Who was Elizabeth Taylor?

Elizabeth Taylor was a British-American Academy-Award winning actress born on February 27, 1932 in London, England. Her original name was Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor and was born to Francis Lenn Taylor and Sara Sothern.Her parents were living in London during the time of her birth but returned to American after the outbreak of Second World war.

She had an older brother named Howard Taylor. Her family came from an art family. She was brought up in art family. Her father was an art dealer and her mother was a retired stage actress. Taylor was known for her love affairs and romantic relation. However, She remains one of the world’s most iconic women. She won the hearts of millions with her beauty, independent spirit, strength and acting skills. She is considered as the last classic Hollywood icon.

What was the nickname of Elizabeth Taylor?

Liz Taylor

Education

She studied in Montessori School in Highgate, London called Byron High School where she learned Christian Science. She also attended the Hawthorne School, Beverly Hills, California; and later in the MGM studio school and recieved a degree from University High School in 1950.

Did Elizabeth Taylor really have violet eyes?

Taylor was one of the world’s most iconic actresses of Hollywood Golden era famous for her beauty. She was famously known for her raven-haired stunner and unique dark blue eyes which appeared to be violet.

Physical Stats, Height & Weight

Photos of Elizabeth Taylor

Acting Career 

Taylor was one of the most popular stars of Hollywood cinema who is considered to be the last icon of Hollywood’s golden era.At a very young age she was considered one of the world’s greatest beauties. She began her acting career as a child actress in the early 1940s but later transitioned into mature roles. Many film personnel often visited her father’s art gallery where she was discovered. Her screen debut was in 1942’s “There’s One Born Every Minute” when she was just 9 years old.

She signed a contract with MGM (Mero-Goldwyn-Mayer) in 1943 and she later continously worked on different films under MGM. Her first fim under MGM production was Lassie Come Home in 1944 and first leading role was “National Velvet” (1944), a sports film in which she appeared alongside Mickey Rooney.The film was box office success which make her beginning her stardom. Later came many critically acclaimed films such as “Julia Misbehaves” (1948), “Father of the Bride” (1950), and “A Place in the Sun” (1951).

In 1957 she earns her first Academy Award nomination for the film “Raintree’s County. However the film was not box-office so successful. Her most next notable performance came in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). Her performance in this film as Maggie the Cat was highly appreciated. Her next performance award winning performance came in “Suddenly, last Summer”. In 1961 came her first Academy Award winnning performance in 1960, “BUtterfield 8”, a drama about a high-class call girl. She starred in 20th Century-Fox’ “Cleopatra” (1963).

She was the first actress to deal $1 million dollar contract for her role in Cleopatra making her the highest-paid actress in the history of Hollywood at the time. “Cleopatra”, was one of the most expensive productions of that time, and also one of her most popular and classical work of Taylor.She reached at the peak of her career during the 1950’s and early 1960’s.

She won her second Oscar for best actress for her role as Martha “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” alongside Richard Burton. However at the same time her personal life had many problems from illness, alcoholism, massive scandal love affairs and divorces. So her carrer began declining in the late 1960’s. The film was nominated for 13 Academy Awards.Her last work with Richard Burton was 1973 film Divorce His, Divorce Hers In 1973 came some of he movies such as Night Watch,Ash Wednesday and in 1974 she worked only in one film The Driver’s Seat. But they were not much successful.

In the late 1970’s she married John Warner and took semi retirement from acting for sometime as she focussed more on the career of her husband. After some period of semi-retirment, she starred in the 1980’s film The Mirror Crack’d. From the late 1980’s and in her later years she starred appearing in many television productions and TV guest appearance.

Elizabeth Taylor spouse

How many times did Elizabeth Taylor married?

Taylor married eight times with different seven husband and with Richard Burton twice.

First marriage-

Taylor wed only at the age of 18 to 23-year-old hotel heir Conrad “Nicky” Hilton. Unfortunately the marriage was short lived. Their marriage started crumbling even before their honeymoon was over because of Hilton busive behavior, gambling and alcohlism. They divorced in less than a year on Jan. 29, 1951.

Second marriage-

Taylor second husband was British actor Michael Wilding, who is 20 years senior to her. She met him in England while making Ivanhoe. He was calm and gentle. They married on Feb. 21, 1952. The couple had two sons Michael and Christopher. However due to huge age difference and different stages of career, they divorced after five years on Jan. 26, 1957.

Third marriage-

For the third time Taylor married with film producer Mike Todd, who is also 25 years senior to her in 1957. He was a Jewish and the first major love of Taylor. The couple had a daughter,Liza. Tragically, he died in a plane crash in 1958. She later converted to Judaism as an honour to her late husband.

Fourth marriage-

In 1959 Taylor wed for the fourth time with singer Eddie Fisher in Las Vegas. He had been Mike Todd’s best friend. After Todd’s death, Taylor and Fisher became closer and gave her comfort during the demise of Fisher. Todd was already married to Debbie Reynolds who was also friend of Taylor. Their union caused controversary as Fisher abandoned his wife. But the matter was dissolved when she fell in love with Richard Burton during the shooting of Cleopatra. The couple divorced in 1964.

Fifth and Sixth marriage-

After seperation from Eddie Fisher, Taylor married Richard Burton. They were married during the shooting of Cleopatra and were together for 10 years with many ups and downs. The had an adopted daughter Maria, who was a German orphan. Their love affair was known all over the world,with Burton buying luxorious gifts woth millions of dollar for Taylor and several homes. Their marriage also caused a massive scandal across the world. Taylor and Burton divorced in 1974. After divorced they remarried and divorced again less than a year later.

Seventh marriage-

John Warner a former Navy secretary and a Republic politician from Virginia, who later became U.S senate in 1979 was the seventh husband of Taylor. They married in 1976. She took semi-retiement from acting and support in senate campaign of her husband. However, she was bored to remain as a Senator’s wife, so they eventually divorced in 1982, but they remain as friends forever.

Eighth marriage-

Larry Fortensky was Taylor’s last and eight husband was a contruction worker who is 20 years junior. She met him at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation cente. They tied the knot in 1991 at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch after each other’s recovery. They also divorced in 1996, but always keep in touch forever.

Top movies of Elizabeth Taylor Movies

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the finest actor Hollywood has ever seen. She had appered many films and numerous Tv shows from early 1940’s to 2001. She earned three Academy Award nomination and won two. Some of her classic movies are

A place in the Sun(1951)

The film was an adaptaion of 1926 novel “An American Tragedy” and the 1926 play of the same name.

It was directed by George Stevens, Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift and Shelley. Anne Revere and Raymond Burr also stars as supporting actor. The film was about a working class poor young man George Eastman played by Montgomery Clift who is entangled with two woman; one was his co-worker Alice played by Shelly Winters and the other was beautiful socialite Angela played by Elizabeth Taylor.

The film was crtically success and box-office hit. It bagged the first-ever Golden Globe Award for best motion picture and earned six Academy Award

“Raintree County” (1957)

The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk, Starring Elizabeth Taylor along with Montgomery Clift, Eva Marie Saint, Lee Marvin, Nigel Patrick. The film was a romantic drama based on the novel by Ross Lockridge Jr. Starring Montgomery Clift. When Susanna visits Indiana , she falls in love with John Wickliff Shawnessy(played by Montgomery Clift). Troubled began in their relationship when John discovered the mental illness of Susanna. When Civil war began, John uses it as an excuses to escape from the bond of marriage. The film was nominated four Academy Awards and Taylor won her first Academy Award for best actress category for her role as Southern belle Susanna Drake.

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”(1958)

The film was directed by Richard Brooks. It was based on the Tennessee Williams play. starring Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Judith Anderson, Jack Carson, Madeleine Sherwood, Larry Gates, Vaughn Taylor. Brick Pollitt(Paul Newman) played the role of an former football player who is and confined to his bedroom and drinking all the time with a broken ankle. Margaret Maggie, “the Cat”(Elizabeth Taylor) was the beautiful young wife of Brick. The film was about an unsuccessful married couple Maggie and Brick Pollitt.

After the dead of Big Daddy (Burl Ives), his first son eyeing more than his share of Big Daddy’s estate, besetting Big Daddy’s favorite son Brick and his wife. The film was one of the top ten box-office hits of its year. It earned six Academy Award nomination, including Apul Newman’s first nomination and Taylor for the second time.

“Cleopatra”(1963)

The film was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring Elizabeth Taylor(Cleopatra), Richard Burton (Mark Antony), Rex Harrison (Julius Caesar) and Roddy McDowall (Octavian).

“Cleopatra” is the classic film of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The film depicts the story of romances between the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and Julius Caeser and her Roman general Mark Antony. It was also one of the most expensive movies ever made at that time. It was so costly that Twentieth Century Fox was almost bankrupt Taylor made history when she became the first movie star to receive $1 million in “Cleopatra”. The film earned nine Academy Award nominationa and won four Cinematography, Art direction, Costume design and Special effects.

“Suddenly, Last Summer” (1959)

The film was adapted from the 1958 play of Tennessee Williams of same name. It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and produced by Sam Spiegel, starring Katharine Hepburn as Violet Venable, Elizabeth Taylor as Catherine Holly and Montgomery Clift as Dr. John Cukrowicz.

Taylor played the role of young woman who had mental issue after witnessing the death of her cousin and a doctor played by Montgomery Clift tries to recover her. It was Taylor first film  after her departure from MGM. Taylor earned her third ACademy Award nomination and bagged her first Golden Globe Award.

“BUtterfield 8″(1960)

It was the adaptation of the novel of John O’Hara. I was produced by Pandro S. Berman and directed by Daniel Mann. Starring Elizabeth Taylor along with Laurence Harvey and then-husband Eddie Fisher.

Taylor bagged her first Academy Award for best actress category for “BUtterfield 8, after three cconsecutive nominations. The film was about a young model call girl played by Elizabeth Taylor as Gloria Wandrous,who uses her beauty to meet her needs from men. When she meets handsome, young and married Weston Liggett played Laurence Harvey she was tormented by the contradictory impulses of flesh and conscience.

THE V.I.P.S (1963)

The film was directed by Anthony Asquith, written by Terence Rattigan and Starred by Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Louis Jordan and Margaret Rutherford. A British comedy-drama film was based on a true story of screen writer Terenc’s real life friend who plan to leave her husband. Frances Andros (Elizabeth Taylor) planned to run away with gigolo Marc Champselle(Louis Jordan) leaving her millionaire husband Paul Andros (Richard Burton). However due to fog, the plane was delayed and Paul tried to convince her wife not to leave him.

The film won an oscar award for best supporting actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress by Margaret Rutherford.

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966)

The film is an adaptation of Edward Albee’s play of the same name, with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis in the film. It was the second collaboration between Taylor and Richard Burton.

The film depicts a hostile night when history professor George (Burton) and his wife Martha (Taylor) gather at their home. Martha was the daughter of the university president. One of only two films nominated for an Oscar in each category, including all four actors were nominated and the film earned five. Taylor’s performance was considered the most memorable of her acting career and earned her second Best Actress Award.

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