No one could quite capture the essence of a room like the young Elizabeth Taylor—a cinematic icon renowned as much for her larger-than-life persona as for her award-winning performances. This was a woman whose stunning outfits were often accompanied by dazzling Van Cleef & Arpels diamonds and who dramatically left a 1965 dinner party in Beverly Hills before Princess Margaret, the evening’s guest of honor, could arrive, simply due to a disagreement over seating arrangements. (Taylor believed she and her then husband Richard Burton deserved a more prestigious spot at the table reserved for Margaret and Lord Snowdon.) During a 1976 visit to Washington, D.C., Queen Elizabeth II hosted a grand reception for 1,500 guests at the British Embassy. As the Queen mingled on the lush green lawn, a sea of camera crews followed her every move—but when Elizabeth Taylor made her much-anticipated entrance, the cameras abruptly switched focus. It turned out that MGM royalty drew more viewership than actual royalty—a notion that amused Queen Elizabeth II.
Today, Elizabeth Taylor’s name has surfaced again, thanks to Taylor Swift—“I’d cry my eyes violet / Elizabeth Taylor / Tell me for real / Do you think it’s forever?” she croons in “Elizabeth Taylor,” the second track from her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl. Let’s delve into the formative years of the Elizabeth Taylor, a true legend of Hollywood.
-
Photo: Getty Images
1934
Elizabeth Taylor at two, alongside her mother, the former stage actress Sara Taylor (née Sothern), and her brother, Howard.
-
Photo: Getty Images
c. 1940s
Taylor debuted on screen in her first feature, There’s One Born Every Minute (1942), at the tender age of nine. This was followed by roles in Lassie Come Home (1943), Jane Eyre (1943), and The White Cliffs of Dover (1944).
-
Photo: Getty Images
1944
A promotional still from National Velvet (1944). Taylor famously received The Pie (formerly known as King Charles), her horse from the film, as a birthday present after filming.
-
Photo: Getty Images
c. 1945
At just 13, Taylor had evolved into a prominent teen star. Her contract with MGM at the time granted her a weekly salary of $750, a sum equivalent to nearly $13,000 in today’s currency.
-
Photo: Getty Images
c. 1946
Sharing a dance with a young Roddy McDowall at a glamorous Hollywood ball.
