One of the last great movie stars of the golden age of cinema, Elizabeth Taylor, passed away today at the age of 79. Suffering from numerous health problems over the last several years, Taylor succumbed to complications arising from congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles California. Taylor is survived by four children, ten grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.
I'd hazard that most people below 30 have heard of Liz Claiborne before Liz Taylor, but in her time Taylor was one of the most beautiful and talented actresses in Hollywood. In a film and television career that spanned an incredible 61 years, Taylor was a five time Oscar nominee for Best Actress winning for 1960's BUtterfield 8 and 1966's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Taylor was married eight times most notably to seven time Oscar nominee Richard Burton, once the highest paid man in Hollywood. Taylor retreated from Hollywood in the late 60s and in to the 70s seeking to focus more on her marriages. Liz Taylor also had her struggles with substance abuse, checking into the famous Betty Ford clinic in the early 80s.
Later in life the actress also dabbled in the jewelry and perfume industries. Taylor was active in several charities, including those related to AIDS related research after her close friend and fellow actor Rock Hudson died of AIDS related illness in 1985.
Elizabeth Taylor is an actress I consider to be the female Marlon Brando. Starring in films with actors like Richard Burton, Spencer Tracy, Paul Newmann, and James Dean, Taylor's method acting and willingness to throw herself into a character was second to none. Sultry, sexy, sophisticated, complicated, talented, and passionate, Liz Taylor was all of these things and more. You cannot write the history of cinema without mentioning Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor.
And that I think that is the most telling testament to Liz Taylor's true impact on the movies.
She was great in "Cleopatra"
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