The Tragic Story Of Elizabeth Taylor's Many Marriages

When it comes to Hollywood royalty, few names gleam and ring greater than Elizabeth Taylor. The two-time Oscar winner was born to American parents in 1932 in London, England; seven years later, the family moved to the United States as the threat of war loomed large over Europe. As history proved, Taylor would become one of the most iconic performers ever to grace the silver screen. The acclaimed actress achieved immense success, dazzling audiences and critics with hits like "Cleopatra," "BUtterfield 8," and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" However, no matter how high her film career soared, the drama and scandals of Taylor's personal life constantly followed her and earned her equal fame (and notoriety).

Taylor married eight times during her lifetime, with each relationship never failing to make headlines; the actress's love life demanded just as much attention as her prominent film career. All of her marriages, except for one, ended in divorce, with each, in some form or another, presenting a tragic chapter in the life of Elizabeth Taylor.

For someone like Elizabeth Taylor, who constantly desired to replicate the cinematic romances she portrayed on the silver screen, Michael Wilding could have possibly been her storybook fairytale — in another lifetime, perhaps. As history proved, Taylor and Wilding's marriage was simply one that time relentlessly prodded at until the romance was extinguished. The two married in February 1952, and according to Taylor, the union began with great admiration and hope. The couple's first son, Michael Jr., was born in January 1953, and they welcomed their second, Christopher, two years later. Taylor's children gave her immense happiness. "Motherhood gave me very positive feelings about myself and my only regret was that I couldn't spend more time at home" (via "Elizabeth Takes Off").

While motherhood brought the actress great joy, her marriage to Wilding was met with immediate financial difficulties; upon her return from maternity leave, monetary concerns dictated that Taylor accept subpar screenplays, and during this time, her marriage began to deteriorate. The age gap and mounting personality differences simply became too great for Taylor to ignore. All the while, her career continued to grow and shine bright, as Wilding's dwindled and faltered. 

The couple divorced on amicable terms in 1957. However, while Taylor would always acknowledge Michael Wilding as a great father and man, the picture she painted regarding the marriage was one of a slow and draining death. "Life had no more meaning. I was dead, old at 24. It was just smog and no sunshine. We would wake up in the morning without hope, with nothing to do or talk about, with no reason for living out the day. At last we decided to separate and we took the step" (per "Richard & Elizabeth," by David Lester).

While still mourning her husband's death, Elizabeth Taylor found comfort in the presence of Eddie Fisher, a singer and friend of Mike Todd's. During this grieving period, a relationship brewed between the two, despite Fisher being married to Debbie Reynolds. Years later, while reflecting on her life in "Elizabeth Takes Off," Taylor acknowledged that Mike Todd's death clouded her better judgment and served as the driving force for her relationship with Fisher, stating: "My intense loneliness, combined with the nearness of someone who had been so close to my beloved, made me susceptible. In hindsight, I know I wasn't thinking straight. At the time I thought he needed me and I needed him."

Fisher would leave his wife and marry Taylor in May 1959. The union was not destined to be a happy one. Like Nicky Hilton, Taylor's fourth husband proved to be a volatile personality. And not long into the marriage, Taylor found herself engaged in another affair, this time with Richard Burton. According to multiple sources, the marriage was so turbulent that it culminated in Fisher drawing a gun on his wife. "Don't worry, Elizabeth," he said, according to "Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century" (per Vanity Fair). "You're too beautiful to kill."

In January 1964, Taylor sued for divorce in order to escape her marriage with Fisher and marry Burton. A judge granted the divorce two months later.

Immediately after the divorce, Burton frequently tried to call Taylor multiple times a day, even while she was filming "The Blue Bird" in Leningrad. However, Taylor remained adamant regarding Burton's drinking and allegedly gave him a simple ultimatum: "Booze, no me. No booze, me" (via "Richard & Elizabeth"). Burton replied by chasing younger women. However, Taylor's earlier prophecy eventually turned into a reality, and the couple married again in October 1975. This time, the marriage would last less than a year.

Taylor and Burton's second troubled attempt at matrimony more or less replicated their previous marriage. While it's been noted that he did not drink as heavily this time around, this did nothing to lessen his and his wife's flaring tempers. The two continued to argue constantly. Jealousy still ran rampant — David Lester's book specifies that Taylor was furious after discovering his husband's infatuation with Susan Hunt, a 27-year-old British model. (Burton would marry Susan in 1976).

Hollywood's most talked about couple divorced for the final time in 1976. The move devastated Taylor. According to "Furious Love," the actress confided to a friend after the divorce. "I don't want to be that much in love ever again ... I gave everything away ... my soul, my being, everything" (per Vanity Fair).

Elizabeth Taylor married for the final time in October 1991. This time around, it wasn't to a prominent Senator or A-list celebrity. Taylor once again found a way to shock the media after marrying Larry Fortensky, a construction worker 20 years younger than her. Taylor spoke with immense optimism when it came to her eighth marriage. "I always said I would get married one more time and with God's blessings, this is it, forever" (per the Los Angeles Times).

The couple had met in rehab in 1988 at the Betty Ford Clinic, where Fortensky was attempting to work through his alcoholism, and Taylor her addiction to pills. For a time, the marriage was a happy one. However, Fortensky never seemed to get accustomed to his wife's immense celebrity. "Those cameras everywhere," Fortensky once explained. "Elizabeth was used to it. I never got used to it" (per People). As was the case with Burton, Fortensky's struggles with alcohol ran deep; in May 1992, he was arrested and charged with drunk driving. In October 1996, the couple divorced. 

While it was on amicable terms, People did report that Taylor said, "He stopped working. You can't have love without respect." After her divorce, Taylor swore off marriage for good, and passed away in 2011 at 79.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues and/or is dealing with domestic abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.