The original article on which this one is based, is on my website http://www.countyhistorian.com at "Elizabeth Taylor" on CountyHistorian.
Also see my article on this same topic at Ancestry of Elizabeth Taylor on Examiner.com
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The work that Elizabeth Taylor did in "A Place in the Sun" was stunning. It was remarkable, an entire level beyond anything she had ever done up to this point. Working across from Method actors like Montgomery Clift and the fabulous Shelley Winters, she was truly out-of-her-depth. George Stevens, the director made her do take after take until he got just the exact response he wanted out of her. Up to this point, directors were just happy that she appeared in their films, but Stevens demanded more. Clift worked with her to help her draw insights out of herself, and use Method techniques to intensify her performance.
In contrast to the playboy, alcoholic, temperamental Hilton, her next husband Michael Wilding (1912-79) was a British actor who had a rather calm personality. Wilding had already been a star in Britain when they met, and was twice her age.
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Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding married on 21 Feb 1952. At their marriage he was 39, and she was 18. Living at first in Britain, they decided to move to Hollywood and Wilding made some appearances in films there, but never with the impact that he had had in Britain. While married to Liz he was quite dependent on her earning power, and clout to get him roles.
Meanwhile Elizabeth filmed ''Giant'' opposite Rock Hudson, and James Dean. Based on a novel by Edna Ferber and director by the incomparable George Stevens. Notice a very young Dennis Hopper as one of their sons, and a very young Sal Mineo as the son of their employee. Rock Hudson says that since James Dean died (30 Sep 1955) before the editing of the picture was completed, and his speech at the end in the banquet room was played too drunk, they had to get Nick Adams to loop the dialogue instead. During the shooting, in Marfa, Texas, Rock and Elizabeth together invented the chocolate martini. Rock and Elizabeth remained close friends the rest of his life, when he died she oversaw some of the arrangements. Shooting was completed October 1955 but the film wasn't released until 1956. The film played at an amazing three hours and eighteen minutes, but kept you riveted.
Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding had two children together, before their 30 Jan 1957 divorce. Shelley Winters says, "One night we were invited to play poker up at Michael Todd's house. He was living up in the Hollywood Hills with Evelyn Keyes. Elizabeth Taylor, looking her gorgeous self, was there with her husband, Michael Wilding; so were Debbie Reynolds and a very loving Eddie Fisher, who was on his way to becoming a TV star." She then relates the tale that Eddie Fisher and Michael Wilding were both losing furiously to Michael Todd, Debbie and Elizabeth especially were visibly upset. Todd glanced at the faces of his friends' distressed wives and purposely upset the table, knocking everything over, so nobody lost anything.
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While Liz was filming "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with Paul Newman, Mike Todd died in a plane crash in New Mexico. This was the only one of Elizabeth's first six marriages which did not end in divorce.
After Mike Todd's death says Shelley Winters, "The uncaring way she behaved toward those who loved her during that period was not in character with the sweet Elizabeth I had known when we were both young and so eager for life, almost like she was 'getting even' with her tragic fate at Todd's death."
Also see my article on this same topic at Ancestry of Elizabeth Taylor on Examiner.com
| Biography of Elizabeth Taylor | |||||
| Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 You Are Here | Ancestry | Movies |
[Edit]
The work that Elizabeth Taylor did in "A Place in the Sun" was stunning. It was remarkable, an entire level beyond anything she had ever done up to this point. Working across from Method actors like Montgomery Clift and the fabulous Shelley Winters, she was truly out-of-her-depth. George Stevens, the director made her do take after take until he got just the exact response he wanted out of her. Up to this point, directors were just happy that she appeared in their films, but Stevens demanded more. Clift worked with her to help her draw insights out of herself, and use Method techniques to intensify her performance.
In contrast to the playboy, alcoholic, temperamental Hilton, her next husband Michael Wilding (1912-79) was a British actor who had a rather calm personality. Wilding had already been a star in Britain when they met, and was twice her age.
| David Niven, in his book "Bring On the Empty Horses", reports that "soon after World War II", Hedda Hopper, the notorious Hollywood gossip columnist, wrote a book called "The Whole Truth and Nothing But". In it, she wrote, according to Niven "...that she had summoned Elizabeth Taylor to her house and tried to dissuade her from marrying Michael Wilding because not only was he too old for her but he had also long indulged in homosexual relations with Stewart Granger." Niven reports that, "I told her I thought she was mad to print it, and was bound to get sued if she did.... Hedda and her publisher were sued for $3,000,000 and had to cough up a settlement and an abject apology."(BEH, p87) |
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| Elizabeth Taylor (age 23) in 1956's "Giant" Watch "Giant" on YouTube |
[Edit]
Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding married on 21 Feb 1952. At their marriage he was 39, and she was 18. Living at first in Britain, they decided to move to Hollywood and Wilding made some appearances in films there, but never with the impact that he had had in Britain. While married to Liz he was quite dependent on her earning power, and clout to get him roles.
Meanwhile Elizabeth filmed ''Giant'' opposite Rock Hudson, and James Dean. Based on a novel by Edna Ferber and director by the incomparable George Stevens. Notice a very young Dennis Hopper as one of their sons, and a very young Sal Mineo as the son of their employee. Rock Hudson says that since James Dean died (30 Sep 1955) before the editing of the picture was completed, and his speech at the end in the banquet room was played too drunk, they had to get Nick Adams to loop the dialogue instead. During the shooting, in Marfa, Texas, Rock and Elizabeth together invented the chocolate martini. Rock and Elizabeth remained close friends the rest of his life, when he died she oversaw some of the arrangements. Shooting was completed October 1955 but the film wasn't released until 1956. The film played at an amazing three hours and eighteen minutes, but kept you riveted.
Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding had two children together, before their 30 Jan 1957 divorce. Shelley Winters says, "One night we were invited to play poker up at Michael Todd's house. He was living up in the Hollywood Hills with Evelyn Keyes. Elizabeth Taylor, looking her gorgeous self, was there with her husband, Michael Wilding; so were Debbie Reynolds and a very loving Eddie Fisher, who was on his way to becoming a TV star." She then relates the tale that Eddie Fisher and Michael Wilding were both losing furiously to Michael Todd, Debbie and Elizabeth especially were visibly upset. Todd glanced at the faces of his friends' distressed wives and purposely upset the table, knocking everything over, so nobody lost anything.
| [Edit] Elizabeth met her next husband aggressively loud showman Mike Todd (1909-1958) and they married in 1957. Mike Todd is most known today as the hand behind the movie "Around the World in 80 Days". Todd was very much a wheeler-dealer who believed in showy spectaculars. Brash, crude, but fun-loving. They married 3 days after her divorce from Michael Wilding. Shelley Winters states that, "I've always believed that Mike Todd was the true love of Elizabeth's life. I knew her quite well during that time, and she was so happy and beautiful that it almost hurt your eyes to look at her." By most accounts the relationship with Todd was mutually flamboyant, violent, and probably exciting in some way. Watch an interview with Mike and Liz Liz co-starred in "Raintree County" with Montgomery Clift. While in the middle of filming, Monty happened to come over for a party and while leaving in the night crashed his car and disfigured his face. Filming had to be held until he could have plastic surgery and recover. |
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[Edit]
While Liz was filming "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with Paul Newman, Mike Todd died in a plane crash in New Mexico. This was the only one of Elizabeth's first six marriages which did not end in divorce.
After Mike Todd's death says Shelley Winters, "The uncaring way she behaved toward those who loved her during that period was not in character with the sweet Elizabeth I had known when we were both young and so eager for life, almost like she was 'getting even' with her tragic fate at Todd's death."
[Edit] In 1959 Elizabeth Taylor starred in ''Suddenly Last Summer'' opposite Montgomery Clift and Katherine Hepburn. Katherine Hepburn wants her niece Elizabeth Taylor, who has gone insane, lobotomized by the doctor Montgomery Clift, to prevent her from spilling the secret of how Katherine's son actually died a horrible death. (Watch it here on YouTube Part 1, or buy it VHS, or DVD.) For some reason Katherine was quite distressed during the filming of this movie. Her recent biographers believe it was due to her own brother dying by an accidental suicide when she was young. Around this time, Elizabeth set her sights on Eddie Fisher, then married to actress Debbie Reynolds and father of actress Carrie Fisher. It's been said that no man could resist Liz, although Shelley Winters states that Marlon Brando seemed immune. Eddie divorced Debbie Reynolds and then married Taylor in 1959. |
| Biography of Elizabeth Taylor | |||||
| Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 You Are Here | Ancestry | Movies |
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I really have enjoyed the work of Elizabeth Taylor. She did a great job though out here entire career. Of course she made her mistakes, but she'll always be remembered as a good person.
Anonymous - 20 Aug 2010www.shaferplasticsurgerynyc.com