Elizabeth Taylor

I was born as Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor in London, England on February 27, 1932. Although I was born an English subject, my parents were American who were art dealers from St. Louis, Missouri. My father had gone to London to set up a gallery. My mother had been an actress on the stage, but gave up that vocation when she married. I lived in London for the first seven years of my life before my family left when the dark clouds of war began brewing in 1939. My family sailed without my father who stayed behind to wrap up the loose ends of the art business. The family relocated to Los Angeles, California where my mother's own family had moved. My father followed not long afterward. A family friend noticed me and suggested that I be taken for a screen test. I passed and was signed to a contract with Universal Studios. My first foray onto the silver screen was in the film, called a short, There's One Born Every Minute (1942) released in 1942 when I was ten. Universal let the contract drop after the one film and I was picked up by MGM. The first production I made with them was Lassie Come Home (1943).On the strength of that one film, MGM signed me to a full year. My next two films were minuscule parts in 1944, White Cliffs of Dover, The (1944) and Jane Eyre (1944). The former was made while I was on loan to Fox Studios. Then came the film that made me a star, MGM's National Velvet in 1944. I played Velvet Brown opposite Mickey Rooney. The film was a smash hit grossing over $4 million. Now I had a long term contract with MGM and was their top child star. With no films in 1945, I returned in 1946 in Courage Of Lassie . In 1947, when I was 15, I starred in Life with Father co-starring with such cinema heavyweights as 'William Powell' , Irene Dunne, and 'ZaSu Pitts' . Thoughout the balance of the 40s and into the early 50s, I appeared in film after film with mostly good results. 1954 proved my busiest year to date with roles in Rhapsody , Beau Brummell , Last Time I Saw Paris, The and Elephant Walk . I was 22 and, now, a beautiful young woman. In 1956, I appeared in the hit Giant with James Dean. Sadly, Dean never saw the release of the film as he died in a car accident in 1955. The next year saw me star in Raintree County (1957), an overblown film made, partially, in Kentucky. The film was said to be dry as dust. Despite the shortcomings of the film, I was nominated for an Academy Award for my portrayal of Southern belle, Susanna Drake. Unfortunately forme , the honor went to Joanne Woodward for Three Faces Of Eve, The (1957) , on Oscar night. In 1958, I starred as Maggie Pollitt, in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof . The film received rave reviews from the critics and I was nominated again for another Academy Award for best actress - losing to 'Susan Hayward' in I Want To Live (1958) . I was a hot commodity in the film world. In 1959, I again appeared in another mega-hit and again another nomination for Suddenly, Last Summer . And once again, I lost, this time to Simone Signoret in Room At The Top (1959) . My Oscar drought ended in 1960 when I landed the coveted honor at last. As Gloria Wandrous in Butterfield 8 , I performed flawlessly in the role of a call-girl who is involved with a married man and who later dies in an auto accident. Some of the critics blasted the movie but they couldn't ignore my performance. There were no more films for me for three years. I had left MGM after my contract ran out, but would do projects for them later down the road. In 1963, I starred in Cleopatra (1963) which was one of the most expensive productions to date, as was my salary,a whopping $1,000,000. This was also the film where I met my future and fifth husband, Richard Burton. (The previous four were, Conrad Hilton, Michael Wilding, 'Michael Todd (I)' (who died in a plane crash) and Eddie Fisher). My next handful of films were lackluster at best, especially 1963's V.I.P.s, The (1963) which was torn apart by most critics. I was to return to fine form with my role of Martha in 1966's Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966) . The role as a loudmouth unkempt woman easily was my finest personal performance to date. For this I would win my second Oscar and one that was more than well-deserved. My films afterward didn't approach the intensity of that one. Since then I have appeared in several films, both for the silver screen and television. I also have appeared on a number of TV programs. My last was 1994's The Flinstones. In February 1997, I entered the hospital for the removal of a brain tumor. The operation was successful. As for my private life, I divorced Burton in 1974, only to remarry him in 1975 and divorce, permanently, in 1976. I have had two husbands since, Senator John Warner and Larry Fortensky.