Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011), actress, humanitarian.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the most popular and successful actresses that Hollywood ever produced. Born in England to American parents from Kansas, she held dual citizenship. The tense situation in Europe that led up to World War II led her parents to move to California in 1939. Her striking physical presence, even as a child, led to many child film roles, such as Lassie Come Home, Jane Eyre, and National Velvet, which shot her to instant fame. Her last role as a child star was in Little Women.

Taylor struggled for a couple of years to make the transition to adult roles before finding success in Father of the Bride with Spencer Tracy. She followed this with such classic films as A Place in the Sun (with Montgomery Clift), Giant(with Rock Hudson and James Dean), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (with Paul Newman), and BUtterfield 8 (with her husband, Eddie Fisher), for which Taylor earned an Oscar for Best Actress.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in "The Taming of the Shrew"

Taylor was almost as famous for her many marriages as she was for her film work. Her husbands included hotel heir Conrad Hilton, actor Michael Wilding, movie producer Michael Todd, singer Eddie Fisher, and Senator John Warner. However, she is best remembered for her two marriages to noted British actor Richard Burton. The two met while filming Cleopatra, Taylor’s signature role. The couple went on to make ten more films together, including Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, (which earned Taylor her second Best Actress Oscar), Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and the made-for-TV film Divorce His, Divorce Hers, as well as a stage version of Noel Coward’s Private Lives.

 

Although her star power decreased starting in the 1970′s, she continued to appear in films, including Stephen Sondheim’s musical A Little Night Music and Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d. Her last movie role was in the live action film The Flintstones in 1994. Taylor made her Broadway and London West End debut in 1982 in Lillian Hellman’s Little Foxes. She also appeared in many television shows, including the daytime soaps All My Children and General Hospital, as well as the miniseries North and South and two appearances onThe Simpsons. She also starred in the made-for-tv movie These Old Broads in 2001, alongside Debbie Reynolds, Shirley MacLaine, and Joan Collins.

 

Taylor with Michael Jackson

In her later years, Taylor was well-known as an activist and fund-raiser for AIDS related charities and events. She created a foundation for AIDS research and endowed several hospitals. She also produced her own line of jewelry and perfume. She was well-known as one of the closest friends to pop star Michael Jackson. Elizabeth Taylor suffered from many physical problems throughout her life, including five broken backs, hip replacements, a brain tumor, osteoporosis, and congestive heart failure, which plagued her for the last 7 years of her life and finally led to her death. As she reflected on her struggles in life, she said:




 “Elizabeth, I Love You” 1997
Mit Elizabeth Taylor verbindet Michael Jackson seit langem eine enge Freundschaft. Einander näher gebracht, hat sich wohl vor allem der Umstand, dass beide als Kinderstars aufgewachsen sind. Für ihre 65. Geburtstagsfeier im Februar 1997 machte ihr Michael Jackson sein grösstes Geschenk: Eine Liebeserklärung der besonderen Art.


Elizabeth, I Love You
written and composed by Michael Jackson

Welcome to Hollywood
That's what they told you
A child star in Hollywood
That's what they sold you
Grace with beauty, charme and talent
You would do what you were told
But they robbed you of your childhood
Took your youth and sold it for gold

Elizabeth, I love you
You're every star that shines in the world to me
Elizabeth can't you see that it's true
Elizabeth, I love you
You're more than just a star to me

Lovely Elizabeth
You have surpassed them all
My friend Elizabeth
Learned to outlast them all
Many started back when you did
Lost their way and now they're gone
But look at you, a true survivor
Full of life and carrying on

Elizabeth, I love you
You're every star that shines in the world to me
Elizabeth can't you see that it's true
Elizabeth, I love you
You're more than just a star

This is your life
You seem to have it all
You reached your peak
They wanted you to fall
It's very sad, this world can be so bad

Elisabeth Taylor
Geboren am 27.02.1932
Gestorben am 23.03.2011

10.307 1.182 11

Zurueck zur Gedenkstaette Erstellt am 24.03.2011,
Erstellt von Heike Aden-Seeberg