From Nicky to Larry: The Men in Liz Taylor's Life

By PopEater Staff Posted Mar 23rd 2011 07:34PM

Between the ages of 18 and 64, Elizabeth Taylor did more than a life's worth of loving, marrying and divorcing. At many points in her career, the legendary actress, who died Wednesday of heart failure, garnered more attention from the public for her intoxicating love life than for the 50-odd films that padded her unparalleled filmography.

It's been written about endlessly -- her eight marriages to seven men have ended friendships, filled memoirs, kick-started political careers, graced Vanity Fair cover spreads and led countless tabloid newscasts. She reportedly nearly married an Iranian ambassador.

Taylor was a young starlet best known for her star-turning role in 'National Velvet,' when she married hotel heir Nicky Hilton in 1950. She soon grew weary of his party-boy status, and they divorced a whopping eight months later. It was her shortest union.

A year later, Taylor tied the knot with English actor Michael Wilding, who was twice her age. The pair were married between 1952 and 1957 and had two sons, Michael and Christopher. During this time, she starred in 'Giant' and 'The Last Time I Saw Paris.'

In no mood for being a single mom, Taylor very, very quickly moved on with film producer Michael Todd. Her divorce to Wilding was made official on a Saturday in late January of 1957, and one week later she was hitched again. Their daughter, Liz, was born in August. Sadly, Todd was killed in a plane crash right after their first anniversary.

She found comfort in the arms of pop sensation and actor Eddie Fisher on the set of their film, 'Butterfield 8.' He, of course, was married at the time to Taylor's friend, Debbie Reynolds, and the scandal was a tabloid sensation.

When the dust settled and they said "I do" in May 1959, she was a thrice-married Hollywood starlet, and he was still one of the hottest singers in the nation. As their marriage was crumbling, the duo began adoption proceedings for a daughter.

As was her custom, Taylor struck up a relationship with another man while her marriage to Fisher was still technically on. This time it was with actor Richard Burton, whom she had been romancing since they co-starred in 'Cleopatra.' A week after her divorce to Fisher was finalized she became Mrs. Burton.

They lasted 10 years and starred in several films together, including 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' (1966) and 'The Taming of the Shrew' (1967). They divorced in June 1974 but a year later were compelled to give it another go after doctors found spots on her lungs that she feared could be cancerous. But after Burton allegedly began drinking again, the remarriage turned sour yet again.

During the tail end of this turbulent relationship with Burton, Taylor is said to have been very close to marrying Ardeshir Zahedi, who was the Iranian ambassador to Washington at the time. With the Islamic Revolution on the horizon, there is no telling how that would have turned out.

► A Humanitarian and AIDS Activist Like No Other | Pal Barry Manilow Mourns

Having acquired a taste for politics, Taylor then became close to dashing ex-Secretary of the Navy John Warner, and they married in late 1976. During their marriage, she used her fame to help Warner win a seat in the United States Senate. They divorced in 1982 after she reportedly grew bored of being a politician's wife.

She then took a nine-year break before surprising the world by marrying a construction worker named Larry Fortensky. He was 39, and she was 59. They held their wedding at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch but divorced in 1996.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=992923&pid=992922&uts=1300891310

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/movies/?s_channel=us.moviespop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Liz Taylor Snapshots

British born actor Elizabeth Taylor and her fourth husband American singer and actor Eddie Fisher arrive at a formal event, c. 1962. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Hulton Archive

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

British born actor Elizabeth Taylor and her fourth husband American singer and actor Eddie Fisher arrive at a formal event, c. 1962. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

(FILE PHOTO) US film star Elizabeth Taylor and her first husband Nick Hilton, of the hotelier family, on their wedding day. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

FILES)Elizabeth Taylor arrives on the red carpet for her performance of A.R. Gurney's play "Love Letters" starring Taylor and James Earl Jones, 01 December 2007 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California. Taylor, famed for her striking blue eyes and eight marriages as well a glittering film career, has died at the age of 79, a statement by her publicist said March 23, 2011. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

16th January 1958: Film star Elizabeth Taylor and husband, film producer Mike Todd, arriving at Heathrow. (Photo by Miller/Keystone/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

FILE - In this March 2, 1959 file photo, actress Elizabeth Taylor, accompanied by her physician, Dr. Rexford Kennamer, walks through Waldheim Cemetery in Chicago where she attended ceremony dedicating the grave marker of her late husband, showman Mike Todd who died a year earlier. On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, Taylor, the violet-eyed film goddess whose sultry screen life was often upstaged by her stormy personal life, died of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she had been hospitalized for about six weeks. She was 79. (AP Photo/Ed Maloney, File)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

HENDERSON, NV - FEBRUARY 27: (FILE PHOTO) Dame Elizabeth Taylor arrives with her children, (L-R) Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, Maria Burton and Liza Todd Burton, for Taylor's 75th birthday party at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas on February 27, 2007 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

16th January 1958: Film star Elizabeth Taylor and husband, film producer Mike Todd, arriving at Heathrow. (Photo by Miller/Keystone/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

(FILE PHOTO) US film star Elizabeth Taylor and her first husband Nick Hilton, of the hotelier family, on their wedding day. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

British born actor Elizabeth Taylor and her fourth husband American singer and actor Eddie Fisher arrive at a formal event, c. 1962. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

(FILES) Movie star Elizabeth Taylor smiles as she appears before the Labor, Health and Human services Senate Subcommittee 08 May 1986 in Washington,DC.Taylor, famed for her striking blue eyes and eight marriages as well a glittering film career, has died at the age of 79, a statement by her publicist said March 23, 2011. AFP PHOTO/Jerome DELAY / FILES (Photo credit should read JEROME DELAY/AFP/Getty Images)

Elizabeth Taylor Snapshots

Tags: Elizabeth Taylor

Comments

(104)

Wednesday 23 March

By AJ

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Mrs. Taylor's Children:

Two sons with Wilding - Michael Howard Wilding (born 1953),
Christopher Edward Wilding (born 1955)

One daughter with Todd - Elizabeth Frances "Liza" Todd (born 1957)
One daughter with Burton - Maria Burton (born 1961; adopted 1964)
In 1971, Mrs. Taylor became a grandmother at the age of 39. At the time of her death she was survived by her four children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

By Inez Afanador

Vote down Vote up Report this

Wasn't her daughter with Mike Todd adopted????????

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Maria Burton was adopted by Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Burton. Elizabeth Frances Todd Burton was the legitimate daughter of Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Todd. Mr. Burton adopted Elizabeth Frances and gave her his name.

Thursday 24 March

By Danny White

I have a coffee table that use to belong to her

By suebru

Hello, I had it told to me that if Elizabeth Taylor lived long enough that she and I would marry. So much for that idea!

Friday 25 March

By Mourad Arganian

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. She was also a terrific actress. As a friend of Rock Hudson, she courageously advocated for persons with AIDS at a time when celebrities avoided taking a public stance regarding this disease. Yes, she was unsuccessful at marriage just like most Americans. Remember our high divorce rate? I feel badly for persons who have difficulty with relationships, especially celebrities who we have unrealistically high expectations of.

By sieben13

who was her last husband

By SWEETSPRINGLUV

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Jewelry, men, sex, aids...
Very memorable.!!

By Midge

You are so very ignorant, that you summed up Elizabeth Taylor's life in four words. I can't help but wonder what four words will be used to describe your worthless life?

By Nancy

This is one of the saddest days of my life, I just loved her as a great human being that she was, and I think she touched many people. I'm still sad and will be for awhile,

By sweetspringluv

I forgot to mention Michael..!!

By Cindy

Elizabeth may have been trying to make up for seldom having her father around. Probably was looking for a father figure with Wilding. I do believe that if Mike Todd had lived, they'ed have stayed together, for she was in sorrowful shock for a LOOONNNGGG time after that death.

By jeb

why do people seem to enjoy slamming each other so?

By mer

Just think about the era and the age of this child star when she was exposed to the grown up world of Hollywood. She was 15 yrs. older than me but I remember all of the drama in her life. She was a stunningly beautiful, talented woman who led a full, colorful, and sometimes tragic life. I hope she found some happiness along the way. None of us can possibly relate to her life so don't even try. She was one of a kind.

By jake

finally the hypochondriac and all her MJ drama and her gone thank GOD

By Chloe

Elizabeth Taylor did not have AIDS! She sold her Burton-Taylor 69 carat diamond to finance her AMFAR ... her AIDS research foundation .... to date, this organization has raised a lot of money when is going to research to find a cure for this dreadful disease. There is nothing wrong with JEWELRY, MEN or...... most of all SEX!

By sharon

Im sure she made it to heaven, All good caring people should .!!

By kiss me Kate

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

hi there they didn't mention me i was a man in her life 'course i kissed on her waaaaay back yep before she got seasoned yep ya see my moto is lips that touch wine never touch mine so ya know it had to be waaaaaay long ago and easily forgotten cause of the LooooooNg time ago when she wasn't drinkin' . yep

By Joseph Lawrence

The adult Elizabeth Taylor was not a great actress, but she had the beauty that could launch a 1000 ships or more. She was foremost a great humanitarian. Because she was Elizabeth Taylor her private life was public and those on here who sit in judgement of her choose often to look the other way when family members and friends are guilty of similiar indiscretions. Fortunately the Elizabeth Taylors of this world stand so far above the small-minded amongst us that neither in life nor in death can they be touched by their slings and arrows and to all "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

By ajschrod

I can speak from experience in saying many boys in 50s went to sleep at night with that beautiful women on their minds. One of her Husbands said she was in love with "being in Love", and anyone lucky enough to know her was better off for it. I believe it!

Page 4 of 6