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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyMarch 23rd, 2011
In 1985, seven thousand people, mostly gay men, died of a new disease known as AIDS. Los Angeles, the city where some of the first known AIDS cases were reported, was hit particularly hard. Rock Hudson fell ill and died in October of that year. Elizabeth Taylor was one of the few initially — and critically, perhaps the first straight ally in mainstream American consciousness — to publicly embrace not just her good friend, but to call attention to the epidemic that would devastate an entire community:
Elizabeth Talyor speaking at the 1992 International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam.
“I remember complaining, ‘Why isn’t anybody doing anything? Why isn’t anyone raising money?'” asked Elizabeth. “And it struck me like lightning: ‘Wait a second, I’m not doing anything.'” But she would. Elizabeth Taylor had a plan of action.
“I decided that with my name I could open certain doors, that I was a commodity in myself—and I’m not talking as an actress. I could take the fame I’d resented and tried to get away from for so many years—but you can never get away from it—and use it to do some good. I wanted to retire, but the tabloids wouldn’t let me. So I thought, If you’re going to screw me over, I’ll use you.” Elizabeth’s plan to use the media could only work. They had followed her every move for decades, and by attaching her name to the AIDS crisis, they would have to acknowledge it. Elizabeth Taylor would breakdown the stereotypes associated with the disease and enlighten an ignorant world. AIDS was not a gay man’s disease. AIDS has the potential to affect everyone and no one can hide from it.
Elizabeth helped start the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), and she established her own Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). By 1999, she had helped to raise an estimated US$50 million to fight the disease. She also made the red AIDS ribbon a fashion requirement in L.A.
Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson in "Giant"
Elizabeth Taylor’s eight marriages to seven husbands was a source of jokes for comedians and late night talk shows, but it’s her monumental body of work on the silver screen will forever cement her legacy as an artist. When she appeared at the age of eleven in 1943’s Lassie Come Home with fellow child star Roddy McDowell, MGM awarded her a contract. One year later, National Velvet rocketed her to national stardom. She somehow managed to navigate the tricky waters from adolescent star to adult star, with her 1950 hit Father Knows Best, with Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennet. She followed that the next year with her acclaimed performance in the classic A Place In The Sun, with Montgomery Clift and Shelly Winters. She appeared in the 1956 epic Giant, with Rock Hudson and James Dean, and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for 1957’s Raintree County opposite Montgomery Clift, 1958’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opposite Paul Newman, and 1959’s Suddenly, Last Summer with Montgomery Clift, Katharine Hepburn and Mercedes McCambridge. She won an Academy Award in 1960 for Butterfield 8, and again in 1967 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? By the time her smash hit Cleopatra appeared in 1963 with future husband Richard Burton, she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood.
Elizabeth’s talents were entirely natural; she never received professional training. Her beauty was natural as well. One cameraman remarked that she had no bad angle. Her face was flawlessly symmetrical. And her eyes. She had the deepest, velvet blue eyes.
She died this morning in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure after a very long illness. She was 79 when she died. She is much younger than that now.
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MattNYC
March 23rd, 2011
I am sad today for this loss in two ways–besides all of the good work she did and the amazing performances she left behind, she was my mother’s absolutely favorite actress.
I may have had a conversation with my mother about why, but now I cannot recall exactly why. I suppose a large part was that they were close in age and another was that I think my mother empathized with Liz’s personal tragedies.
So her passing opens a new way for remembering my mother (who passed away in 1999).
May her memory be a blessing.
Regan DuCasse
March 23rd, 2011
Yes, it’s hard to be a great beauty. One will be the subject of gossip and scandal no matter what.
But her astounding compassion in a time, when even doctors and nurses would shy away from those with HIV/AIDS has no measure. She was the first celebrity to lend her name to the cause of fighting AIDS and it has been her life mission since the beginning.
I liked her. I love classic movies, and classic roles that actresses like her did. I have my favorite roles in which she’s most memorable…and I remember loving some of the wardrobe that became her signature in many of them. Must have been that curvaceous, womanly figure of hers that designers must have loved to dress.
We are losing her like of that generation of performers who had such a face, a look, who were known for actually being able to DO something. They were beautiful and talented, and once in a while their star knew some tarnish.
These days, a lot of young people aren’t concerned with having talent,just being famous.
Watch and learn kids, FROM the masters like Elizabeth Taylor.
May she rest in peace.
MattNYC
March 23rd, 2011
Gonna have to borrow Father of the Bride from the library (the REAL one, kiddies!)–that’s how I’ll always remember her image.
Ray
March 23rd, 2011
Broken hearted today.
Timothy Kincaid
March 23rd, 2011
There have been a lot of actresses. There have been a lot of very pretty, very talented actresses. But few can go for decades without making a movie and still be a household name or still have tabloid interest.
Liz had a quality that set her apart. A spark or spirit or something that compelled your attention. I’ve heard famous and successful actors say that they became tongue-tied around her and that when she entered the room everyone took notice.
She was in that extremely rare sorority of true living legends. And she was in the much smaller club of those who took that power and used it to do good.
And Jim, how dare you not mention Butterfield 8 or Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, the two movies for which she brought home an Oscar?
Jim Burroway
March 23rd, 2011
OMFG! I really thought I had those two Oscars in there! I’ve updated the post accordingly
Mark F.
March 23rd, 2011
A very sad day. Liz had her share of stinker movies, but she could be a very good actress. And her charitable work was honorable. May she RIP.
tristram
March 23rd, 2011
Montgomery Clift, Roddy McDowall, James Dean, Rock Hudson.
Tone
March 23rd, 2011
The very first thing I thought of when I heard news of her passing was AmFar. Ms. Taylor was among the first people of influence who gave a damn about us back in the 80’s when politicians were ignoring what most people referred to as the gay plague.
AmFar reportedly raised over fifty million dollars in its first ten years. That was money that helped with research that gave us the tools we have today to fight HIV.
As wonderful as she was on the silver screen, it pales in comparison to the lives she no doubt helped save.
It took until midday for the feelings of grief and loss to catch up with me. I am brokenhearted tonight as well.
MattNYC
March 23rd, 2011
Tone, et al., it took me about 15 minutes to get on to the AmFar site this morning–no doubt because of the people trying to find information. I made a donation in her memory. They now have a special link for donations in her name:
http://tinyurl.com/6yc9n54
(the real link is very long)
Timothy Kincaid
March 24th, 2011
Ahhh, much better. Thanks for the update.
…
The local LA news coverage of Liz’ passing was from The Abbey, LA’s best known gay bar and Liz’s “favorite pub.” They focused as much on her fight against AIDS as they did on her movie stardom.
Fresno Dentist
March 24th, 2011
Amazing actress. a very talented lady
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