The House of Elizabeth Taylor

Vivien Leigh & Karl Malden | A Streetcar Named Desire

WHAT EVER LIZ WANTS, LIZ GETS

Elizabeth Taylor, 1960s

Elizabeth Taylor (1967)

Liz, Rock and Jimmy hanging out on the set of Giant.

James Caan taking a break after his death scene in The Godfather

A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) dir. George Stevens

ELIZABETH TAYLOR 

Carrie Fisher with Elizabeth Taylor

ELIZABETH TAYLOR in BEAU BRUMMELL (1954) dir. Curtis Bernhardt

Rock Hudson photographed by Marcel Thomas

Elizabeth Taylor playing cards in the MGM film “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in 1958.

Rock Hudson photographed by Earl Leaf at his home, 1956

Elizabeth Taylor’s eloquent and powerful speech while accepting the Vanguard Award at the 11th annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2000. After her dear friend and co-star Rock Hudson announced that he had AIDS prior to his passing in 1985 (the first high-profile celebrity to do so), Elizabeth—against great opposition during the fear-based AIDS hysteria and stigmatization prevalent in the 1980s—immediately organized a fundraising benefit to raise money for AIDS research (she later stated that she had the phone hung up on her repeatedly while trying to enlist the help of other celebrities with the benefit, and that some people thought she was “crazy” for getting involved with the cause). After Rock passed away on October 2nd, 1985, she also organized his memorial service and soon after became the co-founder (alongside Dr. Mathilde Krim) of the first AIDS research center amfAR. Her separate Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation was established in 1991 with the specific focus of providing nutritious meals (as well as medical and financial assistance) to people living with HIV and AIDS. She also lobbied the U.S. congress to contribute more money for AIDS research and education, devoting the last twenty-six years of her life to the cause. After Elizabeth passed away in 2011 at the age of 79, a large portion of the $115,932,000 raised at the Christie’s auction of her legendary jewelry collection was bequeathed to her charity in order to continue providing the services and assistance she believed were important in perpetuity.