Looking At Elizabeth Taylor

Posted by medusamorlock on March 24, 2011

Note: Please read fellow Morlock Kimberly’s wonderful appreciation of Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor who died today, Wednesday, March 23, 2010, at the age of 79. Her post is beautiful! But since Morlocks clearly think alike sometimes, I also did a post at just about the same exact moment as Kimberly, and here it is:

Whether you thought she was a great actress or just a movie star, you have to admit she was THE movie star for a generation of moviegoers. From her debut as a little girl of 10, through her star-making MGM years, then into the years of crazy international stardom and oodles of publicity for her colorful and passionate off-screen life, Elizabeth Taylor held a fascination for the public nearly unequalled even today. It was a different time, of course, when Elizabeth Taylor ruled the headlines, a slightly more genteel time when beautiful movie stars maybe stole husbands from each other, but refrained from publicly exposing themselves quite the way it’s done today.

Many of us know a lot about Elizabeth Taylor’s life already, and those of us that don’t will certainly find out from the articles about her death. I think we’ll all find that despite it all — the crazy life almost totally lived out in front of the camera — that Elizabeth Taylor was a decent human being, with a large heart for many causes and a genuine interest in the world. Instead of rehashing her life at this point, I think it’s more important to reflect on the face of Elizabeth Taylor, that beautiful face that so hypnotized the audience and kept her career going forward for so many decades. So here are some more photos from my stash of early 1950s news snapshots, all of Elizabeth Taylor, and all of them intriguing.

On January 16, 1950, Elizabeth Taylor received her High School diploma from University High School in L.A.

Elizabeth Taylor proudly poses with her diploma

Elizabeth Taylor wed husband #1 Hilton heir Nicky Hilton in May of 1950

Elizabeth Taylor and some of her four-footed friends

Elizabeth Taylor and other Hollywood celebrities visited injured Korean War vets at Travis AFB in California

For information on “Operation Starlift” check out this great article from the Jimmy Doolittle Museum.

Elizabeth Taylor is Honored by Harvard Lampoon staffers in February 1951

For the whole story behind her Harvard Lampoon honor — actually she got two from them in 1951 — read this funny little article from Time Magazine of March 12, 1951.

Elizabeth is consoled by MGM publicity man Billy Lyons; could this be when she divorced Nicky Hilton?

Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Parks backstage at MGM during filming of "Love is Better Than Ever"

Elizabeth Taylor on a Hollywood set, a natural beauty

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011.

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9 Responses Looking At Elizabeth Taylor

Posted By NCeddie : March 24, 2011 2:35 am

I so enjoyed Elizabeth Taylor’s role in “Giant.” With the story’s span of decades, we got a glimpse of “older” Elizabeth. Watching her in those last scenes, I somehow knew that whatever she did in the decades to come or however she looked, we would never be disappointed in our journey with Elizabeth. And we weren’t! Of that foretelling performance in “Giant,” I would have to quote a Jon Lovitz line from an old SNL skit– “That’s acting!”
Farewell to the last star.

Posted By Kimberly Lindbergs : March 24, 2011 3:09 am

She was so photogenic. Just stunning! Thanks so much for sharing all these lovely photos with us, Lisa.

Posted By suzidoll : March 24, 2011 11:38 am

Liz was an animal lover, too, which always made me like her even more. The last two photos are terrific.

Posted By Kathryn : March 24, 2011 12:17 pm

In case anyone is interested, Elizabeth Taylor’s family and friends ask that in lieu of gifts or flowers that fans send donations to her AIDS Foundation. The link can be found here: http://www.elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org/how-you-can-help

Posted By Angoradebbs : March 24, 2011 1:04 pm

Just as Larry King has stated within the last several hours. There will never be another Elizabeth Taylor. In The African-American tradition, there has always been a “big momma” type in many of our families. A mother, an aunt, or grandmother that mothered everybody and everybody in the family went to her for advice, comfort, and unconditional love. This exemplifies Elizabeth Taylor. “Big momma, E.” She was our national “Big momma”, and all we can say is thankyou, “Big momma E”. We will always love you.

Posted By Charlie Potts : March 28, 2011 10:50 pm

A friend of my mother used to be a dancer at MGM way back when. She said that when teenager Elizabeth Taylor would go to the commissary, EVERYBODY would turn and stare. Apparently she was pretty good looking, even by Hollywood standards.

Posted By dukeroberts : March 30, 2011 1:21 pm

Wow. Those last two pictures are stunning.

Posted By J. Shannon : March 31, 2011 4:50 am

Where to begin? The last of Hollywoods Golden Age/Studio-System Heavyweights!!!

Most coverage also neglected to cite her AFI Award, plus, ranking #7th in it’s 1999 special of actresses?

& to the person whom cited the legendary “Giant” 4 stars!
Most coverage left it out?

& she was magnificent in “Virginia Woolf…” Though even she agreed her 1st OSCAR was a mistake

She was furious when Burton didn’t also “Walk Down-the-Aisle” as well for “Woolf…

Another thing left out she was gonna’ play Ava Gardner’s eventual role in “Night of the Iguana” Again opposite Richard Burton, but couldn’t for some reason.

Ava seemed like a kinda’ tune-up for Martha though & one can easily see the connection

“Essential Elizabeth Taylor”
“Giant”
“A Place in the Sun”
“Father of the Bride”
& “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”

I personally think she reached her peak of beauty as Maggie the Cat!

I believe she was laid to rest at only 3 & 1/2 acre “Westwood, park?”

THANK YOU & SUZIE, if you see this please reply to last e-mail

THANX!

Posted By J. Shannon : March 31, 2011 4:54 am

I 2nd Suziedoll’s opinion of ANIMALS!!!

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