight times to seven different husbands. The death of her third husband, Michael Todd, died in a plane crash in 1958. His death, added with the emergency surgery Taylor underwent to save her life is contributed to her first Academy Award win. She would again make headlines when she began an affair with singer, Eddie Fisher; Fisher – who was then married to actress Debbie Reynolds – would divorce his wife and marry Taylor. Some have sighted that the negative publicity from this -the public divorce and public marriage – caused the decline of Fisher’s career.
Taylor’s next two marriages would be with fellow actor Richard Burton, whom she began an affair with while on the set of “Cleopatra” . She would marry the actor twice, first in 1964 and then again in 1975. The couple had a turbulent relationship, which fueled the media. The movie, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is sometimes sighted as film version of their actual marriage. Taylor has devoted her off screen time to other activities – she has launched three separate perfumes, as well as designing several pieces of jewelry as part of her Elizabeth Collection. She has also fought for AIDS awareness, helping to raise nearly $50 million dollars to fight the disease.
Audrey Marple
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