Elizabeth Taylor's Relationship History Is A Who's Who Of Old Hollywood

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This article includes references to substance addiction as well as physical and emotional abuse.

With her radiant complexion, lustrous dark hair, and statuesque figure, Dame Elizabeth Taylor was considered one of the most stunning Hollywood beauties of the 20th century. Her deep blue eyes, framed by a double row of eyelashes (a genetic mutation), were renowned for taking on a striking violet hue under certain lighting. Besides her exceptional looks, she was a dedicated and versatile performer who earned 43 prestigious awards in her lifetime, including two best actress Oscars for "Butterfield 8" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Born in 1932, she became an actor at age 10 and stayed active until 2007 before succumbing to congenital heart failure in 2011. Professional achievements and HIV/AIDS activism aside, the British-American actor and fashion icon was a frequent topic of media scrutiny due to her volatile and scandalous romantic life, which featured eight marriages to seven different men, broken engagements, and numerous confirmed and rumored flings.

With or without her blessing, Taylor's love life was constantly in the spotlight. Her partners weren't just other showbiz icons, though: They also included a senator, a U.S. Army football player, a lawyer, and a construction worker. Some of these passions were a breeze and concluded amicably, while others were age-inappropriate or infamously chaotic, marred by extramarital affairs, violent outbursts, and substance abuse. Let's revisit this remarkable star's relationships, engagements, and nuptials, from Mickey Rooney to Richard Burton and Colin Farrell.

Elizabeth Taylor's first scandalous relationship was with fellow actor Mickey Rooney, best known for "Babes in Arms," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Strike up the Band," and "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World." He, too, had a tumultuous, high-profile love life and was married eight times. He was 23 years old and Taylor was 12 when they formed a bond on the set of the 1944 horse racing film "National Velvet," in which they played a determined jockey and a trainer, respectively. According to Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes' "The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney," a biography of the Hollywood icon released in 2015, Rooney had an affair with Taylor, though its exact beginning wasn't confirmed. One thing is for certain, though: In 1946, they were caught in the act in a dressing room by Betty Jane Phillips, his pregnant second wife. The actors split up soon after but didn't finalize their divorce until 1949.

Taylor and Rooney reunited on-screen in the 1986 film "There Must Be a Pony" and were last seen interacting in public at a gala thrown in her honor in 1989. Following her death in 2011, he released the following statement (via the Los Angeles Times): "Our loss in the motion picture business with Elizabeth Taylor's passing is momentous. She was a lady who gave of herself to everyone. I know I consider it a great personal loss."

In her teen years, Elizabeth Taylor accepted two proposals that didn't result in marriage. In November 1948, she started dating Glenn Davis, a U.S. Army football star, but their highly publicized relationship — a PR stunt instigated by MGM, apparently — was short-lived. They got engaged in March 1949 but split up a month later.

Soon after, the actor began a romantic correspondence with William "Bill" Pawley Jr., a 28-year-old billionaire heir who was a radio station owner and an Air Force pilot. The pair reportedly met in Florida when the actor was vacationing with her family. In one of her letters, Taylor wrote (via Closer Weekly), "I've never known this kind of love before — it's so perfect and complete — and mature." Though the 17-year-old star accepted a ring from Pawley Jr., they called it quits as soon as she decided to extend her contract with MGM and prioritize her career. According to some sources, he was also extremely jealous and possessive of his famous fiancée, so much so that the latter's mother, Sara Sothern, wrote to him multiple times after the split, urging him to stop pursuing her daughter.

In October 1949, Elizabeth Taylor met hotel heir Conrad "Nicky" Hilton Jr. — the great-uncle of the stunning Paris Hilton — at the legendary Mocambo nightclub on the Sunset Strip. They tied the knot on May 6, 1950, the year the actor turned 18. This high-profile extravaganza was considered the Hollywood event of the year. It gathered 600 guests at Beverly Hills' Church of the Good Shepherd and attracted thousands of fans in the vicinity. According to some sources, MGM paid for Taylor's magnificent, $3,500 wedding gown in an effort to promote its upcoming release, "Father of the Bride." The hit romantic comedy film, which featured the beloved star, earned three Oscar nominations.

Nevertheless, Taylor and Hilton divorced eight months later, likely because the hotel heir exhibited physical and emotional abusive behavior. In her 1965 autobiography, "An Informal Memoir," the disillusioned actor wrote (via She Knows), "The honeymoon in Europe lasted two weeks. I should say the marriage lasted for two weeks. Then came, yours sincerely, disillusionment rude and brutal." In one such jarring episode, she reportedly suffered a miscarriage after he had brutally kicked her in the stomach.

Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor had four children, two of whom were with Michael Wilding. The debonair British stage, television, and film star, who was 20 years her senior, was mostly known for his roles in "Under Capricorn," "The Law and the Lady," and "The Glass Slipper." According to Taylor's official website, the pair met in London, where she was shooting the 1952 epic historical adventure movie "Ivanhoe." Not only did she propose to him, but she also picked out her own magnificent diamond and sapphire ring.

When they tied the knot, she was 19 years old. This unproblematic union, which brought her much-needed serenity and stability, lasted five years and produced two sons: Michael Wilding Jr., born in 1953, and Christopher Wilding, born in 1955. The former followed in his parents' footsteps for a while, but he later quit acting to focus on sculpture. As for his younger brother, he worked in photography and film sound editing before he retired.

According to the HBO documentary "Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes," the "Cleopatra" star's second marriage failed partly because of her husband's overly relaxed attitude, not to mention the increasing demands of her own career. Though she endearingly called him "a wonderful father," she also stated (via People), "I need someone to dominate me."

Despite her numerous flings, engagements, and marriages, Elizabeth Taylor wrote in her 2002 book "Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry" that she only ever had "two great loves" (via AOL), and the first was Oscar-winning film producer Michael "Mike" Todd. She married him a month after her divorce from Michael Wilding was finalized, and their blissful union produced a daughter, Elizabeth Frances "Liza" Todd. Born August 6, 1957, Liza studied art in London and Los Angeles. She was previously married to artist Hap Tivey, and she currently lives in New York, where she dedicates her time to sculpture.

Unfortunately, Taylor suffered many tragedies in her life, including becoming a widow at age 26. Though it was short-lived, she cherished her third marriage as one of the most joyful periods of her life. In fact, in her memoir, "Elizabeth Takes Off," she recalled (via People), "God, I loved him. My self-esteem, my image, everything soared under his exuberant, loving care." Sadly, on March 22, 1958, the couple's happiness was cut short when his private plane, the Liz, crashed in New Mexico. Devastated, the actor later wrote (via People), "I honestly didn't think I would survive, and didn't much care if I did not."

Following Michael Todd's passing, Elizabeth Taylor, who was overcome with grief, found comfort in the arms of one of his close friends, acclaimed singer and actor Eddie Fisher. Unfortunately, the latter was already married to Taylor's own best friend and former matron of honor: actor Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher's mother. This affair motivated Fisher to leave Reynolds for Taylor, and the pair walked down the aisle on May 12, 1959.

This scandal dominated the news, but according to Taylor, the Fishers' marital troubles started long before his romance with her. In a 1983 interview with People, Reynolds downplayed the "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" star's romantic intentions, stating, "A man doesn't leave a woman for another woman unless he wants to go. You know, when Mike Todd died, I sent Eddie to help Elizabeth. I don't think she ever really loved Eddie. He was an interim interest during her mourning period."

Taylor divorced her fourth husband in March 1964. According to Kate Andersen Brower's 2022 biographical release, "Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon," their union was rather toxic and abusive. In fact, the singer reportedly once held her at gunpoint and said, "Don't worry, you're too beautiful to kill." Another alleged reason for their failed marriage was his intense jealousy regarding her growing bond with fellow actor Richard Burton.

Richard Burton was the only man Elizabeth Taylor married twice. He was her last true love, and they starred together in 11 films. These two icons connected in 1962 on the set of "Cleopatra," an epic historical drama that featured her as Cleopatra VII and him as Marc Anthony. It nabbed four Oscars, and while the leads' on-screen chemistry was electric, sparks were also flying off camera. Because they were both married at the time, their romance was deemed so scandalous that even the Vatican condemned it.

Following their divorces, the couple wed on March 15, 1964, and adopted a daughter, Maria. Nicknamed the "Battling Burtons," they led an extravagant lifestyle, marked by arguments, jealousy, and heavy drinking. Their first union ended in June 1974.

Nevertheless, their flame was reignited when they met again to discuss financial matters and decided to give their love another go. So, in 1975, they remarried at Chobe National Park in Botswana. This time, their marriage barely lasted a year. Over the years, they exchanged many loving letters and remained friends until he died of a brain hemorrhage in 1984. Burton even asked her for a third chance in his last letter. According to the 2011 book, "Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century," Taylor nostalgically admitted (via People), "In my heart, I will always believe we would have been married a third and final time."

Following her tumultuous romance with Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor moved on with U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Warner. Their first date wasn't private, but rather a dinner with many distinguished guests that was held in honor of Queen Elizabeth II at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. The pair got engaged in September 1976 and walked down the aisle on December 4.

Taylor and Warner lived on his farm. Despite enjoying the perks of this new lifestyle, the free-spirited and passionate actor resented the restrictions and idleness that came with being a prominent politician's wife — the rules even extended to her wardrobe. Still, her support was instrumental in his successful Senate campaign in 1979.

Following a 14-month split, Taylor and Warner's divorce was finalized on November 5, 1982. "[H]e knows he wasn't the love of my life. And I know I wasn't the love of his life. But we loved each other," the "Cleopatra" star revealed to The New York Times in 2002. "We got along wonderfully until he decided to be a politician. And then he married the Senate." Though she described him as a kind and gentle soul, she ultimately decided she couldn't stay with him, lest she "turn into a drunk and die."

One of Elizabeth Taylor's most tranquil romances was with actor, producer, and jet-setter George Hamilton. Known for his perpetually flawless tan, elegant outfits, and suave, debonair vibe, he generally maintained a good reputation in the industry. Moreover, he earned a Saturn Award for best actor for his role in "Love at First Bite" as well as a Golden Globe for starring in "Crime & Punishment, USA."

Taylor was already acquainted with Hamilton while she was in Europe filming "Cleopatra," but they didn't officially start dating until 1987. Their relationship likely developed when they filmed the romantic Western TV movie "Poker Alice," which also starred Tom Skerritt. "Nobody on Earth is better company than Elizabeth Taylor, more lively, more fun, or more of a three-ring circus, despite her desperate wishes to the contrary," he later gushed in his 2008 autobiography, "Don't Mind if I Do" (via Vanity Fair). Even after the pair broke up, they maintained a close friendship until she passed away. Fun fact: Taylor's parting gift to him was an engraved gold ace of hearts from Cartier — a nod to the delightful moments they shared on the set of "Poker Alice."

Elizabeth Taylor's love life wasn't always plagued by drama. In the 1980s, she had a fling with actor Anthony Geary. "[S]he did an interview a few years ago for Talk Magazine where she outed us as more than friends," he said on "The Wendy Williams Show" (via UPI) in 2010. "I was sort of her boy toy for a couple of years," he added. Then, in 1983, Taylor dated Victor Luna, a Mexican lawyer. After accepting a sapphire ring from him, they called off their engagement in 1984. She moved on to entrepreneur Dennis Stein, but they split up in February 1985.

Between 1991 and 1996, the actor was married to Larry Fortensky, a construction worker she met in rehab back in 1988. "Elizabeth was in there for pills, I was in there for beer," he casually revealed to People in April 2011, before adding, "She was funny and sweet, and the more I got to know her, the sweeter she became." Their wedding ceremony, which was held at Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch, cost a whopping $2 million. They, too, parted ways amicably.

Taylor also enjoyed a special relationship with Colin Farrell, who was 44 years her junior, between 2009 and 2011. While discussing their nonsexual connection on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in December 2013, he gushed (via HuffPost), "I just adored her. She was a spectacular, spectacular woman. I wanted to be [husband] number eight, but we ran out of road."

Elizabeth Taylor's volatile dating life was often the object of media and public scrutiny, but she also allegedly enjoyed hush-hush romances that weren't quite confirmed. Ironically, some of these more discreet love interests were also high-profile celebrities. They likely included swing and jazz legend Frank Sinatra and "Lawrence of Arabia" icon Peter O'Toole. Rumor has it that Taylor had an on-again, off-again relationship with Sinatra in the 1950s and the 1970s. According to the 2010 release, "His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra," the "Fly Me to the Moon" singer had several encounters with the Hollywood beauty, some of which occurred when she was still with Michael Wilding. Their affair reportedly resulted in a pregnancy. Though she was hoping for a marriage proposal, Sinatra asked her to have an abortion.

According to the 2015 biography "Peter O'Toole: Hellraiser, Sexual Outlaw, Irish Rebel," the "Troy" star also had an on-and-off fling with Taylor. Some of these dates apparently took place during her marriage to Eddie Fisher and his union with Welsh actor Sian Phillips. Finally, Taylor may have been romantically linked to her talent manager, Jason Winters, from around 2007 until her death in 2011. The pair supposedly got engaged in April 2010.