Obit: Elizabeth Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)

Subject: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: 3refs
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:17 AM

Elizabeth Taylor died in the early hours this morning.

I was never a really big fan, but she was an incredible actress and absolutely stunning in her younger years!

R.I.P.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:21 AM

Oh that is sad, I loved her for just being Liz Taylor. Will she be buried in America or Wales I wonder?

RIP.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Richie Black (misused acct, bad email)
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:38 AM

Beautiful woman in her day. She lost the plot in her later years, befriending nut job Michael Jackson.

Last time I saw her being interviewed, she seemed to have the complexion of a drinker.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Beer
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:39 AM

RIP
Liz.
Ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:44 AM

Oh my. She entertained millions. RIP.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: GUEST,999
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:00 AM

My mom would have been really sad about this. She thought Liz was the world's most beautiful woman. As with almost anyone, I'm sad she's moved on.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:05 AM

I admired her for her work to combat AIDS and the colour of her eyes. She was grand in National Velvet when a young girl. It's sad to think she will not be around any more. She really has been an icon.

RIP,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: olddude
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:06 AM

Icon was the word, I am sorry to hear this news

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:32 AM

Probably my favorite Liz Taylor film was "Secret Ceremony" -- very quirky. "Dear God, by whose mercy I am sheltered for these few hours...never take this heaven from me."

Also "Reflections In a Golden Eye" with one scene added to distill the entire film -- better than the book, believe it or not. (How often does THAT happen?)

I don't go gaga over actors or actresses, but I enjoyed her films. And she entertained in life as well as on celluloid. It IS the passing of an era.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:59 AM

A stunningly beautiful woman in her younger days. I enjoyed her in many great films. We will miss her.RIP Liz.

Subject: RE: BS: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:59 AM

She was a grand lady. I am sorry she died.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:14 AM

She looked beautiful in 'Ivanhoe' 'The Sandpiper' and 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof'. She was always beautiful but those are my favourites.
RIP Miss Taylor

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:22 AM

I was never a big fan, but I did enjoy some of her films, especially Giant, although James Dean was my prime reason for watching, ahhhhh sweet memories, Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, 50's cinemas, proper Rock'n'Roll, etc, etc,

Thanks for the memories Liz, R.I.P.

Probably won't be long before I join ya!

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:31 AM

Indeed to all sorrowful comments above.

But why suggestion above she might be buried in Wales? She never lived there, did she, though married twice to the same Welsh actor. She was, in fact, a Londoner, born to American parents (so with dual nationality) in the same part of London as me, Hampstead, within a few months of me [early 1932]. {Not that our paths ever crossed, alas!}


~Michael~

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:46 AM

"Probably won't be long before I join ya!"

I think you may have to do an Angel Dual with Richard Burton first..he's been waiting a mighty long time for her to join him.

Wales is where her heart always lay, Michael...She couldn't live with him, she couldn't live without him.

A very beautiful woman, who bore illness with great grace, so many operations throughout her life, but she just got on with it...

Michael Jackson loved her because she too had never had a childhood...She befriended him for that reason, so I believe...I'm glad he found her and had her in his life, someone who cared about him...

I recall National Velvet, used to love that when I was little...but the part was originally offered to Susanna Foster, another Hollywood Child, plucked from obscurity into the Hollywood School because of her sensational soprano voice. Susanna turned the part down, because there was no singing in it...and that was what she lived for. She grew up to become the first 'Christine' in the non-silent version of 'Phantom of the Opera', playing opposite Nelson Eddy and Claude Rains...

There ya go...a little bit of secret Hollywood history.... :0)

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:52 AM

Elizabeth Taylor, Lifelong Screen Star, Dies at 79, the New York Times

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: Obit: Dame Elizabeth Taylor 23 March 2011
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:54 AM

Another one departs. RIP Dame Elizabeth.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor, one of the 20th Century's biggest movie stars, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 79.

The double Oscar-winning actress had a long history of ill health and was being treated for symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Her four children were with her when she died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, her publicist said.

In a statement, her son Michael Wilding called her "an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest".

"We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for Mom having lived in it," he continued.

"Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts."

Above extract from BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12833100

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:59 AM

Elizabeth Taylor, legendary actress, dies at 79, the Los Angeles Times

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 12:04 PM

Duel.....duel....duel.....

(for all you English teachers out there..) ;0)

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 12:23 PM

Sniff...

Very foxy lady...

B~

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 03:08 PM

She really did belong with the VIPs (1963...)

Kitty

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 03:18 PM

Liz is gone now but "Maggie the Cat" will be with us forever........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Lox
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 03:24 PM

On the subject of her eyes ...

... Legend has it that when she was a child, and Jane Eyre was being filmed, the director complained that Liz was wearing too much mascara, only to be informed that in fact she was wearing none.

She definitely had her moments.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 03:31 PM

Barry Norman has just pointed out, on the tribute on Radio 4's Front Row, that she was also a very nice person.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: 3refs
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 05:40 PM

She had purple eyes(they say violet)!
Purple is my favorite colour!

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Genie
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 05:57 PM

I'm not sure Liz ever fully regained her health after nearly dying of pneumonia in 1960 (becaue of which, according to her, she was awarded the Best Actress Oscar).    ( I thought she deserved the Oscar more for Suddenly Last Summer. )
She was truly one of the world's most beautiful girls/women, from her childhood into her middle-age years (until she gained a lot of weight).

The public sort of turned against her when she became "the woman who broke up America's sweetheart couple, Debbie and Eddie," after husband Mike Todd was killed in a plane crash. (Her love life was, indeed, the stuff of soap operas.) But I think Hollywood appreciated her (and overlooked "Cleopatra") after she showed her real skills as an actor in films like "Suddenly Last Summer" and "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?"   To her credit, she was willing to look the part of an aging and somewhat overweight professor's wife in the latter - a role that was a far cry from the glamourous ones she had usually played.

I too think Liz (who, I believe, did not like to be called that) saw and connected with the wounded child in Michael Jackson, and I admired her loyalty to him.

Her health has been an issue for several decades (the tabloids have had her on death's door several times over that period), so her dying at 79 is not surprising, but I still find it sad.   

Thanks for leaving us so many cinematic memories, Liz.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: mauvepink
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 06:00 PM

What sad news

She was a brilliant actress

Her love affair with Richard Burton would make a wonderful film if it was played out true. The two could not live with or without each other. That said she did live long after he died...

The Gay community has also lost a strong ally today. She did some good work for so many charities.

Debbie Reynolds lost her husband to Ms Taylor's charms but even she is quite magnaminous in talking of her... ""She had a long, productive career," says Reynolds. "She was the most glamorous and sensuous star of our generation. No one could equal Elizabeth's beauty and sexuality. Women liked her and men adored her — my husband included — and her love for her children is enduring. She was a symbol of stardom. Her legacy will last…. I just talked to her two weeks ago. We just chatted. I said, 'Getting old is not easy, is it? Being ill is very difficult.' We talked a little bit about being sick and she said how hard it was and that she was pleased I called. We reminisced a little bit. She was very sick, and I'm pleased that she can be out of her pain now…. People always assume you're going to carry a grudge, but I don't do that. We passed through that with time."

Tributes across the world of Stars

RIP Dame Elizabeth

mp

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: pdq
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 08:04 PM

Elizabeth Taylor was a child star about the same time as Mickey Rooney, Roddy McDowell, Judy Garland. A little bit after Shirley Temple's time, but not much.

She became the nation's sweetheart at 12 in National Velvet, before she could really act.

Temple became a very normal housewife and Garland became a mess. Taylor was the only one of that group who developed world-class acting skills later in life, the others having it as kids.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: GUEST,DaveA
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 08:31 PM

The Mitchell Trio (the John Denver version) had a wickedly funny song about her on "That's the way it's gonna be" in 1966 entitled "What kind of life is that". Sample lyrics were:
Where ever she goes something thrilling occurs
She goes out to dine & the restaurant stirs
She's had 20 husbands, 5 of them hers
What kind of life is that?

and

Does she know what it means to make a pot roast last a week
To wrap a towel around a pipe in case it springs a leak
Does she know what it means to get down on her hands & knees
To wash her kids pyjamas or her old mans BVDs?
These simple pleasures don't delight her
She's too busy with La Dolce Vita!!

Very clever lyrics & still relevant after 45 years

Dave

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:22 PM

But, not so good a cricketer as Fred Titmus

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 10:08 PM

Elizabeth wore the most expensive dress in history.
It was full length knit dress spun from pure 24k gold thread.
The weight of it (50 lbs) required perfect posture.

She knew how to make an entrance...click here to see Liz make an entrance

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:41 PM

Born in 1932, Elizabeth Taylor starred in "National Velvet," made in 1943 and released in 1944. That makes her about eleven or twelve at the time, which is the age that Velvet Brown was in Enid Bagnold's novel, from which the movie was adapted.

She had appeared in a couple of movies prior to her attaining child-star status in "National Velvet," one of which was "Lassie, Come Home" with her life-long friend, young Roddy McDowall, and "Jane Eyre" (one of many filmings of Charlotte Brontë's most famous novel), with Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles, along with a couple other child stsrs. Peggy Ann Garner portrayed the young Jane. Elizabeth Taylor did a brief but touching portrayal of young Jane's friend at Lowood Institute, Helen Burns, who died of "consumption," mostly due to the school's neglect and abuse. Later in the movie, there were brief appearances by wee little Margaret O'Brien, who was smaller than a mite and as cute as a bug's ear.

Now, it may have been true that Susanna Foster was considered for the role of Velvet Brown, but there were a couple of problems at the time. First, there was the matter of her age:   Foster was nineteen at the tune, a bit long in the tooth to play an eleven or twelve-year-old girl. Second, she was being groomed by MGM as a sort of second-string singer-actress largely as a bit of leverage to keep their biggest singing star, Deanna Durbin, in line in case she got uppity about matters of salary and choice of parts. Durban was being considered for the role of Christine in the 1943 filming of "Phantom of the Opera" with Claude Rains and Nelson Eddy, but she did the unthinkable and refused the role (her career started going downhill after that). So Susanna Foster was pretty busy at the time and probably well out of the running for "National Velvet." Also, she didn't seem to enjoy movie work very much, and bowed out fairly early.

Not all that many child stars make the transition to adult actors, but Elizabeth Taylor most certainly did.

A fair number of actresses have taken a shot at Cleopatra and some of them were very good at it, but Elizabeth Taylor could really bring it off.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: RangerSteve
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 11:54 PM

I avoided seeing "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff" ever since it first came out, but found myself watching it on TV a few months ago, out of curiosity. As I watched, I kept thinking how I hated the characters, wouldn't associate with them, didn't care about them and wanted to turn it off, but I couldn't. I finally realized that the reason I kept watching was that this was the finest acting I had ever seen. Thanks for that, Ms. Taylor.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 12:09 AM

Donuel, thanks for the link. Wow!

Here's a nice chronology of her movie life: HERE.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 01:12 AM

I have been watching a lot of news coverage today and heard a portion of an interview Elizabeth Taylor once did for TV News interviewer,Barbara Walters. One thing she told Barbara is that she hated to be called, "Liz." A few other reports on different news channels also mentioned the same thing from people who personally knew her.

She was very stunning; a great, great actress and so very,very dedicated to raising money for aids support. Apparently even when she was ill she continued to dedicate her life to helping those with aids as far back as about 1982.

May she rest in peace for all time.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 01:51 AM

The movies that really stick in my mind for Elizabeth Taylor are "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" and "Suddenly Last Summer". Both of them were great. Cleopatra was also quite memorable, but it got rather badly mauled by the press and the critics, what with all the hoo-hah about her and Richard Burton at the time.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 04:54 AM

"Now, it may have been true that Susanna Foster was considered for the role of Velvet Brown, but there were a couple of problems at the time. First, there was the matter of her age:   Foster was nineteen at the tune, a bit long in the tooth to play an eleven or twelve-year-old girl. Second, she was being groomed by MGM as a sort of second-string singer-actress largely as a bit of leverage to keep their biggest singing star, Deanna Durbin, in line in case she got uppity about matters of salary and choice of parts. Durban was being considered for the role of Christine in the 1943 filming of "Phantom of the Opera" with Claude Rains and Nelson Eddy, but she did the unthinkable and refused the role (her career started going downhill after that). So Susanna Foster was pretty busy at the time and probably well out of the running for "National Velvet." Also, she didn't seem to enjoy movie work very much, and bowed out fairly early."


Don, Susanna was the first person to be offered that role, trust me on this one, for I know her son very well indeed.

She gave up the movie industry because she simply wanted to sing, not act. Singing was her one and only love. She had an incredibly hard life after walking away from Hollywood, going down, down, deeper and down...In later years she was offered the part of the old lady 'Rose' in 'Titanic' but turned that down as she didn't want people to see her as an old woman for she'd had great stress in her life and her extraordinary beauty had disappeard with it...and she could no longer cope with acting, the stress involved, etc. She ended her days in an Actors Rest Home, dying the year before last. She's still remembered by many fans, and when she died there were some lovely obituaries about her. She went to school with Mickey Rooney et al...and married Wilbur Evans, the man who won the first ever 'Voice of America' back in the 1920s. Wilbur ended up playing the lead role in South Pacific over here in London in the 1950s, for 2 years, opposite Mary Martin.

You'll find many videos about them both online and a whole blog of 'Chronicles' too, all produced and written by her son, Michael.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 04:55 AM

And yesterday I saw a clip of Elizabeth Taylor on the news, where she was 69 years old. She was still so very beautiful...

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 10:27 AM

An excellent actress indeed, very sad.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 10:32 AM

"Lassie Come Home" and "The Flintstones" were movies she was in that I liked. She was a nice person, and was could easily be friends with anyone. I remember reading about a friendship she had with John Cash
and Faron Young(maybe Ferlin Husky). I think it was Faron. They had
consecutive birthdays, and they would always call each other on their birthdays and have a good chat.

Subject: RE: Obit: Liz Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Don Firth
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 06:09 PM

Thanks for the information, Lizzie. I was basing my info on conjecture about what was going on at the time, but you obviously have the straight scoop.

I saw "The Phantom of the Opera" as a kid on its first time 'round, then a couple of times since. Susanna Foster had a really lovely voice, and I had often wondered what had become of her.

One singer who surprised me a bit was Nelson Eddy. Most people associated him with operettas and frothy movies with Jeanette MacDonald. Nice voice, but musically a bit of a lightweight. However, in "The Phantom of the Opera," he was given an opportunity to bear down and show what he could really do with his really fine baritone in the on-stage scenes while spooky skullduggery was going on backstage. I think if he'd wanted, he could have had a pretty good career in full blown grand opera.

But back to Elizabeth Taylor. One should never forget her historical appearance in "The Simpsons." The fact that she was going to appear on the program was publicized and ballyhooed and all kinds of people watched that particular episode. She DID actually "appear" in a sense. She recorded the voice-over for the first time Maggie speaks. Here it is:

CLICKY.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Elizabeth Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Wincing Devil
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 02:12 PM

Farewell, Cousin Liz.

Subject: RE: Obit: Elizabeth Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: michaelr
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 02:42 PM

"Elizabeth's breasts are apocalyptic,
they would topple empires before they withered"

Richard Burton (1925-1984)

Here's a nice photo collection.

Subject: RE: Obit: Elizabeth Taylor has passed away (1932-2011)
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 03:39 PM

Don, Susanna was offered the main part in National Velvet five years before it actually became the film/series which Elizabeth Taylor starred in, thus she was only 14 at the time.

Michael said his mother never had any regrets about turning that part down throughout most of her life. Only when she became an old lady did she look back and wonder, 'What if?'

It made me smile to see that Elizabeth left instructions for her to be 'late for her own funeral' with the hearse showing up 15 minutes after everyone thought it was going to start. Sense of humour to the end..