Showing posts with label Elizabeth Taylor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elizabeth Taylor. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Silver-screen sirens of the 20th century



20th-century screen sirens
Today is the birthday of the legendary Marilyn Monroe, the day when she would have turned 85. In honor of this iconic sex symbol we take a look at the most glamorous and seductively beautiful silver screen sirens of the 20th century, along with their dazzling films and fiery love affairs. 


Marilyn Monroe
Her fame surpassed that of any other entertainer of her generation, and she transcended the bounds of stardom to become a cultural icon. She offered the whole package -- glamour, beauty, sex appeal, a sizzling screen presence and a talent for singing.

Her films:
"Gentleman Prefer Blondes"
"How to Marry a Millionaire"
"The Seven Year Itch"

Her loves:
A policeman
A baseball legend
A famous playwright
Greta Garbo
One of silent film's biggest stars  this Swedish actress captivated audiences with her divine looks and natural talent for conveying emotions on-camera. After the Hollywood "talkies" were introduced, her seductive voice and mysterious persona helped her become a legend, eventually earning her an honorary Oscar for her screen career.

Her films:
"Ninotchka"
"Grand Hotel"
"Camille"

Her loves:
A silent film star
A businessman
A writer and socialite
Brigitte Bardot
She was the first international star  to be as popular as any homegrown pinup in the U.S. This sultry sex symbol  is known for popularizing the bikini and also for her illustrious career as a model, singer  and flirtatious actress.

Her films:
"Contempt"
"...And God Created Woman" )
"Viva Maria!"

Her loves:
A director
A French actor
A German multimillionaire
Angelina Jolie
Regularly on the "world's most beautiful" lists, this silver screen goddess is known for her otherworldly beauty  acting talent, eccentricities and humanitarian work. She is at home portraying tough young women on the big screen and received an Academy Award for her role as a sociopath.

Her films:
"Lara Croft Tomb Raider"
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" 
"Salt"


Her loves:
An actor and adoptive father to her children
An actor, screenwriter and director
A British actor
Sophia Loren
This Oscar-winning  actress is widely considered to be the most popular Italian actress of her time. She is famous for starring in more than 100 movies  and for her hourglass figure.

Her films:
"Two Women" 
"Man of La Mancha"
"El Cid"

Her loves:
An Italian film producer
A debonair actor
Elizabeth Taylor
She was admired for her acting ability  glamorous lifestyle, beauty and distinctive violet eyes. Part of her enduring fame includes two Academy Awards  her pioneering AIDS activism and her many marriages.

Her films:
"A Place in the Sun"
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
"Giant"

Her loves:
A Welsh actor
A popular singer and entertainer
A hotel heir and businessman
Raquel Welch

A new international sex symbol took to the cinematic throne in the '60s when she hit the screen in a skimpy fur bikini. Her natural beauty  wiped away the notion that enduring sex goddesses could only be blond, and she gained recognition as a serious actress, author (check out her book) and businesswoman.

Her films:
"One Million Years B.C."
"Fathom"
"The Three Musketeers"

Her loves:
A French producer and photographer
A Hollywood press agent
Betty Grable
The No. 1 pinup girl and morale booster during World War II  this American actress, dancer and singer  was one of the most famous of Hollywood's blonde superwomen. Known for her luxurious legs -- famously insured by her studio  -- she offered wholesome appeal and an alluring stage presence.

Her films:
"How to Marry a Millionaire"
"Pin-Up Girl"
"I Wake Up Screaming"
Her loves:
A child film star
A trumpeter and bandleader
Rita Hayworth
With her signature wavy, auburn hair and charismatic smile  this sexy actress became a popular pinup girl during World War II  and one of the era's top stars. She left her mark on the silver screen with her sultry roles  and her considerable talent as a dancer  and singer.

Her films:
"Gilda"
"The Lady From Shanghai"
"Cover Girl"

Her loves:
A famous radio actor and film director
A prince
A big band crooner and actor
Sharon Stone

This diva has a flair for combining brainy sex appeal and old-fashioned Hollywood glamour. Her brazen role as a femme fatale elevated her to international star status, and she has since shown her considerable range as an actress.

Her films:
"Basic Instinct"
"Casino"
"Total Recall"

Her loves:
A writer, producer and director
A newspaper editor
A country singer
Gene Tierney
One of Hollywood's most luminous actresses, this striking beauty  was known for her etched cheekbones, crystal-like green eyes and elegance. A successful Broadway and film career  helped propel her to stardom.

Her films:
"Laura"
"Heaven Can Wait"
"Sundown"

Her loves:
A fashion designer
A president of the United States
A Houston oil man 
Hedy Lamarr
This Austrian-born actress became a worldwide sensation in a '30s Czech film  which featured her completely nude. For a decade she was cast opposite top male stars, usually as a woman of mystery  and was known for her extraordinary beauty.

Her films:
"Algiers"
"My Favorite Spy"
"A Lady Without Passport"

Her loves:
A British actor
A highly decorated naval officer
An arms manufacturer with Nazi connections
Lana Turner
A statuesque, shapely blonde this movie goddess was discovered and signed to a film contract at age 16. Despite a highly publicized scandal, she had a prolific film career and was another of the Hollywood glamour gals to become a popular World War II pinup.

Her films:
"Peyton Place"
"The Bad and the Beautiful"
"The Postman Always Rings Twice"

Her loves:
An actor
A jazz clarinetist and composer
A gangster bodyguard
Farrah Fawcett
Sporting feathered blond hair  this iconic entertainment figure of the '70s burst onto the scene after a poster of her in a red bathing suit  sold millions of copies. Along with her wholesome look and sex appeal, she gained acclaim for her starring role in a hit TV series.

Her films:
"Extremities"
"Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story"

Her loves:
The "Six Million Dollar Man"
A screen actor from the '70s
A Canadian filmmaker
Julia Roberts
Not only has she frequented People magazine's "World's Most Beautiful" list  but she quickly became one of Hollywood's highest-paid stars after headlining a '90s romantic comedy as a hooker. She won an Oscar for this movie.

Her films:
"Pretty Woman"
"Erin Brockovich"
"Duplicity"

Her loves:
A country-western singer
An actor, director and producer
A "Law & Order" actor
Kim Novak
One of postwar Hollywood's most mysterious and alluring actresses  she is best known for her unforgettable performance in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. She exuded a daunting intellectual iciness in her roles. 

Her films:
"Picnic"
"Vertigo"
"Bell, Book and Candle"

Her loves:
An eminent English actor
The son of a Dominican dictator
A veterinarian
Jean Harlow
Known as the original "blond bombshell," she made her mark on Hollywood with her trendsetting platinum blond hair, luminous skin, arched eyebrows and red lips. This golden girl showed talent in both her sensual and comedic performances.

Her films:
"China Seas"
"The Public Enemy"
"Hell’s Angels"

Her loves:
A TV star
A director and producer
A cinematographer
Vivien Leigh
This delicate beauty is best known for her role as a Southern belle  garnering a Best Actress Academy Award.  

Her films:
"Gone With the Wind"
"Waterloo Bridge"
"Caesar and Cleopatra"

Her loves:
A renowned British actor
An English barrister
A British theater actor
Salma Hayek
One of the most prominent Mexican stars in Hollywood, this siren earned initial renown with her exotic looks  hourglass figure and smoldering onscreen charisma. Her most acclaimed performance was her Academy Award-nominated role as a Mexican painter.

Her films:
"Frida"
"From Dusk Till Dawn"
"Once Upon a Time in Mexico"

Her loves:
A French businessman
An actor and producer
An actor
Kim Basinger

A cover girl initially, this tall, blond actress  performed a breakout role as a Bond girl. She knows how to steam up the screen and is best known for her award-winning performance in a crime drama.

Her films:
"L.A. Confidential"
"9 1/2 Weeks"
"Batman"

Her loves:
A prolific TV and film actor
An actor and sex symbol
A makeup artist and author
Ava Gardner
Amidst a sea of blond-haired bombshells, this striking, green-eyed brunette  stood out and maintained a solid acting career . She was also known for her high-profile love affairs with some of Hollywood's leading men.

Her films:
"Pandora and the Flying Dutchman"
"Mogambo"
"The Barefoot Contessa"

Her loves:
An actor and comedian
A jazz clarinetist and composer
A famous bullfighter from Spain
Lauren Bacall
Known as a great female entertainer, not to mention "one tough broad," she first emerged as a leading lady in the film noir genre. She was famous for her characterizations of women whose strong will complemented their sexual attraction  and for her distinctive husky voice, sultry eyes and "the look".

Her films:
"The Big Sleep"
"To Have and Have Not"
"How to Marry a Millionaire"

Her loves:
An actor and cultural icon
A legendary singer
A stage and film actor
Jane Russell

A famous director, who cast her in an odd, psychological Western, helped bring her to fame, along with her smoldering voluptuousness. Her talents as a multifaceted actress were given more attention later in her career, when she was hailed for her comic delivery and singing talents.

Her films:
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
"The Outlaw"
"Gentlemen Marry Brunettes"

Her loves:
A pro football quarterback
A stage actor
A real estate broker
Dorothy Dandridge
Her lovely dark eyes, beauty marks and cool singing style made Dandridge a standout. She reached the pinnacle of stardom as the sultry seductress in a Hollywood musical and went on to become the first black performer ever nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.

Her films:
"Carmen Jones"
"Island in the Sun"
"Change of Heart"

Her loves:
A German director and producer
A famous tap dancer
A restaurant owner

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Jewish American Heritage Month


Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month. Jewish-Americans are influential in a wide range of sectors -- from entertainment to the sciences. In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, here are a few notables singled out by the Jewish-American Hall of Fame.
William Safire
The author  Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist and presidential speechwriter influenced public opinion for decades until his death in 2009. He was a leading critic of this presidential administration.
Gloria Steinem
 The face of the feminist movement, Gloria Steinem been a force in shaping gender politics since the 1970s. 
Barbara Walters
The legendary broadcast journalist is known for conducting interviews with A-list celebrities, including a pop queen, a presidential couple and a screen icon. Whom did she choose for her annual "Most Fascinating People" list for 2010?
Albert Einstein
The German-born physicist who gave the world a groundbreaking theory is widely thought to be the greatest scientist of all time. He became an American citizen in 1940 and spent many years at a prestigious Ivy League university.
Alan Greenspan
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan  has taken heat for factors leading to the current economic downturn since retiring in 2008. Get his memoir.
Sandy Koufax
One of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time played for the same team his entire 12-year career. The baseball icon was the youngest former player to receive a top baseball honor.

Woody Allen
Best known as a filmmaker who dwells on the drama of relationships within a comedic framework, Woody Allen has a large body of work that includes plays, music and stand-up comedy.

Al Franken
Al Franken's career has evolved from a long-running sketch comedy showto being elected a senator and authoring books.
Elizabeth Taylor
A film star in the truest sense of the word, the late screen star dazzled on and off camera for decades and became renowned for her many marriages, her extensive jewelry collection and for bringing AIDS research into the spotlight.
Henry Kissinger
The former national security adviser and secretary of state under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.
Mark Zuckerberg
The founder of social networking innovator Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg was named Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2010 at the age of 26. His massive net worth? A movie came out last year based on the creation of Facebook.
Philip Roth
Roth's book "Goodbye, Columbus," published in 1959, won the National Book Award and was made into a movie, and his works depicting Jewish-American life have gone on to earn many other honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for literature.
Annie Leibovitz
The legendary photographer has trained her camera lens on celebrities ranging from a music legend  to royalty  creating iconic images.
Natalie Portman
Portman's Oscar-winning performance in "Black Swan" is the latest honor for the young actress, who retains dual American and Israeli  citizenship. She's recently engaged and expecting.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The second woman to sit as a Supreme Court justice was appointed during former President Bill Clinton's term in office. She has been an advocate for this constitutional principle.
Ben Bernanke
An American economist and former professor  Ben Bernanke became chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in 2006. He was criticized for his work behind the bailout of an insurance giant.
Artie Shaw
One of the primary architects of the Swing Era, big band leader and clarinetist Artie Shaw  is known for reworking standards like Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine"  into jazzy, memorable arrangements.
Ralph Lauren
Fashion designer Ralph Lauren is known for his classic American style and has put his brand on everything from bedding to fragrances and home décor.
Albert Abraham Michelson
A Nobel prize-winning physicist known for his work on a physical constant, Albert Michelson was born in Strzelno but immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800s as a child. He was the first to receive the Nobel Prize in this category.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Feeling Sad About the Passing of the Last Great Hollywood Star Elizabeth Taylor

It has happened only a few times in my life where I hear of the death of a celebrity and it hits me like hearing a close family member has died.

As far back as my memory goes I remember Elizabeth Taylor.

Just last month, during the Academy Awards I opined that the Oscar show is no longer like watching living history, with the stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood mostly gone and the few still alive, not attending the Academy Awards.

Elizabeth Taylor was the last of the Great Hollywood Stars.

When Katharine Hepburn died I felt bad. I'd come to greatly like and admire Katharine Hepburn. But, Katharine Hepburn never entered my consciousness til I was well in to my teenage years.

I have been aware of Elizabeth Taylor all my life.

I don't think there is a celebrity/star today who quite makes the stir Elizabeth Taylor did in her heyday. It was like she was an ongoing news story. All the world followed her affairs. And then she hooked up with Richard Burton, during the filming of Cleopatra, with the storm that erupted from that burning throughout the 1960s. By comparison, later movie star assignations, like the fuss made over Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, are nothing.

Before Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor wooed Eddie Fisher away from America's sweetheart, at the time, Debbie Reynolds. After putting the world through the spectacle of the Eddie Fisher affair Elizabeth Taylor then started up with Richard Burton.

No matter what bad girl behavior Elizabeth Taylor indulged in, she was an ever brighter star.

Elizabeth Taylor was married 8 times to 7 men. Conrad Hilton, Michael Wilding, Michael Todd, Eddie Fisher, Richard Burton, Richard Burton, again, John Warner and Larry Fortensky.

When Elizabeth Taylor married Senator John Warner, she tried to live the life of a Washington, D.C. political wife. This caused her to put on an awful lot of weight. I remember thinking it was awful sad how badly she'd let herself go. And then she divorced the senator, lost the weight and was back being one of the most beautiful women in the world again.

Elizabeth Taylor made some of my favorite movies. "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." "Giant." "Butterfield 8" "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?"

Elizabeth Taylor was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar several times, winning for "Butterfield 8" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?"

Elizabeth Taylor was an early activist in the AIDS fight, after her Giant co-star, Rock Hudson died from AIDS, Elizabeth Taylor went on to raise millions for research.

I remember months ago reading that Elizabeth Taylor was not expected to last longer than six months, due to congestive heart failure that had had her ailing for years.

Elizabeth Taylor, born February 27, 1932, died March 23, 2011 at 79 years old.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Is Elizabeth Taylor Marrying Husband Number 9 Jason Winters?

That is Elizabeth Taylor tooling about in a wheelchair while holding hands with her alleged finance, Jason Winters.

Jason Winters is 49 years old. Elizabeth Taylor is 78 years old.

Elizabeth Taylor's alleged fiance is an agent with Sterling Winters Management. One of the people Jason Winters represents is Janet Jackson. Janet Jackson is the sister of the late Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson was a long time friend of Elizabeth Taylor.

Three years ago tabloid paparazzi caught Liz in Hawaii caressing Jason Winters. The pair have appeared at various red carpet type events together.

Elizabeth Taylor has been husband-free since 1996, which she shed husband number 8, Larry Fortensky. They'd been married for 5 years.

I think husband number 7 was Senator John Warner. That was the marriage that caused Elizabeth to blimp up due to the stress of being a Washington, D.C. wife. I think that was the explanation at the time.

I don't know if Elizabeth Taylor is able to get out of her wheelchair these days. She's always been one of my favorite movie stars/legends/icons. I hope marriage #9 works out for the girl.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Elizabeth Taylor Tweets on Twitter about her Heart Operation

Yesterday I blogged about Levi Johnston as an example of how I finally found some entertainment value in Twitter.

Yesterday I also learned that Elizabeth Taylor has taken to Twittering. I mean Tweeting. Elizabeth Taylor is my favorite living movie star.

I clicked on Elizabeth's "Follow" button, which makes me a follower of Elizabeth Taylor's Tweets.

It was from Elizabeth's Twittering that I learned she had a heart operation yesterday. This would be another example of how Twitter is a new form of media, like when Twitter was used to get info out about the unrest in Iran.

And Elizabeth is using Twitter to counter misinformation in the press about her hospital stay.

I'll copy Elizabeth's Tweets about her heart in oldest to newest order, with the newest being just a few minutes ago, which would seem to indicate Elizabeth is doing well....

Dear Friends, I would like to let you know before it gets in the papers that I am going into the hospital to have a procedure on my heart.

It's very new and involves repairing my leaky valve using a clip device, without open heart surgery, so that my heart will function better.

Any prayers you happen to have lying around I would dearly appreciate. I'll let you know when it's all over. Love you, Elizabeth

Dear Friends, I was completely honest with you about my hospitalization. Now the press, bless their little hearts, had to add something by saying that I had diabetes, which is a total lie. But I guess they can't help themselves. Talk to later as promised. Love, Elizabeth