How Many Times Was Elizabeth Taylor Married?
Elizabeth Taylor was considered to be one of the most beautiful women of all time and a very talented actress as well. She appeared in films like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Cleopatra, Suddenly, Last Summer, and The Taming of the Shrew. It was, however, her volatile personal life that made her a tabloid sensation. She is probably the first media superstar, with her many marriages drawing everything from scorn to fascination. Even though the beloved actress passed away in 2011, her life continues to fascinate and intrigue fans of all ages.
Who was Elizabeth Taylor’s first husband?
Taylor was a child star, appearing in films like Lassie and National Velvet. It was her extraordinary beauty that drew the most attention, mainly her large, violet eyes and jet-black hair. By the time she became a teenager, Taylor had earned a place among the most photographed stars in Hollywood. Due to the fact that she appeared much older than what she actually was, Taylor was playing an adult in films while she was still a teenager. In her adolescence, Taylor dated various socialites and sports stars, but eventually found love with Conrad Hilton, heir to the Hilton Hotels chain.
Taylor married Hilton in 1950 when she was only 18 years old. The marriage was doomed from the beginning, as Hilton was reported to have a nasty temper, and his addiction to alcohol made their marriage extremely taxing on Taylor. They divorced only eight months after their marriage. Taylor didn’t stay single for long, and shortly after her split from Hilton, started dating British actor Michael Wilding. Wilding was over two decades older than Taylor, but the early years of their marriage seemed to be successful- they ultimately welcomed two sons before getting divorced in 1957.
Elizabeth Taylor was married twice to the same man
Mike Todd was a well-known director when he met Taylor in 1956. They hit it off instantly, and only a few months after her divorce from Michael Wilding, she married Todd. Their relationship was tumultuous but loving, and when Todd died in a freak plane accident in 1958, Taylor was devastated. She found solace with Todd’s friend, Eddie Fisher, who was married at the time to Debbie Reynolds. The media went crazy over the affair- it was the biggest Hollywood news of the decade. Fisher and Taylor weren’t dissuaded by the bad press and got married in 1959.
In 1962, Taylor began a relationship with her Cleopatra co-star, acclaimed British actor Richard Burton. Although they were both married to other people, they couldn’t stay away from each other. Burton and Taylor were married in 1964 after both parties divorced their existing partners. Reportedly, they fought constantly, and the media tracked their lavish spending habits and loud fights over the next several years. Burton and Taylor divorced in 1974, but reconciled and remarried in 1975. The second time wasn’t the charm, and they divorced again in 1976.
How many marriages did Elizabeth Taylor have?
Following her second divorce from Richard Burton, Taylor started dating politician John Warner. They got married in 1976 and Taylor worked for a time as part of his electoral campaign. They were married for several years before ultimately divorcing in 1982. Taylor’s eighth and final marriage was to construction worker Larry Fortensky, whom she met while they were both staying at the Betty Ford Center. Taylor and Fortensky were married from 1991-1995 before they divorced.
While Fortensky was Taylor’s last husband, the star didn’t lack for the company during her last decade on earth. She devoted her time to a variety of charitable causes, including pioneering AIDS research. Although her personal life was never boring, Elizabeth Taylor’s greatest contribution has been to worthy social causes.
