Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor, who died early Wednesday morning of congestive heart failure at age 79, did something no other actor ever did. At every stage of her career she became a superstar all over again. As a magical little girl, a pristine ingénue and a voluptuous woman, she created characters and images that enraptured or fascinated international audiences. In the second half of the 20th century, no other Hollywood-bred celebrity was as frequently photographed, celebrated or vilified.

Former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who gave birth to three of her four daughters at home, writes about the advantages of home births in The Atlantic. Home births are a less expensive and more personal option for some mothers, she writes. "Each of my home birth experiences was different. The first labor was very long. I took a couple of showers, and when I got hungry, I ate. The third time, I walked around the house, up and down the stairs, made the beds, and even had time to watch The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

There is a line in "The Mirror Crack'd," one Kim Novak directs at Elizabeth Taylor, one that plays on Ms. Taylor's heft. It is one of the funnier lines in the movie, and Miss Taylor takes it well, both on and off the screen. "Of course, I didn't resent it," she said. "We all fed the script. " She is thinner than she was. She is not the beautiful gamin who rode "National Velvet" all those years ago, but she is thinner than she was when she did a television movie two years ago. She is also very natural, very easy when she talks to the press, as she did, table by table at the Essex Hotel in New York.

When Elizabeth Taylor left this world — with instructions that she be "fashionably late" for her own funeral, a diva to the last — she took with her a list of Hollywood epithets that may never again describe a leading lady. With her bird's egg-sized diamonds, she was glamorous in a way that will never be used to describe any other actress. Cameron Diaz looking sweaty and ripped after a workout with baseball boyfriend Alex Rodriguez? Elizabeth would have handed him a martini by the pool.

Vincent van Gogh's "View of the Asylum and Chapel at St. Remy" from 1889, owned by Elizabeth Taylor, was among many works that went unsold last night at Christie's in London. The sale of Impressionist and modern art was later described by a number of participants in the room as the worst for such art at this house in more than a decade.The van Gogh was the most important painting in the sale, at which 24 of the 64 artworks offered brought a total of $19.9 million. The presale estimate for the van Gogh was $16 million to $20 million.

She stepped onto the set of the Johnny Carson show last week and it was deja vu all over again. Thin and beautiful, Elizabeth Taylor smiled and the years dissolved: We moved back through the '80s, through the '70s and the '60s, arriving finally in the 1950s -- the decade when Ms. Taylor was at the height of her breathtaking beauty.Somehow, she had managed to pull it off again -- she had rolled back the years and recaptured the beauty that made her a legend.But appearances are sometimes deceiving and, believe it or not, La Liz is 60 today.

She stepped onto the set of the Johnny Carson show last week and it was deja vu all over again. Thin and beautiful, Elizabeth Taylor smiled and the years dissolved: We moved back through the '80s, through the '70s and the '60s, arriving finally in the 1950s -- the decade when Ms. Taylor was at the height of her breathtaking beauty.Somehow, she had managed to pull it off again -- she had rolled back the years and recaptured the youthful beauty that made her a legend.But appearances are sometimes deceiving and, believe it or not, La Liz is 60 today.

Former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who gave birth to three of her four daughters at home, writes about the advantages of home births in The Atlantic. Home births are a less expensive and more personal option for some mothers, she writes. "Each of my home birth experiences was different. The first labor was very long. I took a couple of showers, and when I got hungry, I ate. The third time, I walked around the house, up and down the stairs, made the beds, and even had time to watch The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

When Elizabeth Taylor left this world — with instructions that she be "fashionably late" for her own funeral, a diva to the last — she took with her a list of Hollywood epithets that may never again describe a leading lady. With her bird's egg-sized diamonds, she was glamorous in a way that will never be used to describe any other actress. Cameron Diaz looking sweaty and ripped after a workout with baseball boyfriend Alex Rodriguez? Elizabeth would have handed him a martini by the pool.

Unless you want to have a sneezing fit, don't open any magazines for the next few months.Why?Because three monster perfumes are about to be launched by Calvin Klein (Escape), Elizabeth Taylor (White Diamonds) and Estee Lauder (Spellbound). The new perfumes, all of which are said to be in that overwhelming Giorgio vein, will be introduced through scent strips in major magazines.More than 70 million strips will be inserted in magazines from now through the fall. And if that's not enough to get your nose to itching, imagine the perfume demonstrators that will be laying in wait at the department store to spritz you.

Elizabeth Taylor, who died early Wednesday morning of congestive heart failure at age 79, did something no other actor ever did. At every stage of her career she became a superstar all over again. As a magical little girl, a pristine ingénue and a voluptuous woman, she created characters and images that enraptured or fascinated international audiences. In the second half of the 20th century, no other Hollywood-bred celebrity was as frequently photographed, celebrated or vilified.

On October 10, 2008, MARY ELIZABETH TAYLOR (nee Stogoski); beloved wife of Frederick George Taylor and devoted mother of Pamela Taylor Prenger and Brian David Taylor both of Baltimore, MD. Loving grandmother of Kaitlyn and Elizabeth Prenger, Jack and Valerie Taylor. Dear sister of John Stogoski of Keningston, MD, and James Stogoski of Bel Air, MD. A Funeral Mass will be offered in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Baynesville on Tuesday, October 14 at 11 A.M. Interment Sacred Heart of Jesus Cemetery, Dundalk.

Never underestimate Elizabeth Taylor!" So say I. On Saturday night in Hollywood, at Paramount Studios, Elizabeth Taylor defied naysayers and exceeded every expectation (perhaps even her own) appearing onstage with James Earl Jones to perform A.R. Gurney's bittersweet play Love Letters. If the star had collapsed days, hours, seconds before the lights went up, she had already raised more than a million dollars for AIDS patient care (via her AIDS/HIV Foundation). Everybody would have understood - Elizabeth is frail after years of declining health.

ENOUGH IS never enough!" That's what Elizabeth Taylor said about, well -- everything! Back the 1950s, '60s and '70s, Elizabeth was one of the biggest, most important, and for a while, the most scandalous stars in the world. (After that, she stayed super-famous just for the hell of it.) Today, at age 75, she has yet to throw in the towel on romance. We told you last year when La Liz went swimming in a shark cage in Hawaii that she had a new man. Now she's ready to formally introduce him. He is Jason Winters, a wealthy businessman, and he will be Elizabeth's escort at the Passports AIDS event Sept.

On August 20, 2007, DANIEL N. JAKUBIAK; devoted father of Christopher Jakubiak and his wife Elizabeth, Michael Jakubiak and his wife Sheila, Michelle Chavis and her husband Michael, and Brian Jakubiak and his wife Michelle; loving grandfather of Natalie and Anna Jakubiak, Andrew and Jada Jakubiak, Michael, Mark and Madison Chavis; dear brother of Chester Jakubiak, Helen Cesenaro and Elizabeth Taylor. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the SCHIMUNEK FUNERAL HOME OF BEL AIR, INC., 610 W. McPhail Road (at Route 24)

Good Lord! You use e-mail?" This is what the popular and good-looking Elizabeth Saltzman of Vanity Fair was overheard saying to the queen of England at a recent garden party in honor of the Household Cavalry. Elizabeth II had just said to Ms. S. "We must keep in touch; let me give you my e-mail address." The queen had added as an aside that she does use e-mail. "But I don't write them myself. I dictate them." The queen is surprisingly agile when it comes to the 21st century. She is known to use a mobile phone given to her by Prince Andrew, and she also has an iPod.

On January 31, 2006, ELIZABETH A. (nee Hart); beloved wife of the late Maurice A. Williams; dear friend of Gene and Peggy Morrissey; loving cousin of Margaret Bockstie and Elizabeth Taylor. Relatives and friends may gather at MILLER-DIPPEL FUNERAL HOME INC., 6415 Belair Road, on Friday Only, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, 10 A.M. at St. Matthew United Church of Christ. Entombment Loudon Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made in the name of Elizabeth to St. Matthew U.C.C.

On October 5, 2004, DOROTHY (nee Spence); beloved wife of Eugene S. Rieder; devoted mother of Charlotte Tarman and Elizabeth Suarez; dear sister of Katherine Schiaffino, Elizabeth Taylor, Edward and Robert Spence, the late George Spence and Margaret Eschenbach; loving grandmother of Richard Tarman, Jr. and his wife Angela ;and beloved great-grandmother of Casey Tarman. Services will be held at the Crest Lawn Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum on Thursday, at 1 P.M. Entombment to follow. In lieu of flowers, family request donations to the St. Agnes Hospice, 3421 Benson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21227.

On January 31, 2006, ELIZABETH A. (nee Hart); beloved wife of the late Maurice A. Williams; dear friend of Gene and Peggy Morrissey; loving cousin of Margaret Bockstie and Elizabeth Taylor. Relatives and friends may gather at MILLER-DIPPEL FUNERAL HOME INC., 6415 Belair Road, on Tuesday, February 7, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. Further visitation will be held on Wednesday 9 to 9:30 A.M. in the Chapel of Oak Crest Village, with a service at 9:30 A.M. Entombment Loudon Park Cemetery. Contributions may be made in the name of Elizabeth to St. Matthew U.C.C.