How Elizabeth Taylor invented modern celebrity
| Los Angeles
Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor had a life full of milestones.
The striking British beauty was one of the first child performers to make a seamless transition into adult stardom 鈥� a feat even the wildly successful, tap-dancing hit tot of the 30鈥檚, Shirley Temple, could not manage. Ms. Taylor was also the first actress to pull down a million-dollar payday 鈥� for her role in Cleopatra.
But it was her uncanny understanding of the camera that led to her most important singular contribution, says Chris Auer, chair of the Film & Television department at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
鈥淭aylor paved the way for the modern concept of what it means to be a public celebrity,鈥� he says.
Taylor was able to adopt of the HIV-AIDS cause in the mid-'80s 鈥� long before it was a national health issue or even spoken of at private functions 鈥� 鈥渂ecause she understood the power of the camera," Mr. Auer says. "She knew where to stand, and how to throw focus to whatever was behind her in the shot.鈥�
As her commitment to the issue grew, she brought the power of the media to the topic, he says.
Before Taylor, celebrities were involved in meaningful charities, says Nancy Schoenberger, coauthor of "Furious Love," the 2010 book on Taylor and Richard Burton. Big stars such as Frank Sinatra gave generously to many charities, 鈥渂ut he did it very privately,鈥� she says.
Taylor not only waded into an issue that had not been carefully vetted by handlers, but one that was wildly off the cultural radar. 鈥淎IDS was a frightening thing to many,鈥� Ms. Schoenberger says. But, through the force of her drawing power and financial support, Taylor forced the public to see an entire community that had been in the shadows. All her life she had resented the intrusion of her fame until she understood that it could be used to do good, Schoenberger adds.
鈥淭aylor has the classic qualities of a hero,鈥� says Frank Farley, a psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, who has been involved in cross-discipline studies of heroism for many years.
The two most important qualities are risk-taking and generosity, he says. 鈥淪he was clearly able to jump with both feet into issues that moved her,鈥� he says, 鈥渨ith seemingly little if any regard for what others thought.鈥�
He suggests that her early years were formative. It鈥檚 clear from her comments over the years that she bitterly resented being controlled by others. First, he points out, Taylor had a strong-willed stage mother, who put her under studio contract at the tender age of 9. The budding star chafed for years under various studio mantels, calling herself 鈥渟tudio chattel.鈥�
It is no wonder, says Mr. Farley, that she developed the sort of stubborn determination to make her own choices later in life.
To those already engaged with the struggle at the time, Taylor鈥檚 involvement was pivotal, says Daniel Baxter, chief medical officer of the William F. Ryan Community Health network in New York City. 鈥淓lizabeth Taylor championed and comforted people living with AIDS long before it was fashionable or politically correct. She led by actions of love and concern,鈥� he says via e-mail, 鈥渘ot just words.鈥�
This model became a template for the modern celebrity, says David Heymann, author of 鈥淟iz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor.鈥� 鈥淪he changed the whole framework of Hollywood stardom,鈥� he adds. Now, it鈥檚 de rigueur that if you are a major celebrity, you must have a major, and very public, charitable cause.
