Childhood and Education Journey of Elizabeth Taylor in Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Elizabeth Taylor. From birth to education, explore key events.
Elizabeth Taylor, a British-American actress, started as a child star in the 1940s and rose to prominence during Hollywood's golden age in the 1950s. By the 1960s, she became the highest-paid movie star globally, maintaining her celebrity status throughout her life. The American Film Institute recognized her legacy by ranking her among the greatest female screen legends.
1929: Family Moved to London
In 1929, Elizabeth Taylor's parents moved to London and opened an art gallery on Bond Street.
February 1932: Elizabeth Taylor's Birth
In February 1932, Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in London, England, receiving dual British-American citizenship at birth.
February 27, 1932: Elizabeth Taylor Born
On February 27, 1932, Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in London, England. She later became a famous actress.
April 1939: Family left for US
In April 1939, Elizabeth Taylor and her mother and brother left for the United States due to fears of war in Europe.
1939: Move to Los Angeles
In 1939, Elizabeth Taylor and her family moved from London to Los Angeles, marking a significant change in her life.
1940: New Gallery in Los Angeles
In early 1940, Elizabeth Taylor's father opened a new art gallery in Los Angeles.
1948: Arranged date with Glenn Davis
In 1948, MGM arranged for Elizabeth Taylor to date American football champion Glenn Davis, and she announced plans to marry him once he returned from Korea. This was part of MGM's strategy to manage her image, reflecting her eagerness to marry young due to her puritanical upbringing.
May 6, 1950: Marriage to Conrad "Nicky" Hilton Jr.
On May 6, 1950, Elizabeth Taylor, at the age of 18, married Conrad "Nicky" Hilton Jr. in a large, MGM-organized wedding that became a major media event. The wedding took place at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills.
December 14, 1950: Separation from Nicky Hilton Jr.
On December 14, 1950, Elizabeth Taylor announced her separation from Nicky Hilton Jr., realizing she had made a mistake due to their incompatibility and his abusive behavior.
January 1951: Divorce from Conrad Hilton
In January 1951, Elizabeth Taylor divorced Conrad Hilton after only eight months of marriage. This event caused a public scandal that negatively impacted her image.
February 21, 1952: Marriage to Michael Wilding
On February 21, 1952, Elizabeth Taylor married British actor Michael Wilding in a low-key ceremony in London. Wilding was 20 years her senior, and Taylor sought security and friendship from the relationship.
1952: Signing a New Contract with MGM
In the summer of 1952, Elizabeth Taylor signed a new seven-year contract with MGM, influenced by her marriage to Michael Wilding and her pregnancy, needing financial support.
January 6, 1953: Birth of son Michael Howard
On January 6, 1953, Elizabeth Taylor gave birth to her son, Michael Howard, with her then-husband Michael Wilding.
February 27, 1955: Birth of son Christopher Edward
On February 27, 1955, which was also Elizabeth Taylor's 23rd birthday, she gave birth to her son Christopher Edward with Michael Wilding.
July 18, 1956: Separation from Michael Wilding
On July 18, 1956, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding announced their separation. The separation was due to their growing apart and issues related to Wilding's failing career.
June 1957: Mike Todd's Birthday Party at Madison Square Garden
In June 1957, Mike Todd threw a large birthday party at Madison Square Garden with 18,000 guests that was broadcast on CBS. This event exemplified Todd's penchant for publicity stunts.
August 6, 1957: Birth of daughter Elizabeth "Liza" Frances
On August 6, 1957, Elizabeth Taylor gave birth to her daughter, Elizabeth "Liza" Frances, with her husband Mike Todd.
March 1958: Mike Todd's Death and filming Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
In March 1958, after completing two weeks of filming Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Elizabeth Taylor's husband, Mike Todd, was killed in a plane crash. She returned to work three weeks later.
May 12, 1959: Marriage to Eddie Fisher
On May 12, 1959, Elizabeth Taylor married Eddie Fisher in Las Vegas. This marriage followed a scandalous affair that started after the death of her previous husband, Mike Todd.
1959: Conversion to Judaism
In 1959, Elizabeth Taylor converted to Judaism. She stated it was a long-held desire and not influenced by her Jewish husbands.
1959: Purchased Israeli Bonds
In 1959, Elizabeth Taylor purchased $100,000 worth of Israeli bonds, leading to her films being banned in Arab countries.
March 1961: Near-Fatal Pneumonia
In March 1961, Elizabeth Taylor developed nearly fatal pneumonia during the filming of Cleopatra, requiring a tracheotomy.
March 5, 1964: Divorce from Eddie Fisher
On March 5, 1964, Elizabeth Taylor was granted a divorce from Eddie Fisher in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, paving the way for her marriage to Richard Burton.
1968: Father's Death
In 1968, Elizabeth Taylor's father, Francis Lenn Taylor, passed away. He was an art dealer.
June 1974: First Divorce from Richard Burton
In June 1974, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton divorced for the first time. Their relationship had been highly publicized and marked by excess.
October 1975: Remarriage to Richard Burton
In October 1975, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton remarried in Kasane, Botswana, after having divorced the previous year.
July 1976: Second Divorce from Richard Burton
In July 1976, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton divorced for the second and final time. Their second marriage lasted less than a year.
December 1976: Marriage to John Warner
In December 1976, Elizabeth Taylor married John Warner, a Republican politician from Virginia. She then focused on working for his electoral campaign.
December 1981: Separation from John Warner
In December 1981, Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner separated. Her life as a politician's wife in Washington, D.C. had become boring and lonely, leading to depression and addiction.
November 1982: Divorce from John Warner
In November 1982, Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner divorced. This marked the end of her foray into the life of a politician's wife.
1982: Moved to Bel Air Home
In 1982, Elizabeth Taylor began living at 700 Nimes Road in the Bel Air district of Los Angeles.
December 1983: Entered Betty Ford Center
In December 1983, Elizabeth Taylor entered the Betty Ford Center for seven weeks to treat her addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs.
January 1984: Finished first stay at Betty Ford Center
In January 1984, Elizabeth Taylor completed her seven-week stay at the Betty Ford Center, openly admitting herself to the clinic for addiction treatment.
1984: First AIDS fundraiser
In 1984, Elizabeth Taylor began her philanthropic efforts by helping to organize and hosting the first AIDS fundraiser to benefit the AIDS Project Los Angeles.
August 1985: Founding National AIDS Research Foundation
In August 1985, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Gottlieb founded the National AIDS Research Foundation after Rock Hudson's announcement that he was dying of AIDS.
1986: Testimony for the Ryan White Care Act
In 1986, Elizabeth Taylor testified before the Senate and House for the Ryan White Care Act.
1987: Persuading President Reagan
In 1987, Elizabeth Taylor persuaded President Ronald Reagan to acknowledge the disease for the first time in a speech.
1988: Met Larry Fortensky at Betty Ford Center
In 1988, Elizabeth Taylor met Larry Fortensky, who would become her seventh and final husband, at the Betty Ford Center where they were both receiving treatment.
1990: Severe bout of pneumonia
In 1990, Elizabeth Taylor experienced a severe bout of pneumonia, which led her to quit smoking.
1990: Testimony for the Ryan White Care Act
In 1990, Elizabeth Taylor testified before the Senate and House for the Ryan White Care Act.
October 6, 1991: Marriage to Larry Fortensky
On October 6, 1991, Elizabeth Taylor married Larry Fortensky at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. The wedding garnered significant media attention, and Taylor sold the wedding pictures to People for $1 million to start her AIDS foundation.
1991: Founding Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
In 1991, Elizabeth Taylor founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) to raise awareness and provide support services for people with HIV/AIDS, paying for its overhead costs herself.
1992: Testimony for the Ryan White Care Act
In 1992, Elizabeth Taylor testified before the Senate and House for the Ryan White Care Act.
1994: Mother's Death
In 1994, Elizabeth Taylor's mother, Sara Sothern, passed away. She was a stage actress.
October 31, 1996: Divorce from Larry Fortensky
On October 31, 1996, Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky divorced, attributing the split to her health issues and his obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, they remained in contact for life.
1996: Rarely attended public events
After 1996, Elizabeth Taylor rarely attended public events due to declining health.
2001: Retirement from acting
In 2001, after supporting roles in the television film These Old Broads and in the animated sitcom God, the Devil and Bob, Elizabeth Taylor announced her retirement from acting to devote her time to philanthropy.
2007: Last public performance
In 2007, Elizabeth Taylor gave her last public performance in the play Love Letters at an AIDS benefit at the Paramount Studios with James Earl Jones.
February 7, 2011: Last phone call with Larry Fortensky
On February 7, 2011, one day before checking into the hospital for her final stay, Elizabeth Taylor had her last phone call with Larry Fortensky. He told her she would outlive him.
2020: Death of Howard Taylor
In 2020, Elizabeth Taylor's brother, Howard Taylor, passed away.
