When you think of Hollywood legends, Elizabeth Taylor's name is sure to come up. Her life was a whirlwind of love, heartbreak, and triumph. Among her many marriages, her time with Mike Todd stands out as the happiest period of her life. Let's dive into their story and explore what made their relationship so special.
When Love Found Elizabeth Taylor
In 1957, the enchanting Elizabeth Taylor, fresh off her role as Cleopatra, found herself at a crossroads in her personal life. Her marriage to Michael Wilding had ended, and she was ready for a fresh start. Enter Mike Todd, a filmmaker with a big personality and an even bigger heart. The two tied the knot in Acapulco, Mexico, setting the stage for a year filled with laughter, adventure, and love.
Now, here’s the fun part: their love story didn’t start with a bang but with a bold declaration. At MGM, Todd, who was 25 years older than Taylor, made it clear that she was the one for him. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “I see you’ve decided to shed that guy. Now understand one thing and hear me good, kid. Don’t start looking around for someone to latch on to. You are going to marry only one guy, see, and his name is me.”
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Taylor later admitted that she was utterly mesmerized by Todd. “I looked at him I guess rather the way a rabbit looks at a mongoose,” she confessed. “I was absolutely hypnotized.”
While Taylor was busy shooting Raintree County, Todd made sure she never felt alone. For six weeks, he called her every single day, building a bond that would last a lifetime.
In her 1988 memoir, Elizabeth Takes Off, Taylor wrote about her third husband with immense affection. “God, I loved him. My self-esteem, my image, everything soared under his exuberant, loving care,” she shared, painting a picture of a man who truly believed in her and made her feel like the queen she was.
Taylor and Todd celebrated their union at the 1957 Academy Awards, where Todd’s film Around the World in 80 Days was a big hit. Their joy was complete when they welcomed their daughter, Liza, later that year.
Nanette Burstein, director of the HBO documentary Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes, spoke to Closer in June 2024, highlighting Todd’s impact on Taylor. “I think that he made her confident,” she said. “I think that was her true love.”
Tragedy Strikes: The Death of Mike Todd
Life, as they say, can be cruel. On March 21, 1958, Todd bid farewell to his beloved wife and boarded his private plane, The Lucky Liz, heading to New York. Tragically, the next day, the plane crashed due to engine failure, taking the lives of all four passengers aboard.
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Burstein reflected on the profound loss, saying, “I think he made her feel special. I think she felt like she could do anything in the world, and I think he would’ve been and continued to be – he was and would have continued to be – the great love of her life, but then he died in a plane crash.”
Taylor was devastated. “I honestly didn’t think I would survive and didn’t much care if I did not,” she admitted, revealing the depth of her grief.
Kirk Douglas, a neighbor and close friend, was supposed to be on that fateful flight. However, his wife, Anne Buydens, urged him not to go. “When I told my wife [about the plane ride], she said, ‘I don’t want you to go,’” Douglas shared in a 2015 interview with People. “We had a big argument. We were driving and not talking to each other, so we turned the radio on. That’s when we heard about Todd’s plane crash.”
“Why was I spared? I was so grateful,” Douglas added, expressing his eternal gratitude to his wife.
A New Chapter: Elizabeth Taylor Remarries
Just a year after Todd’s death, Taylor found herself in a new chapter of her life. She began an affair with Eddie Fisher, a close friend of Todd’s, who was still married to Debbie Reynolds at the time. Fisher divorced Reynolds in 1959, and they tied the knot the same year.
Reynolds, reflecting on the situation in 1983, said, “I don’t think she ever really loved Eddie. He was an interim interest during her mourning period.”
