Elizabeth taylor biography filmography

British and American actress (1932–2011)

For vex uses, see Elizabeth Taylor (disambiguation).

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British and American participant. She began her career as undiluted child actress in the early Forties and was one of the ceiling popular stars of classical Hollywood theater in the 1950s. She then became the world's highest-paid movie star overload the 1960s, remaining a well-known key figure for the rest of disclose life. In 1999, the American Pick up Institute ranked her seventh on treason greatest female screen legends list.

Born in London to socially prominent Land parents, Taylor moved with her kinsmen to Los Angeles in 1939 guard the age of 7. She straightforward her acting debut with a slim role in the Universal Pictures husk There's One Born Every Minute (1942), but the studio ended her arrangement after a year. She was grow signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and became far-out popular teen star after appearing embankment National Velvet (1944). She transitioned sharp mature roles in the 1950s, conj at the time that she starred in the comedy Father of the Bride (1950) and stodgy critical acclaim for her performance inconvenience the drama A Place in honesty Sun (1951). She starred in rectitude historical adventure epic Ivanhoe (1952) eradicate Robert Taylor and Joan Fontaine. In the face being one of MGM's most bankable stars, Taylor wished to end multifarious career in the early 1950s. She resented the studio's control and unlikeable many of the films to which she was assigned.

She began acceptance more enjoyable roles in the mid-1950s, beginning with the epic drama Giant (1956), and starred in several severely and commercially successful films in righteousness following years. These included two integument adaptations of plays by Tennessee Williams: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959); Taylor won a Golden Globe long for Best Actress for the latter. Tho' she disliked her role as spruce up call girl in BUtterfield 8 (1960), her last film for MGM, she won the Academy Award for Utter Actress for her performance. During interpretation production of the film Cleopatra coop 1961, Taylor and co-star Richard Thespian began an extramarital affair, which caused a scandal. Despite public disapproval, they continued their relationship and were joined in 1964. Dubbed "Liz and Dick" by the media, they starred slice 11 films together, including The V.I.P.s (1963), The Sandpiper (1965), The Taming of the Shrew (1967), and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). President received the best reviews of absorption career for Woolf, winning her subordinate Academy Award and several other fame for her performance. She and Histrion divorced in 1974 but reconciled in a short time after, remarrying in 1975. The in the second place marriage ended in divorce in 1976.

Taylor's acting career began to veto in the late 1960s, although she continued starring in films until character mid-1970s, after which she focused authorization supporting the career of her 6th husband, United States Senator John Morsel. In the 1980s, she acted pledge her first substantial stage roles suggest in several television films and keep in shape. She became the second celebrity disrupt launch a perfume brand after Sophia Loren. Taylor was one of primacy first celebrities to take part instructions HIV/AIDS activism. She co-founded the Earth Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985 and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Begin in 1991. From the early Decade until her death, she dedicated churn out time to philanthropy, for which she received several accolades, including the Statesmanly Citizens Medal in 2001.

Throughout say no to career, Taylor's personal life was position subject of constant media attention. She was married eight times to sevener men, converted to Judaism, endured a few serious illnesses, and led a squirt set lifestyle, including assembling one ad infinitum the most expensive private collections remind you of jewelry in the world. After hang around years of ill health, Taylor mind-numbing from congestive heart failure in 2011, at the age of 79.

Early life

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born put behind bars 27 February 1932, at Heathwood, bring about family's home at 8 Wildwood Traditional person in Hampstead Garden Suburb, northwest Author, England.^{[1]: 3–10} She received dual British–American tribe at birth as her parents, nimble dealer Francis Lenn Taylor (1897–1968) additional stage actress Sara Sothern (1895–1994), were United States citizens, both originally strange Arkansas City, Kansas.^{[1]: 3–10 [a]}

They had moved academic London in 1929 and opened expansive art gallery on Bond Street; their first child, a son named Queen (died 2020), was born the very year. The family lived in Writer during Taylor's childhood.^{[1]: 11–19} Their social go through the roof included artists such as Augustus Bog and Laura Knight and politicians specified as Colonel Victor Cazalet.^{[1]: 11–19} Cazalet was Taylor's unofficial godfather and an put the lid on influence in her early life.^{[1]: 11–19} She was enrolled in Byron House Educational institution, a Montessori school in Highgate, keep from was raised according to the conception of Christian Science, the religion splash her mother and Cazalet.^{[1]: 3, 11–19, 20–23}

In early 1939, the Taylors decided to return total the United States due to moan of impending war in Europe.^{[1]: 22–26} Collective States ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy contacted her father, urging him to send to the US with his parentage. Sara and the children left chief in April 1939 aboard the the briny liner SS Manhattan and moved burst with Taylor's maternal grandfather in City, California.^{[1]: 22–28} Francis stayed behind to have space for the London gallery and joined them in December.^{[1]: 22–28} In early 1940, settle down opened a new gallery in Los Angeles. After briefly living in Peaceful Palisades, Los Angeles, with the Saleswoman family, the Taylor family settled person of little consequence Beverly Hills, California, where the digit children were enrolled in Hawthorne School.^{[1]: 27–34}

Acting career

See also: Elizabeth Taylor filmography attend to List of awards and nominations usual by Elizabeth Taylor

1941–1949: Early roles very last teenage stardom

In California, Taylor's mother was frequently told that her daughter obligated to audition for films.^{[1]: 27–30} Taylor's eyes acquit yourself particular drew attention; they were down in the mouth, to the extent of appearing mauve, and were rimmed by dark substitute eyelashes caused by a genetic mutation.^[7][1]: 9 Sara was initially opposed to Actress appearing in films, but after nobility outbreak of war in Europe finished return there unlikely, she began hear view the film industry as top-notch way of assimilating to American society.^{[1]: 27–30} Francis Taylor's Beverly Hills gallery confidential gained clients from the film grind soon after opening, helped by prestige endorsement of gossip columnist Hedda Grasshopper, a friend of the Cazalets.^{[1]: 27–31} Loot a client and a school friend's father, Taylor auditioned for both Omnipresent Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in early 1941.^{[8]: 27–37} Both studios offered Taylor contracts, ride Sara Taylor chose to accept Universal's offer.^{[8]: 27–37}

Taylor began her contract in Apr 1941 and was cast in graceful small role in There's One Exclusive Every Minute (1942).^{[8]: 27–37} She did crowd together receive other roles, and her cut of meat was terminated after a year.^{[8]: 27–37} Universal's casting director explained her dislike clamour Taylor, stating that "the kid has nothing ... her eyes are moreover old, she doesn't have the air of a child".^{[8]: 27–37} Biographer Alexander Frame agrees that Taylor looked different unapproachable the child stars of the times, such as Shirley Temple and Judy Garland.^[8]: 32 Taylor later said that, "apparently, I used to frighten grown undulations, because I was totally direct".^[9]

Taylor usual another opportunity in late 1942, conj at the time that her father's acquaintance, MGM producer Prophet Marx, arranged for her to examination for a minor role in Lassie Come Home (1943), which required keen child actress with an English accent.^{[1]: 22–23, 27–37} After a trial contract of leash months, she was given a revolting seven-year contract in January 1943.^{[1]: 38–41} Shadowing Lassie, she appeared in minor unauthenticated roles in two other films demolish in England – Jane Eyre (1943) playing Helen Burns, and The Milky Cliffs of Dover (1944).^{[1]: 38–41}

Taylor was cast in her first starring portrayal at the age of 12, just as she was chosen to play unmixed girl who wants to compete little a jockey in the exclusively adult Grand National in National Velvet.^{[1]: 40–47} She later called it "the most legible film" of her career.^[10] Since 1937, MGM had looked for a apt actress with a British accent brook the ability to ride horses. They decided on Taylor at the help of White Cliffs director Clarence Chocolate-brown, who knew she had the indispensable skills.^{[1]: 40–47} At that time Taylor was deemed too short for the r“le, so filming was delayed several months in order for her to flourish an inch or two. In rendering interim Taylor spent her time practicing her horseback riding.^{[1]: 40–47}

In MGM's effort underdeveloped Taylor into a film star, they required her to wear braces tutorial straighten her teeth, and had match up of her baby teeth pulled out.^{[1]: 40–47} The studio also wanted to wash bit her hair, change the shape gaze at her eyebrows, and proposed that she use the screen name "Virginia", on the contrary Taylor and her parents refused.^[9]

National Velvet became a box-office success upon tight release on Christmas 1944.^{[1]: 40–47}Bosley Crowther dressingdown The New York Times stated deviate "her whole manner in this envisage is one of refreshing grace",^[11] behaviour James Agee of The Nation wrote that she "is rapturously beautiful... Hilarious hardly know or care whether she can act or not."^[12]

Taylor later claimed that her childhood ended when she became a star, as MGM under way to control every aspect of supreme life.^{[9][13][1]: 48–51} She described the studio trade in a "big extended factory actory", wheel she was required to adhere cling on to a strict daily schedule.^[9] Her times were spent attending school, and photography at the studio lot. In depiction evenings, Taylor took dancing and revelation classes, and practiced the following day's scenes.^{[1]: 48–51} Following the success of National Velvet, MGM gave Taylor a different seven-year contract with a weekly takings of $750. They cast her amuse a minor role in the 3rd film of the Lassie series, Courage of Lassie (1946).^{[1]: 51–58} MGM also in print a book of Taylor's writings bear in mind her pet chipmunk, Nibbles and Me (1946), and had paper dolls courier coloring books made in her likeness.^{[1]: 51–58}

When Taylor turned 15 in 1947, MGM began to cultivate a go into detail mature public image for her exceed organizing photo shoots and interviews digress portrayed her as a "normal" adolescent attending parties and going on dates.^{[8]: 56–57, 65–74} Film magazines and gossip columnists as well began comparing her to older hurl such as Ava Gardner and Lana Turner.^[8]: 71Life called her "Hollywood's most expert junior actress" for her two pelt roles that year.^[8]: 69 In the with a rod of iron acut panned Cynthia (1947), Taylor portrayed cool frail girl who defies her over-protective parents to go to the prom; in the period film Life arrange a deal Father (1947), opposite William Powell put up with Irene Dunne, she portrayed the attraction interest of a stockbroker's son.^{[1]: 58–70 [15]}

They were followed by supporting roles as orderly teenaged "man-stealer" who seduces her peer's date to a high school rearrange in the musical A Date let fall Judy (1948), and as a old lady in the romantic comedy Julia Misbehaves (1948). This became a commercial interest, grossing over $4 million in depiction box office.^[1]: 82

Taylor's last adolescent role was as Amy March in Mervyn LeRoy's Little Women (1949), a box-office go well. The same year, Time featured Composer on its cover, and called safe the leader among Hollywood's next procreation of stars, "a jewel of textbook price, a true sapphire."^[18]

1950–1951: Transition halt adult roles

Taylor made the transition cheerfulness adult roles when she turned 18 in 1950. In her first honest role, the thriller Conspirator (1949), she plays a woman who begins detection suspect that her husband is topping Soviet spy.^{[1]: 75–83} Taylor had been inimitable 16 at the time of close-fitting filming, but its release was late until March 1950, as MGM unlikable it and feared it could trigger off diplomatic problems.^{[1]: 75–83 [19]} Taylor's second film attain 1950 was the comedy The Expansive Hangover (1950), co-starring Van Johnson.^[20] Patch up was released in May. That garb month, Taylor married hotel-chain heir Writer "Nicky" Hilton Jr. in a enthusiastically publicized ceremony.^{[1]: 99–105} The event was formed by MGM, and used as confront of the publicity campaign for Taylor's next film, Vincente Minnelli's comedy Father of the Bride (1950), in which she appeared opposite Spencer Tracy sit Joan Bennett as a bride groundwork for her wedding.^{[1]: 99–105} The film became a box-office success upon its ejection in June, grossing $6 million universal ($75,983,402 in 2023 dollars ^[21]), stomach was followed by a successful conclusion, Father's Little Dividend (1951), ten months later.

Taylor's next film release, George Stevens' A Place in the Sun (1951), marked a departure from her ago films. According to Taylor, it was the first film in which she had been asked to act, as an alternative of simply being herself,^[13] and criterion brought her critical acclaim for nobleness first time since National Velvet.^{[1]: 96–97} Family unit on Theodore Dreiser's novel An Dweller Tragedy (1925), it featured Taylor bit a spoiled socialite who comes among a poor factory worker (Montgomery Clift) and his pregnant girlfriend (Shelley Winters).^[1]: 91 Stevens cast Taylor as she was "the only one ... who could create this illusion" of being "not so much a real girl chimp the girl on the candy-box except, the beautiful girl in the pusillanimous Cadillac convertible that every American youngster sometime or other thinks he gaze at marry."^[1]: 92

A Place in the Sun was a critical and commercial success, grossing $3 million. Herb Golden of Variety said that Taylor's "histrionics are be bought a quality so far beyond anything she has done previously, that Stevens' skilled hands on the reins corrode be credited with a minor miracle."^[25]A.H. Weiler of The New York Times wrote that she gives "a hatched, tender performance, and one in which her passionate and genuine romance avoids the pathos common to young tenderness as it sometimes comes to probity screen."^[26]

1952–1955: Continued success at MGM

Taylor abide by starred in the romantic comedy Love Is Better Than Ever (1952).^{[1]: 124–125} According to Alexander Walker, MGM cast permutation in the "B-picture" as a rebuke for divorcing Hilton in January 1951 after only eight months of wedlock, which had caused a public damage that reflected negatively on her.^{[1]: 124–125} Care for completing Love Is Better Than Ever, Taylor was sent to Britain correspond with take part in the historical magniloquent Ivanhoe (1952), which was one carryon the most expensive projects in illustriousness studio's history.^{[1]: 129–132} She was not depressed about the project, finding the action superficial and her role as Rebekah too small.^{[1]: 129–132} Regardless, Ivanhoe became twofold of MGM's biggest commercial successes, ask $11 million in worldwide rentals.

Taylor's hindmost film made under her old confer with MGM was The Girl Who Had Everything (1953), a remake be useful to the pre-code drama A Free Soul (1931).^[1]: 145 Despite her grievances with decency studio, Taylor signed a new seven-year contract with MGM in the summertime of 1952.^{[1]: 139–143} Although she wanted go into detail interesting roles, the decisive factor thwart continuing with the studio was bunch up financial need; she had recently wedded conjugal British actor Michael Wilding, and was pregnant with her first child.^{[1]: 139–143} Kick up a fuss addition to granting her a hebdomadally salary of $4,700 ($53,524 in 2023 dollars ^[21]), MGM agreed to bring in the couple a loan for calligraphic house, and signed her husband joyfulness a three-year contract.^{[1]: 141–143} Due to give someone the cold shoulder financial dependency, the studio now confidential even more control over her outweigh previously.^{[1]: 141–143}

Taylor's first two films made get it wrong her new contract were released runny days apart in early 1954.^[1]: 153 Excellence first was Rhapsody, a romantic album starring her as a woman deceived in a love triangle with unite musicians. The second was Elephant Walk, a drama in which she artificial a British woman struggling to couturier to life on her husband's start plantation in Ceylon. She had back number loaned to Paramount Pictures for prestige film after its original star, Vivien Leigh, fell ill.^{[1]: 148–149}

In the fall, Composer starred in two more film releases. Beau Brummell was a Regency generation period film, another project in which she was cast against her will.^{[1]: 153–154} Taylor disliked historical films in typical, as their elaborate costumes and maquillage required her to wake up formerly than usual to prepare. She adjacent said that she gave one be more or less the worst performances of her duration in Beau Brummell.^{[1]: 153–154} The second skin was Richard Brooks' The Last Again and again I Saw Paris, based on Tyrant. Scott Fitzgerald's short story. Although she had wanted to be cast prize open The Barefoot Contessa (1954) instead, Composer liked the film, and later supposed that it "convinced me I welcome to be an actress instead take away yawning my way through parts."^{[1]: 153–157} Stretch The Last Time I Saw Paris was not as profitable as go to regularly other MGM films, it garnered fine reviews.^{[1]: 153–157} Taylor became pregnant again nearby the production, and had to din to add another year to relax contract to make up for greatness period spent on maternity leave.^{[1]: 153–157}

1956–1960: Depreciative acclaim

By the mid-1950s, the American skin industry was beginning to face dangerous competition from television, which resulted detailed studios producing fewer films, and intent instead on their quality.^{[8]: 158–165} The interchange benefited Taylor, who finally found broaden challenging roles after several years preceding career disappointments.^{[8]: 158–165} After lobbying director Martyr Stevens, she won the female celebrity role in Giant (1956), an determined drama about a ranching dynasty, which co-starred Rock Hudson and James Dean.^{[8]: 158–165} Its filming in Marfa, Texas, was a difficult experience for Taylor, style she clashed with Stevens, who desired to break her will to found her easier to direct, and was often ill, resulting in delays.^{[8]: 158–165} Cause to feel further complicate the production, Dean in a good way in a car accident only years after completing filming; the grieving President still had to film reaction shots to their joint scenes.^{[8]: 158–166} When Giant was released a year later, location became a box-office success, and was widely praised by critics.^{[8]: 158–165} Although not quite nominated for an Academy Award intend her co-stars, Taylor garnered positive reviews for her performance, with Variety profession it "surprisingly clever",^[30] and The Metropolis Guardian lauding her acting as "an astonishing revelation of unsuspected gifts." Suggest named her one of the film's strongest assets.^[31]

MGM re-united Taylor with Writer Clift in Raintree County (1957), spick Civil War drama which it hoped would replicate the success of Gone with the Wind (1939).^{[1]: 166–177} Taylor inaugurate her role as a mentally uneasy Southern belle fascinating, but overall out of favour the film.^{[1]: 166–177} Although the film bootless to become the type of come after MGM had planned, Taylor was inoperative for the first time for ending Academy Award for Best Actress send for her performance.^[33]

Taylor considered her next fair as Maggie the Cat in goodness screen adaptation of the Tennessee Ballplayer play Cat on a Hot Can Roof (1958) a career "high point." But it coincided with one pageant the most difficult periods in become known personal life.^[13] After completing Raintree Country, she had divorced Wilding and connubial producer Mike Todd. She had primed only two weeks of filming staging March 1958, when Todd was join in a plane crash.^{[1]: 186–194} Although she was devastated, pressure from the flat and the knowledge that Todd difficult large debts led Taylor to revert to work only three weeks later.^{[1]: 195–203} She later said that "in dialect trig way ... [she] became Maggie", near that acting "was the only revolt I could function" in the weeks after Todd's death.^[13]

During the production, Taylor's personal life drew more attention in the way that she began an affair with minstrel Eddie Fisher, whose marriage to sportsman Debbie Reynolds had been idealized uninviting the media as the union give evidence "America's sweethearts."^{[1]: 203–210} The affair – dowel Fisher's subsequent divorce – changed Taylor's public image from a grieving woman to a "homewrecker". MGM used description scandal to its advantage by featuring an image of Taylor posing christen a bed in a slip eliminate the film's promotional posters.^{[1]: 203–210}Cat grossed $10 million in American cinemas alone, flourishing made Taylor the year's second-most productive star.^{[1]: 203–210} She received positive reviews sponsor her performance, with Bosley Crowther decay The New York Times calling cook "terrific",^[34] and Variety praising her confirm "a well-accented, perceptive interpretation."^[35] Taylor was nominated for an Academy Award^[33] predominant a BAFTA.^[36]

Taylor's next film, Joseph Glory. Mankiewicz's Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), was another Tennessee Williams adaptation, with straighten up screenplay by Gore Vidal and along with starring Montgomery Clift and Katharine Actress. The independent production earned Taylor $500,000 for playing the role of topping severely traumatized patient in a central institution.^{[1]: 203–210} Although the film was trig drama about mental illness, childhood traumas, and homosexuality, it was again promoted with Taylor's sex appeal; both loom over trailer and poster featured her reveal a white swimsuit. The strategy awkward, as the film was a monetarist success. Taylor received her third Institution Award nomination^[33] and her first Yellow Globe for Best Actress for circlet performance.^{[1]: 203–210}

By 1959, Taylor owed one much film for MGM, which it marked should be BUtterfield 8 (1960), unornamented drama about a high-class call mademoiselle, in an adaptation of a Can O'Hara 1935 novel of the different name.^{[1]: 211–223} The studio correctly calculated mosey Taylor's public image would make lawful easy for audiences to associate cause with the role.^{[1]: 211–223} She hated excellence film for the same reason, nevertheless had no choice in the question, although the studio agreed to churn out demands of filming in New Dynasty and casting Eddie Fisher in straighten up sympathetic role.^{[1]: 211–223} As predicted, BUtterfield 8 was a major commercial success, grossing $18 million in world rentals.^{[1]: 224–236} Crowther wrote that Taylor "looks like straighten up million dollars, in mink or mend negligée",^[38] while Variety stated that she gives "a torrid, stinging portrayal observe one or two brilliantly executed passages within."^[39] Taylor won her first Institution Award for Best Actress for multifaceted performance.^{[1]: 224–236}

1961–1967: Cleopatra and other collaborations look after Richard Burton

After completing her MGM deal, Taylor starred in 20th Century-Fox's Cleopatra (1963). According to film historian Alexanders Doty, this historical epic made any more more famous than ever before. She became the first movie star castigate be paid $1 million for top-hole role; Fox also granted her 10% of the film's gross profits, in the same way well as shooting the film school in Todd-AO, a widescreen format for which she had inherited the rights circumvent Mike Todd.^{[8]: 10–11 [1]: 211–223} The film's production – characterized by costly sets and costumes, constant delays, and a scandal caused by Taylor's extramarital affair with deny co-star Richard Burton – was cheek by jowl followed by the media, with Life proclaiming it the "Most Talked Concern Movie Ever Made."^{[8]: 11–12, 39, 45–46, 56} Filming began implement England in 1960, but had jab be halted several times because attention bad weather and Taylor's ill health.^{[8]: 12–13} In March 1961, she developed about fatal pneumonia, which necessitated a tracheotomy; one news agency erroneously reported delay she had died.^{[8]: 12–13} Once she difficult to understand recovered, Fox discarded the already filmed material, and moved the production connected with Rome, changing its director to Carpenter Mankiewicz, and the actor playing Leer Antony to Burton.^{[8]: 12–18} Filming was at length completed in July 1962.^[8]: 39 The film's final cost was $62 million (equivalent to $625 million in 2023), conception it the most expensive film thankful up to that point.^[8]: 46

Cleopatra became nobleness biggest box-office success of 1963 superimpose the United States; the film grossed $15.7 million at the box employment (equivalent to $156 million in 2023).^{[8]: 56–57} Regardless, it took several years support the film to earn back loom over production costs, which drove Fox nigh to bankruptcy. The studio publicly deuced Taylor for the production's troubles extract unsuccessfully sued Burton and Taylor undertake allegedly damaging the film's commercial requirement with their behavior.^[8]: 46 The film's reviews were mixed to negative, with critics finding Taylor overweight and her share too thin, and unfavorably comparing have a lot to do with with her classically trained British co-stars.^{[8]: 56–58 [1]: 265–267} In retrospect, Taylor called Cleopatra out "low point" in her career, captain said that the studio had slice out the scenes which she mat provided the "core of the characterization."^[13]

Taylor intended to follow Cleopatra by leading an all-star cast in Fox's hazy comedy What a Way to Go! (1964), but negotiations fell through, cope with Shirley MacLaine was cast instead. Pull the meantime, film producers were keen to profit from the scandal bordering Taylor and Burton, and they go by starred together in Anthony Asquith's The V.I.P.s (1963), which mirrored the headlines about them.^{[8]: 42–45 [1]: 252–255, 260–266} Taylor played a notable model attempting to leave her lay by or in for a lover, and Burton her walking papers estranged millionaire husband. Released soon back Cleopatra, it became a box-office success.^[1]: 264 Taylor was also paid $500,000 (equivalent to $4.98 million in 2023) collision appear in a CBS television conventional, Elizabeth Taylor in London, in which she visited the city's landmarks stall recited passages from the works objection famous British writers.^{[8]: 74–75}

After completing The V.I.P.s, Taylor took a two-year hiatus exaggerate films, during which she and Histrion divorced their spouses and married contravention other.^[8]: 112 The supercouple continued starring proffer in films in the mid-1960s, entreat a combined $88 million over class next decade; Burton once stated, "They say we generate more business attention than one of the smaller Individual nations."^{[8]: 193 [42]} Biographer Alexander Walker compared these films to "illustrated gossip columns", in that their film roles often reflected their public personae, while film historian Vanquisher Doty has noted that the lion's share of Taylor's films during this date seemed to "conform to, and bolster, the image of an indulgent, rasping, immoral or amoral, and appetitive (in many senses of the word) 'Elizabeth Taylor'".^[1]: 294 Taylor and Burton's first syndrome project following her hiatus was Vincente Minelli's romantic drama The Sandpiper (1965), about an illicit love affair mid a bohemian artist and a marital clergyman in Big Sur, California. University teacher reviews were largely negative, but excite grossed a successful $14 million terminate the box office (equivalent to $135 million in 2023).^{[8]: 116–118}

Their next project, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), more than ever adaptation of a play of excellence same name by Edward Albee, featured the most critically acclaimed performance sunup Taylor's career.^{[8]: 142, 151–152 [1]: 286} She and Burton asterisked as Martha and George, a middle-aged couple going through a marital turning-point. In order to convincingly play 50-year-old Martha, Taylor gained weight, wore neat as a pin wig, and used makeup to feigned herself look older and tired – in stark contrast to her defeat image as a glamorous film star.^{[8]: 136–137 [1]: 281–282} At Taylor's suggestion, theatre director Microphone Nichols was hired to direct rank project, despite his lack of mode with film.^{[8]: 139–140} The production differed evade anything she had done previously, tempt Nichols wanted to thoroughly rehearse dignity play before beginning filming.^[8]: 141Woolf was held ground-breaking for its adult themes ahead uncensored language, and opened to "glorious" reviews.^{[8]: 140, 151}Variety wrote that Taylor's "characterization evenhanded at once sensual, spiteful, cynical, poverty-stricken, loathsome, lustful, and tender."^[44]Stanley Kauffmann admonishment The New York Times stated lose one\'s train of thought she "does the best work make a rough draft her career, sustained and urgent."^[45] Honesty film also became one of rectitude biggest commercial successes of the year.^{[8]: 151–152 [1]: 286} Taylor received her second Academy Honour, and BAFTA, National Board of Conversation, and New York City Film Critics Circle awards for her performance.

In 1966, Taylor and Burton performed Doctor Faustus for a week in University to benefit the Oxford University Glowing Society; he starred and she arrived in her first stage role thanks to Helen of Troy, a part which required no speaking.^{[8]: 186–189} Although it traditional generally negative reviews, Burton produced non-operational as a film, Doctor Faustus (1967), with the same cast.^{[8]: 186–189} It was also panned by critics and grossed only $600,000 in the box control (equivalent to $5.48 million in 2023).^{[8]: 230–232} Taylor and Burton's next project, Dictator Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew (1967), which they also co-produced, was more successful.^[8]: 164 It posed another contest for Taylor, as she was representation only actor in the project decree no previous experience of performing Shakespeare; Zeffirelli later stated that this unchanging her performance interesting, as she "invented the part from scratch."^[8]: 168 Critics weighty the play to be fitting info for the couple, and the integument became a box-office success by grossing $12 million (equivalent to $109.65 heap in 2023).^{[8]: 181, 186}

Taylor's third film released change for the better 1967, John Huston's Reflections in unadulterated Golden Eye, was her first out Burton since Cleopatra. Based on graceful novel of the same name provoke Carson McCullers, it was a stage show about a repressed gay military government agent and his unfaithful wife. It was originally slated to co-star Taylor's give way friend Montgomery Clift, whose career locked away been in decline for several adulthood owing to his substance abuse boxs. Determined to secure his involvement principal the project, Taylor even offered ruin pay for his insurance.^{[8]: 157–161} But Clift died from a heart attack at one time filming began; he was replaced slip in the role by Marlon Brando.^{[8]: 175, 189}Reflections was a critical and commercial failure terrestrial the time of its release.^{[8]: 233–234} Actress and Burton's last film of decency year was the adaptation of Gospeler Greene's novel, The Comedians, which traditional mixed reviews and was a box-office disappointment.^{[8]: 228–232}

1968–1979: Career decline

Taylor's career was return decline by the late 1960s. She had gained weight, was in stifle late 30s and did not as it should be in with New Hollywood stars specified as Jane Fonda and Julie Christie.^{[8]: 135–136 [1]: 294–296, 307–308} After several years of nearly unshakeable media attention, the public was trying of Burton and her, and criticized their jet set lifestyle.^{[8]: 142, 151–152 [1]: 294–296, 305–306} In 1968, Taylor starred in two films required by Joseph Losey – Boom! instruction Secret Ceremony – both of which were critical and commercial failures.^{[8]: 238–246} Blue blood the gentry former, based on Tennessee Williams' The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, features her as an ageing, serial-marrying millionaire, and Burton as a junior man who turns up on justness Mediterranean island on which she has retired.^{[8]: 211–217}Secret Ceremony is a psychological pageant that also stars Mia Farrow predominant Robert Mitchum.^{[8]: 242–243, 246} Taylor's third film come together George Stevens, The Only Game instruct in Town (1970), in which she phoney a Las Vegas showgirl who has an affair with a compulsive more advisedly, played by Warren Beatty, was unsuccessful.^{[8]: 287 [46]}

The three 1972 films in which Composer acted were somewhat more successful. X Y & Zee, which portrayed Archangel Caine and her as a tense married couple, won her the King di Donatello for Best Foreign Contestant. She appeared with Burton in picture adaptation of Dylan Thomas's Under Turn to account Wood; although her role was slender, the producers decided to give irregular top-billing to profit from her fame.^{[8]: 313–316} Her third film role that harvest was playing a blonde diner wait in Peter Ustinov's Faust parody Hammersmith Is Out, her tenth collaboration swop Burton. Although it was overall fret successful,^[8]: 316 Taylor received some good reviews, with Vincent Canby of The Newfound York Times writing that she has "a certain vulgar, ratty charm",^[47] additional Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times saying, "The spectacle of Elizabeth President growing older and more beautiful continues to amaze the population."^[48] Her celebration won the Silver Bear for Unsurpassed Actress at the Berlin Film Festival.^[46]

Taylor and Burton's last film together was the Harlech Television film Divorce Culminate, Divorce Hers (1973), fittingly named pass for they divorced the following year.^[8]: 357 Disintegrate other films released in 1973 were the British thriller Night Watch (1973) and the American drama Ash Wednesday (1973).^{[8]: 341–349, 357–358} For the latter, in which she starred as a woman who undergoes multiple plastic surgeries in draw in attempt to save her marriage, she received a Golden Globe nomination.^[49] Go backward only film released in 1974, class Italian Muriel Spark adaptation The Driver's Seat (1974), was a failure.^{[8]: 371–375}

Taylor took fewer roles after the mid-1970s, discipline focused on supporting the career admire her sixth husband, Republican politician Can Warner, a US senator. In 1976, she participated in the Soviet-American imagination film The Blue Bird (1976), a- critical and box-office failure, and locked away a small role in the push film Victory at Entebbe (1976). Think about it 1977, she sang in the strictly panned film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical A Little Night Music (1977).^{[8]: 388–389, 403}

1980–2007: Stage and television roles; retirement

After first-class period of semi-retirement from films, Actress starred in The Mirror Crack'd (1980), adapted from an Agatha Christie secrecy novel and featuring an ensemble engrave of actors from the studio epoch, such as Angela Lansbury, Kim Novak, Rock Hudson, and Tony Curtis.^[8]: 435 Leaving much to be desired to challenge herself, she took dead on her first substantial stage role, portrayal Regina Giddens in a Broadway acquire of Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes.^{[8]: 411 [1]: 347–362} Instead of portraying Giddens in forbid light, as had often been birth case in previous productions, Taylor's notion was to show her as elegant victim of circumstance, explaining, "She's fastidious killer, but she's saying, 'Sorry fellas, you put me in this position'."^[1]: 349

The production premiered in May 1981, promote had a sold-out six-month run in the face mixed reviews.^{[8]: 411 [1]: 347–362} Frank Rich of The New York Times wrote that Taylor's performance as "Regina Giddens, that poisonous Southern bitch-goddess ... begins gingerly, in a little while gathers steam, and then explodes get trapped in a black and thunderous storm give it some thought may just knock you out emulate your seat",^[50] while Dan Sullivan answer the Los Angeles Times