Elizabeth Taylor has died

[alan45]

Actress Elizabeth Taylor has died, her publicist tells CNN. She was 79.

[moonstorm]

She was so beautiful, RIP Elizabeth.

[Siobhan]

RIP Liz.. she was younger than I thought she was...

[Perdita]

RIP Elizabeth, for me she always was one of the most beautiful women in the world :(

[Perdita]

Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79.

The actress died of congestive heart failure in the early hours of this morning.

Taylor's publicist Sally Morrison said in a statement: "She was surrounded by her children - Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd and Maria Burton."

Her son Michael added: "My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humour and love.

"Though her loss is devastating to those of us who held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to our world."

He continued: "Her remarkable body of work in film, her ongoing success as a businesswoman, and her brave and relentless advocacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS, all make us all incredibly proud of what she accomplished.

"We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for mum having lived in it. Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts."

Taylor had been admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles in January for her heart condition. Her health was reported to have been improving last month.

The screen icon won the Academy Award for 'Best Actress' in 1960 for BUtterfield 8 and again in 1966 for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

She starred opposite Richard Burton in 1963 movie Cleopatra and the pair developed a relationship on set and married in 1964. She was married eight times in total, including a second time to Burton in 1975 after they divorced a year earlier.

Taylor is survived by ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

[tammyy2j]

RIP a true acting legend and beauty icon

[Chloe O'brien]

I read this on DS after lunch. Wasn't a shock as she has been ill for a while but a loss of a true legend. She was one of Hollywoods true greats.

R.I.P Liz

[lizann]

She is with Jacko and Bubbles now

RIP Liz Taylor

[willow]

RIP Liz
xxxxx

[JustJodi]

I think she is actually 83, cos my mom always said she was 6 years older than she was and mom is 89 now,, so I think the age may be wrong ..but what the heck do I know :-P
RIP Liz.. she was younger than I thought she was...

[thestud2k7]

This is such sad news

The world has lost an true legend r.i.p liz

[Perdita]

I have admired and adored Liz Taylor alll my life, please excuse my indulgence for posting 10 Things About Liz Taylor from DS, quite a few things I did not know. Thank you.


Yesterday we mourned the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, who died from congestive heart failure at the age of 79. We all know about those violet eyes, the two Oscars and all those husbands, but as the tributes pour in from across the world of showbiz, it seems appropriate to give you ten lesser-known facts about the screen legend. So, after enjoying some of her famous screen moments, the classic images from her flicks and snapshots of her life, read on for some behind-the-scenes information about the Queen of Hollywood's golden age.

1. Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in London to American art dealer dad Francis Lenn Taylor and ex-actress Sara Viola Warmbrodt. She picked up that middle name from her grandma on her dad's side, Elizabeth Mary Rosemond.

2. In 1965, Elizabeth reportedly tried to renounce her dual citizenship and become solely a British citizen to protect her European earnings from hefty US taxes. It is believed that the US State department denied her request because she failed to complete the oath to fully renounce all allegiance to the United States of America.

3. She was affectionately known to many the world over as "Liz", but the truth is she was never too keen on the abbreviation. Asked by friend and journo Barbara Walters what she would like on her tombstone, she said: "Here lies Liz, she lived... no I don't like Liz... I hate that name! Here lies Elizabeth, she hated being called Liz... but she lived!"

4. She was dubbed Mrs Elizabeth Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Burton Warner Fortensky for all those marriages (and note the double-Burton in the middle!). Her only marriage not to end in divorce was to Michael Todd, who died in 1958. She said that Todd and Burton were the loves of her life, and claimed that had Burton not died in 1984 they may well have married for a third time.

5. Burton never won an Oscar, despite six 'Best Actor' nods and one for 'Best Supporting Actor', but Liz won 'Best Actress' twice - for BUtterfield 8 in 1960 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1966. She was also named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000. Taylor picked up special gongs from BAFTA, the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globes, and was given a President's Citizen's Medal in 2001 and named a Kennedy Centre Honoree the following year.

6. According to widespread rumour, Elizabeth also won the much more impressive accolade 'Most Memorable Eyebrows' in a 1976 magazine poll. She is believed to have beaten Lassie - who she famously starred across in 1943's Lassie Come Home - into second place!

7. After a second bout of pneumonia in 1961, Liz had to have an emergency tracheotomy and bore a scar afterwards. She previously conducted a much more ad-hoc medical procedure on her A Place In The Sun co-star and fellow screen icon Montgomery Clift (who always called her Bessie Mae). After a car crash in 1956, Taylor reached into Clift's mouth to pull out a loose tooth which was blocking his airways, saving his life. Wow!

8. Famous for her activism in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Taylor served up a banger of a one-liner aimed at then-president George Bush's stalling attempts to tackle the problem. "I don't think President Bush is doing anything at all about AIDS," she explained. "In fact, I'm not sure he even knows how to spell AIDS."

9. In 1992, Liz starred in an episode of classic eco-warrior cartoon Captain Planet and the Planeteers called 'A Formula For Hate'. It was reportedly the first time a US children's animated series dealt with the issue of HIV/AIDS. Taylor played a mum to Neil Patrick Harris's Todd and tackled the evil machinations of Verminous Skumm, who brainwashes a local community into thinking the virus can be spread by casual contact.

10. Not content with one US animated first, Elizabeth also voiced the previously-silent (pacifier sucks aside) Maggie Simpson, uttering the word "Daddy" for the youngest of the Simpsons clan. According to show creator Matt Groening: "We did 24 takes, but they were always too sexual." Well, what did they expect really? "Finally Liz said, 'F**k you,' and walked out!" Marvellous!

[Perdita]

The funeral of Elizabeth Taylor will be held today, it has been reported.

The screen icon, who passed away as a result of congestive heart failure in the early hours of Wednesday morning, is being commemorated this afternoon at a private service in Glendale, California, according to TMZ.

It has also been revealed that Taylor will then be buried at Forest Lawn - the same resting place as the actress's close friend Michael Jackson.

Previous reports had suggested that Taylor was likely to be entombed in the crypt alongside her late parents at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, but it would now appear that those claims were inaccurate.

A large number of celebrities have paid tribute to Taylor since her death, including the likes of Sir Elton John, Madonna and Barbara Walters.


That is quick :(
Thought she wanted to be buried with Richard Burton :(

[Siobhan]

Not really.. in Ireland, you are normally buried with in 2 or 3 days after death

[Chloe O'brien]

Her family probably held her funeral early to give them a chance to grieve for her privately. A memoral service for her will be held at a later date.

[Perdita]

Elizabeth converted to Judasim before marrying Eddie Fisher and therefore had to be buried within 48 hours of passing away.

[moonstorm]

We are buried on the same day as you die in Gibraltar and then at a later date there is a memorial service. Mind you I think this has to do with the heat more than anything else.