Elizabeth Taylor husbands became a fascinating chapter in Hollywood history, as the violet-eyed actress walked down the aisle an astounding eight times with seven different men. In fact, her romantic life captured public attention even more than her stellar film career, with one husband being married twice.
Throughout her lifetime, these marriages ranged from a brief eight-month union to passionate long-term relationships with several children that defined an era. The Elizabeth Taylor husbands list reads like a who’s who of entertainment and society, including film producers, actors, and even a U.S. senator. The Elizabeth Taylor husbands in order tell a compelling story of love, loss, and the evolution of celebrity culture in America.
From a teenage bride to a fairy-tale wedding at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, this deep dive unpacks every twist and turn of her love life.
Contents
Early Hollywood Marriages: Elizabeth Taylor’s First Steps
The first chapter of Elizabeth Taylor husbands began with a lavish Hollywood wedding that captured public imagination. At merely 18 years old, Taylor’s journey into matrimony started with Conrad “Nicky” Hilton Jr., whom she met at Los Angeles’ Mocambo nightclub.
Conrad Hilton: The Marriage That Started It All
The union with the 24-year-old hotel heir marked the beginning of Elizabeth Taylor husbands list with a spectacular ceremony on May 6, 1950. MGM Studios orchestrated the entire affair, from the Helen Rose-designed wedding gown to the selection of bridesmaids – all under contract with the studio. The wedding drew 3,000 fans outside the Church of the Good Shepherd, while 600 Hollywood elite witnessed the ceremony.
Although the marriage appeared promising, it crumbled rapidly. The honeymoon in Europe revealed Hilton’s darker side as he became increasingly abusive. Subsequently, Taylor endured both physical and mental abuse, which tragically resulted in a miscarriage. The marriage lasted a mere eight months, with Taylor filing for divorce in January 1951.
Michael Wilding: Finding Stability
Following her tumultuous first marriage, Elizabeth Taylor husbands in order took a different turn when she met British actor Michael Wilding. Their paths first crossed during the filming of “Conspirator” in 1949, although romance bloomed three years later during the production of “Ivanhoe”.
Despite their 20-year age gap, Wilding provided the stability Taylor desperately sought. The couple married on February 21, 1952, marking a calmer chapter in her romantic life. Their five-year marriage produced two sons – Michael Jr. in 1953 and Christopher in 1955.
Nevertheless, the marriage faced its own challenges. While Taylor’s star continued to rise, particularly after “Giant” (1956), Wilding’s career declined. Moreover, tabloid publicity, including unfounded accusations from columnist Hedda Hopper, contributed to their eventual separation. Although the marriage ended in 1957, Taylor maintained a cordial relationship with Wilding, often referring to their divorce as “friendly”.
The Golden Era Love Stories
Among Elizabeth Taylor husbands, Mike Todd marked a turning point in the actress’s romantic journey. Their connection sparked instantly when Todd boldly declared at MGM, “You are going to marry only one guy, see, and his name is me”.
Mike Todd: The First True Love
The Elizabeth Taylor husbands list found its most passionate chapter with Mike Todd, whom she married in 1957 in Acapulco. Initially, their 25-year age gap raised eyebrows, yet their connection proved profound. “God, I loved him. My self-esteem, my image, everything soared under his exuberant, loving care,” Taylor wrote in her 1988 memoir. Their happiness multiplied with the birth of their daughter, Liza, in August 1957.
Tragically, their love story ended abruptly when Todd’s private plane, the Liz, crashed near Grants, New Mexico, in March 1958. “I honestly didn’t think I would survive and didn’t much care if I did not,” Taylor confessed.
Eddie Fisher: Scandal and Headlines
Soon after Todd’s death, Elizabeth Taylor husbands in order took an unexpected turn. She found solace in Eddie Fisher, Todd’s best friend, who was married to America’s sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds. “I was keeping Mike alive by talking about him because Eddie was a great friend of Mike’s. That was the only thing we had in common,” Taylor later revealed.
The affair sparked what Todd Fisher described as “one of Hollywood’s biggest, most notorious scandals”. The public reaction was swift and harsh – Fisher’s contracts were canceled due to morality clauses. Furthermore, the media painted Taylor as a “home-wrecker” while Reynolds gained sympathy as the abandoned wife.
The Beginning of Media Obsession
The Elizabeth Taylor husbands saga reached new heights of public scrutiny with this relationship. Notably, the scandal transformed media coverage of celebrity relationships:
- The affair generated an “insane tabloid feeding frenzy”
- Public opinion divided sharply, with protesters carrying signs reading “Liz Go Home”
- The controversy affected careers differently – Reynolds and Taylor’s box office appeal increased, while Fisher’s career declined
Undoubtedly, Taylor herself later admitted the marriage was “one big, friggin’ awful mistake”. The relationship ended when she met Richard Burton during the filming of Cleopatra, marking yet another chapter in her complex romantic history.
Richard Burton: Elizabeth Taylor’s Greatest Romance
Of all Elizabeth Taylor husbands, Richard Burton stands as the most significant figure in her romantic journey. Their passionate relationship began years before their eventual marriage, with their first encounter occurring at a Hollywood party in 1953.
Meeting on Cleopatra Set
The Elizabeth Taylor husbands list took its most dramatic turn on January 22, 1962, when Taylor and Burton reunited on the set of Cleopatra. Their initial interaction was less than promising – Burton’s opening line, “Has anybody ever told you that you’re a very pretty girl?” left Taylor unimpressed. Accordingly, the atmosphere shifted when Taylor witnessed Burton’s vulnerability during filming, as he struggled with a hangover so severe his hands trembled.
Their on-screen chemistry quickly ignited into a real-life romance. During their first love scene, the passion became undeniable – they continued kissing even after the director called “cut” multiple times. Simultaneously, their affair created unprecedented media attention, with photographers hiding in trees and journalists disguising themselves as priests to capture their moments together.
The Marriages and Divorces
Among Elizabeth Taylor husbands in order, Burton holds the unique distinction of marrying her twice. Their first wedding took place on March 15, 1964, after both ended their previous marriages. Their relationship was marked by:
- Extravagant spending on property, art, and jewelry
- Intense public scrutiny and media coverage
- Passionate arguments fueled by alcohol
- Eleven films together as co-stars
Consequently, their first marriage ended in divorce in June 1974. However, their connection proved too powerful to resist. Therefore, they remarried on October 10, 1975, in Botswana. Sadly, this union lasted less than a year, ending in July 1976.
The Elizabeth Taylor husbands chapter with Burton remained unfinished until his death. Three days before his passing in 1984, Burton wrote Taylor a final letter expressing his desire to “come home” – home being wherever she was. Taylor kept this letter private until her death, considering it one of her most precious possessions. “From those first moments in Rome, we were always madly and powerfully in love,” Taylor later revealed.
Their relationship transcended their marriages, remaining connected through their shared past, children, and Burton’s passionate letters. “In my heart, I will always believe we would have been married a third and final time,” Taylor confessed to her biographers.
Life After Burton
After the intensity of her relationships with Burton, Elizabeth Taylor husbands took an unexpected turn toward politics. A blind date with Senator John Warner at a British Embassy dinner in 1976 marked the beginning of a new chapter in her romantic journey.
John Warner: The Political Chapter
The Elizabeth Taylor husbands list expanded into the political realm as Taylor embraced her role as a senator’s wife. She proved instrumental in Warner’s 1978 Senate campaign, drawing massive crowds across Virginia and making up to six stops daily for two months. Essentially, her star power came with strict conditions – Warner insisted she give up her Rolls-Royce, yacht, and even the famous Taylor-Burton diamond.
Life as a political spouse presented unique challenges:
- Wardrobe restrictions replacing purple with tweed
- Limited political expression despite Democratic leanings
- Strict adherence to traditional political wife roles
- Isolation from her Hollywood social circle
The marriage strained under Washington’s demands. “I had no function anymore, not even as an ornament,” Taylor revealed. She struggled with loneliness at their Virginia farm, battling alcohol dependency and gaining over 40 pounds. The final breaking point came after Reagan’s assassination attempt in 1981, when Taylor defied Warner’s wishes by publishing a gun control advertisement.
Larry Fortensky: The Final Marriage
Among Elizabeth Taylor husbands in order, her last marriage represented a return to authenticity. She met construction worker Larry Fortensky, twenty years her junior, during her second stay at Betty Ford Clinic in 1988. Their connection flourished away from Hollywood’s spotlight, as Fortensky had never even been on a plane before meeting Taylor.
Their 1991 wedding at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch combined glamor with purpose. Taylor channeled the media attention positively, using the $1 million from exclusive wedding photos to establish The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Additionally, she embraced domestic life, waking up early to prepare Fortensky’s lunch and maintaining a regular routine.
The marriage lasted until 1996, primarily ending when Fortensky stopped working and struggled with the pressures of Taylor’s world. Otherwise, their relationship remained amicable – Taylor included him in her estate planning, and they spoke regularly until her death. Her final letter to him in 2010 captured their enduring connection: “You’re a part of my life that cannot be carved out… Love you, Babe, Elizabeth”.
How Elizabeth Taylor’s Husbands Changed Hollywood
The saga of Elizabeth Taylor husbands redefined Hollywood’s relationship with celebrity privacy. Their romances, primarily the Burton affair, sparked a cultural shift that permanently altered how media covered stars’ personal lives.
Creating Celebrity Culture
The Elizabeth Taylor husbands list catalyzed a fundamental change in celebrity coverage when her affair with Richard Burton erupted in 1962. Their relationship birthed modern paparazzi culture after an Italian photographer captured intimate photos of the couple on a yacht. The Vatican’s unprecedented involvement, condemning them for “erotic vagrancy,” evidently transformed a private affair into an international scandal.
Indeed, the public’s reaction proved unprecedented. The U.S. Congress contemplated banning the couple from re-entering America. This marked the first showbiz scandal that unified global media attention, as press coverage reached from South Asia to Africa. The Elizabeth Taylor husbands in order became headline material across continents, specifically during the Burton years when:
- Magazines paid thousands for single photographs
- Hotels reported guests paying for rooms below the couple to eavesdrop on their arguments
- Media teams monitored Taylor’s every move, even during her rehabilitation stays
- The public’s fascination turned their personal drama into profitable entertainment
Impact on Media Coverage
The cultural aftermath of Taylor’s relationships markedly altered Hollywood’s landscape. Prior to her affairs, celebrities maintained strict boundaries between their public roles and private lives. Sociologist Ellis Cashmore identified the publication of Taylor-Burton photographs as a “turning point” that permanently merged these previously separate spheres.
Taylor’s approach to publicity differed from her contemporaries. Unlike other Hollywood stars who guarded their privacy, she openly shared her personal affairs. This transparency, coupled with her unapologetic attitude toward criticism, established a new paradigm for celebrity behavior.
The financial implications proved substantial. When Taylor became the first celebrity to check into Betty Ford Clinic, media teams descended en masse. Her ability to monetize public interest reached new heights when she channeled media attention into successful ventures, such as her White Diamonds fragrance.
Overall, the Elizabeth Taylor husbands phenomenon created a template for modern celebrity coverage. Their relationship introduced terms like “paparazzi” into everyday vocabulary, while establishing precedents for:
- Celebrity couple branding
- Media monetization of personal relationships
- Global entertainment coverage
- Public fascination with stars’ private lives
This cultural transformation continues to influence contemporary celebrity culture, as evidenced by today’s ubiquitous paparazzi presence and the public’s enduring fascination with stars’ personal lives.
Elizabeth Taylor Husbands Frequently Asked Questions
How many husbands did Elizabeth Taylor have?
Elizabeth Taylor had seven husbands and was married eight times. She married Richard Burton twice, making her total number of marriages eight. Her husbands were Conrad Hilton Jr., Michael Wilding, Mike Todd, Eddie Fisher, Richard Burton (twice), John Warner, and Larry Fortensky.
Who was considered Elizabeth Taylor’s greatest love?
Richard Burton is widely regarded as Elizabeth Taylor’s greatest love. Their passionate relationship, which included two marriages and divorces, captivated the public and media. Taylor herself referred to Burton as her “soulmate” and maintained a deep connection with him until his death.
How did Elizabeth Taylor’s marriages impact Hollywood culture?
Taylor’s marriages, particularly her relationship with Richard Burton, revolutionized celebrity culture. Their affairs and public dramas sparked unprecedented media coverage, birthing modern paparazzi culture and changing how the public consumed celebrity news. This shift permanently altered the landscape of Hollywood and celebrity reporting.
Why did Elizabeth Taylor marry so many times?
Taylor’s multiple marriages can be attributed to various factors, including the social norms of her era (where dating was less common and marriage more expected), her pursuit of love and stability, and her tumultuous personal life. Some marriages ended due to tragedy (like Mike Todd’s death), while others dissolved due to compatibility issues or infidelity.
How did Elizabeth Taylor’s personal life affect her career?
While Taylor’s personal life often overshadowed her professional achievements, it also contributed to her enduring fame and public interest. Her relationships generated significant publicity, which sometimes affected her film choices and public image. Later in life, Taylor leveraged her celebrity status to raise awareness for causes like AIDS research, demonstrating how her personal life intertwined with her broader impact on society.
