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Showbiz Tonight
Special Coverage of the Life and Death of Elizabeth Taylor
Aired March 23, 2011 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the death of a legend. Elizabeth Taylor dies today at the age of 79. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the star who was with Taylor last night just hours before her death.
The remarkable worldwide outpouring of grief from Hollywood`s biggest stars today, and a revealing look at Elizabeth Taylor`s extraordinary life as an activist and a movie star.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH TAYLOR, ACTRESS: Am I to understand then that you feel free to do with me whatever you want? Whenever you want?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yes, I want that understood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with your thoughts about Taylor`s passing that you`ve been sending us all day today. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special coverage of the death of Elizabeth Taylor starts right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer from New York City with big news breaking today - the death of Elizabeth Taylor.
The news first broke this morning. The woman who was arguably the biggest movie star who ever lived succumbed to congestive heart failure. The worldwide reaction today has been nothing less than remarkable.
And in this hour, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you extraordinary coverage of the life she lived. And we`ll be speaking with some of the people who knew her best, including a headline-making interview I did just this afternoon with the star who was right there with Elizabeth Taylor last night, just hours before her death.
Elizabeth Taylor was 79 years old when she died this morning, the end of a life that was lived as a movie star and an activist who saved countless lives.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, THE "TODAY" SHOW: We are all sitting here just reacting to this terrible news coming out of Los Angeles this morning that Elizabeth Taylor has passed away.
HAMMER (voice-over): It was the first news many of us heard today. Elizabeth Taylor, film icon, Hollywood superstar and tabloid legend, died this morning of heart failure.
J.D. HEYMAN, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Her family and friends were close by her. And in the wee hours of this morning, she passed away peacefully.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": She was just a magnificent woman. She was a great broad and a good friend.
HAMMER: This morning on "The View," Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters shared memories of Taylor that were personal and a little surprising.
GOLDBERG: She had a sense of humor that was so bawdy that even I was like, "Really? You just said that? It came out of your mouth?"
BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": She really is the last of the movie stars.
HAMMER: That`s not an exaggeration. Elizabeth Taylor`s movie career spanned more than 50 films, including "Who`s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
TAYLOR: The hound (INAUDIBLE) like that.
HAMMER: Two best actress Oscars and the distinction of being the first person to voice baby Maggie on "The Simpsons."
And of course, there`s Taylor`s legendary, tabloid-friendly love life - eight marriages to seven husbands and enough scandal to put Brad and Angelina to shame. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Taylor`s life and career were nothing short of epic.
HEYMAN: She may be the greatest movie star of all time.
HAMMER: Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932. She and her family moved to the United States just after World War II started. She did her first movie at age 10, and she became a star at the tender age of 12 in 1944`s "National Velvet."
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: A race like this is won by luck?
TAYLOR: No, by knowing that I can win and telling him so.
HEYMAN: Certainly, she was a wonderful, engaging child star. But she was, especially in her early career, a heart-stopping beauty. She was one of the great beauties of the 20th century.
HAMMER: Unlike many teen actresses we see today, Taylor`s onscreen transition from child star to adulthood was seamless. She won her first Oscar for "Butterfield 8."
TAYLOR: You come over here running with wine and self-pity.
HAMMER: 1963`s "Cleopatra" put Taylor in a whole new league. She became the first Hollywood star to pocket a $1 million salary. But "Cleopatra" was notable for another reason.
HEYMAN: She met Richard Burton.
RICHARD BURTON, ACTOR: I want to be free of you.
HAMMER: Taylor and Burton met and fell in love on the set of "Cleopatra." Taylor and Burton`s superstar pairing became a huge scandal. Both stars were married to other people at the time.
HEYMAN: Her private life was cinematic and bigger than the movies she made.
HAMMER: Taylor married Burton in 1964, divorced him in 1974, and married him again in 1975 and divorced the next year. During a 2006 interview with Larry King, Taylor described working with Burton.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Is it hard, Elizabeth, or easy to work with someone you`re in love with?
TAYLOR: No. I`ve never had a better time in my life.
HAMMER: Taylor went on to marry two more times after Burton. She remained an icon through the `80s. But her biggest accomplishment during that period may have been her work as an AIDS activist.
HEYMAN: She actively campaigned, really made this disease a household word and took the shame away from it. And that was an enormously risky and brave thing she did.
HAMMER: Singer Elton John often joined Taylor on her work to fight AIDS. Today, John tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "We have just lost a Hollywood giant. More importantly, we have lost an incredible human being."
That`s a sentiment shared by Taylor`s millions of fans and the family she left behind.
HEYMAN: She had four children. She had 10 grandchildren, four great- grandchildren, a family that adored her, and of course, a legacy. She was, in many ways, the last movie star and one that I think people will be watching for years and years to come.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Certainly a life well lived. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT now brings you the inside story of Elizabeth Taylor`s final hours. She died peacefully at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, her four children by her side.
And also, at the hospital, during her final hours, was her very close friend, famed songwriter Carol Bayer Sager, who has penned such classics as "Nobody Does It Better" and "That`s What Friends Are For," song titles that perfectly capture the story of Carol`s friendship with Liz.
In a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview today, I spoke with Carol Bayer Sager this afternoon, just hours after we got the news that Elizabeth Taylor had died. And I asked her what it was like in the hospital room in the hours before Elizabeth passed away.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL BAYER SAGER, SONGWRITER AND ELIZABETH TAYLOR`S FRIEND (through telephone): I was there with her family. Her whole family was there. I actually was supposed to be going to a movie.
And at the last moment, I just went - I can`t go there, and my husband totally understood. And I went to the hospital. I don`t know. I mean, I feel like I just knew that it was going to be the last time and I wanted to say goodbye.
And everybody was OK with it. Everybody knew that it - her spirit was - needed to be free and to leave her body, which had so much pain in it for so many years. And you know, that`s what I was thinking about.
I was thinking how - what an extraordinary light she was in the world and how she managed all that light within a framework of being in pain so much of her life because of the back accident that she suffered as a young girl.
And for those of us fortunate enough to really have her in our lives, she was just a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful soul.
HAMMER: Yes. And for me, Carol, I have to say, watching from the sidelines, you really hit it on the head there. You know, knowing as a casual observer that this was a woman that dealt with all this pain, that never ever stopped her from being - never stopped her from being such a force to be reckoned with.
I know you guys were very close friends for a very long time. Tell me about your friendship with Elizabeth Taylor.
SAGER: It was a great friendship. I mean, in the beginning of it all, I mean, we weren`t - I didn`t know Elizabeth through those years when she was, you know, Elizabeth with Richard Burton and Elizabeth with - I didn`t.
We became friends in `85 and we lived on the same street, which was part of our bonding. And of course, the last time I saw Elizabeth out of her home was - we shared a friend, Lorraine Schwartz, who makes beautiful jewelry.
And in her wheelchair and in her wheelchair-equipped van that she had in the last months of her life, she wanted to go over and see Lorraine. Lorraine was in town for the Golden Globes.
Elizabeth wanted to say hello. So I said, "I`ll meet you over there." And that was the last time we were out together. And she was still like a child, looking at jewelry. I mean, she just loved beautiful, beautiful things, and particularly beautiful jewelry.
And she was like, oohing and, "Look at that," and "Look at those," as though she had never seen - that`s the thing. She had this child-like wonder and awe about the world.
So I just think all these thoughts flood my memory and mostly the gratitude I have for having her as a real girl-friend who really showed up for her friends in the most extraordinary way.
She was a wonderful, wonderful friend and kind, caring - there`s nothing she wouldn`t do for her close friends. She flew across the world to be with Michael Jackson when he was first accused, charges years ago. And she just gave beyond the call, you know? She really, really was a giver. And she loved life.
HAMMER: What an astonishing example that I think we all should follow. Carole Bayer Sager, thank you so much. I really appreciate you giving us this very special insight into the life of Elizabeth Taylor.
SAGER: You`re very welcome.
HAMMER: And we`ve got much more of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special coverage of the death of Elizabeth Taylor coming up today. Her amazing legacy, next.
Plus, the not-to-be-missed SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interviews with big stars who knew Liz well, Oliver Stone and CNN`s own Larry King.
And now, remembering Elizabeth Taylor - star tweets. Now, all day long we have been gathering the heartfelt words from big stars on the passing of Liz Taylor. We`re going to be showing you these throughout the day.
And here are some tweets now from Kirstie Alley and Jane Fonda.
TEXT: "I knew Elizabeth Taylor and I can tell you that she was kind, brave, generous and loyal. I am sad." - Jane Fonda.
"Elizabeth, thank you for the lessons you taught me about life, suffering and joy. You are the brightest star in the universe. Eternal love." - Kirstie Alley.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAYLOR: You know what happened to her?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: No, what happened to her, Maggie?
TAYLOR: Somebody spat tobacco juice in her face. That`s right. Some drunk at the hotel. They leaned out the window, "Hey, Queenie. Hey, there, Queenie." Just a man, looked up and smiled and waved. And that drunk shot a squirt of tobacco juice right in her face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A sultry Elizabeth Taylor steaming up the silver screen on "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," one of the dozens of films that turned her into a legend. But what will her legacy ultimately be?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York with our continuing coverage on the death today of the legendary Elizabeth Taylor.
Dame Elizabeth was certainly legend in more ways than one. She made more than four dozen movies in her lifetime. So how do you begin to say which one she`ll be remembered for most?
Well, there`s certainly no one better qualified to possibly answer that question than the great film critic Leonard Maltin, who is with me right now from Hollywood.
And as we`ve been reporting, Elizabeth Taylor died this morning at the age of 79. And right up until the end, she was so well known and still so relevant. You covered her for so many years.
How is it, Leonard, that she stayed so relevant to so many generations? I mean, even the young Kardashians were paying powerful tributes to her online today.
LEONARD MALTIN, FILM CRITIC: Well, I think part of it is A.J., that people grew up with her. If you were around in the early `40s and you first saw her at a 10, 11, 12-year-old girl in "Lassie Come Home" and in "The National Velvet," then you saw her graduate to adolescence teenage-hood in "Father of the Bride" with Spencer Tracy, and then watched her get married in real life for the first time and divorced almost right away.
I think people started to invest in her life as they watched her life progress. And that went from decade to decade, generation to generation so that young people who only know her because she was on Michael Jackson`s arm or in those White Diamonds perfume commercials or speaking out for amfAR and for AIDS - you know, I think they just knew there was an aura or a mystique about her.
They might not have known her acting work, her catalog of movies, but they knew she was special.
HAMMER: Yes. And as I said, she remained relevant for whatever the reason at the time. But for young people who knew Liz Taylor for some of those reasons we spoke of, but perhaps don`t quite understand why she was so outrageously famous, it is hard to really explain how famous she was when she was in her filmmaking prime.
It has been said she was the Angelina Jolie of her day. But does that even touch on what a force Liz Taylor was at that time?
MALTIN: No, and that`s no offense to Angelina Jolie -
HAMMER: Certainly.
MALTIN: Who is a beautiful and talented woman. But Elizabeth Taylor - again, there was a continuity. You know, people spent years, decades, a whole lifetime, 65 years or more, watching Elizabeth Taylor.
So if you start with "National Velvet," which you are showing a clip from right now, that`s a great movie. And she gives a wonderful performance in it. She says she was just being herself.
She loved horses in real life. She chose the horse she rode in that movie. But she gives it just tremendous sincerity and earnestness. You go into the 1950s and see her in "A Place in the Sun" with Montgomery Clift and you see a real passion in her performance there, or "Giant" with Rock Hudson and James Dean, and then "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and so many other films.
I mean, she didn`t get a lot of credit for being a great actress, but she was a very good one. And sometimes, when the role was right, the director was good and she respected that director, she could be great. And she was, on a number of occasions.
HAMMER: All right. Well, Leonard, I have to ask you very quickly now, possibly, enough time for a yes or no answer. But is it even possible to name one Elizabeth Taylor film that defined her after you named all those?
MALTIN: No, no, because she kept redefining herself, A.J. over the many decades. "National Velvet" would be her childhood film. I guess "A Place in the Sun" her breakthrough film to adulthood. "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," and then "Who`s Afraid of Virginia Woolf," her entry into character actor parts.
HAMMER: What a career, what a life. Leonard Maltin, I really appreciate your insight. Thank you so much.
MALTIN: You`re welcome.
HAMMER: And now, I want to turn it over to you for our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll. Please weigh in on this. Elizabeth Taylor Movies - which is your favorite? Everybody`s got a favorite, right? "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Cleopatra" or "National Velvet?"
You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can always E-mail us, too. Our address, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And so many of you have been posting about Elizabeth Taylor on our Facebook wall today. I want to get to some of these.
Mindy S. writes, "She`s one of those people that has left a mark on this world that will never fade or go away. Such a beautiful, talented woman. May she rest in peace. We will never forget you, Ms. Taylor."
Mary Jane O. adds, "The last of the true Hollywood glamour. Very sad to be losing all the beauties we admired."
And Susan P., "We lost a legend and part of history today. She has always been about making people smile through her acting. True friend to those who knew her. All actors or actresses can learn from her."
Love to hear your thoughts on Liz Taylor. You can write to me on Facebook, "ShowbizTonightHLN" there. Leave me a message at "Showbiz on Call" - 1- 888-SBT-BUZZ. Or E-mail showbiztonight@cnn.com.
And we`ve got much more of our special coverage of the death of Elizabeth Taylor. Coming up, the not-to-be-missed SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interviews. I`m talking big stars who knew Liz well - Oliver Stone, CNN`s own Larry King.
And in other news today, NeNe very us Star, round - whatever. NeNe Leakes has a brand-new, fired up slam of Star Jones today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": What happened that caused the rift?
NENE LEAKES, REALITY TV STAR, "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE": Well, I just think that Star is manipulative - you don`t want me to really break it down for you, do you?
DEGENERES: No, I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It sounds like NeNe and Star have really no chance of getting along at all on "Celebrity Apprentice" any time soon. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, remembering Elizabeth Taylor - star tweets. Now, all day long, we`ve been gathering the heartfelt words from big stars on the passing of Liz Taylor. Here are tweets from Steve Martin and Joan Rivers.
TEXT: "Sad to hear of Elizabeth Taylor`s death. She was the first major celebrity to join me in the fight against AIDS when it wasn`t a popular cause." - Joan Rivers.
"I met Elizabeth Taylor several times. She was witty and self-deprecating, which I found surprising and delightful. She loved to laugh." - Steve Martin
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: New details behind the NeNe Leakes-Star Jones feud revealed today. "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star and Star Jones have been going at it on "Celebrity Apprentice." But why can`t these ladies just get along?
Listen to the explosive stuff that NeNe just told Ellen DeGeneres today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAKES: She is bossy. She`s manipulative, conniving. And I`m not even being funny. I think that is real.
DEGENERES: You started as friends, though.
LEAKES: No.
DEGENERES: No? Not at all?
LEAKES: No, we weren`t friends. I will say this. When I walked into the situation, I tried to walk in with no preconceived notions. I was just thinking, "OK, I`m going to do the show. I`m going to get to know who Star is." I think she had preconceived notions of who she thought I was -
DEGENERES: Right.
LEAKES: Just from watching me on "The Housewives." I think she thought I was going to come in and just - I don`t know - take over.
DEGENERES: Right.
LEAKES: And I tried to get to know her. Some people are difficult to get to know. She`s not the easiest person to get to know. She is a disaster. That`s all. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So what I think I`m hearing there is NeNe doesn`t like Star, and never has. All right, there are a lot of other big stories making big news today.
An alleged Trump stalker is arrested again. Christina Aguilera rests her voice and is letting her fingers do the walking and talking for now. And, the Biebs and Rihanna get together for a very important cause. All that is making big news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Bieber and Rihanna team up for Japan. "People.com" is reports that Justin Bieber and Rihanna will join U2 to record a charity album to help victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Universal Music Group is recruiting other stars including Lady Gaga for the album, which is scheduled to come out by the end of the month.
Christina joins Twitter. Christina Aguilera has just signed up. In her very first tweet, she writes, "Here goes my first tweet. Brace yourselves."
She followed up with a second tweet saying "Pandora`s box has been opened." Aguilera, who just split from her husband, has got a new gig as a judge on the upcoming NBC show, "The Voice."
An alleged Trump stalker returns. The man who is facing charges for stalking Donald Trump`s daughter and "Celebrity Apprentice" star, Ivanka, has been arrested again.
"The New York Post" reports the guy has continued to stalk Ivanka despite the fact that he was out on bail for harassing her for more than two years. According to "The Post," the 28-year-old says, quote, "I should stop bothering her, but I like her."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And now, here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. More of our special coverage of the death of Elizabeth Taylor.
Plus, our not-to-be-missed SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interviews with big stars who knew Liz well, Oliver Stone, CNN`s own Larry King. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Right now, more of remembering Elizabeth Taylor through star tweets. All day, we`ve been gathering the heartfelt words from big stars on the passing of Liz Taylor. These are tweets from Mariah Carey and LeAnn Rimes.
TEXT: "RIP, Elizabeth Taylor, an incomparable legend who will live forever." - Mariah Carey
"RIP Elizabeth Taylor. It`s so amazing how someone has left such a legacy that will forever live on. I am really, truly saddened this morning. - LeAnn Rimes
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - remembering Elizabeth Taylor today. Her loves, her life, her activism. Star tributes are pouring in today.
Hollywood`s biggest stars are talking to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, like Oliver Stone. Elizabeth presented him with his Oscar for "Platoon." Today, Oliver reminisces about his good friend.
CNN`s Larry King talks about her most memorable interviews with Elizabeth Taylor and what he`ll miss most about her.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of the death of Elizabeth Taylor continues right now.
(MUSIC)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York City with big news breaking today - the death of a legend today.
One of the biggest movie stars the world has ever known, Elizabeth Taylor, dead at the age of 79. The legendary actress, who had battled health problems for decades, has died of congestive heart failure.
And today, the tributes have been pouring in from all corners of the world. Liz Taylor passed away this morning at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had been hospitalized for the past six weeks.
And that`s where CNN`s Ted Rowlands is right now. Ted, her health had stabilized in the past few weeks. Her family actually thought that she was going to return home, didn`t they?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. She had been here for six weeks but, like you say, her condition was getting better and there were hopes that she was on the mend to the point that she would be able to go home.
Obviously, that didn`t happen. She took a turn for the worse and she died with her family near her side. In fact, all four of her children were at her bedside as she, quote, "died peacefully," according to a family statement.
Michael Wilding, her son, had this to say as part of a statement, "My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest with great passion, humor and love. Though her loss is devastating to those of us that held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to the world."
The family says that they will have a private funeral service at some point this week, and they are also working on a public memorial service. Obviously, a lot of people, A.J., would like to remember Elizabeth Taylor in that type of a setting.
They will not be allowed to go to the funeral service, but they are planning something on the grander scale for a public memorial service. A.J.?
HAMMER: Imagine it will be quite grand. This was a woman who loved to make an entrance. CNN`s Ted Rowlands, thank you so much.
Now, some of Taylor`s legendary interviews were conducted by CNN`s own Larry King. And earlier today, I spoke with Larry about his friendship with Liz moments after Larry got the news about her death.
He tweeted messages to his fans about the legacy she leaves behind. Take a look at what Larry told me about that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (on camera): Larry, you interviewed Liz so many times on your show. You tweeted to your fans, "You won`t see the likes of her again." What made Elizabeth Taylor so special?
L. KING: She was larger than life, A.J. She was a great actress. She was totally involved in whatever she got involved in. It was 100 percent, not halfway.
She fought the fight against AIDS. Her loyalty to friends like Michael Jackson and Montgomery Clift was endless. If she was your friend, she was your friend for life.
She - the true love of her life was Michael Todd, the movie producer who died in a plane crash. Of course, she had a great love for Richard Burton. She was everything. We`ll never see her likes again.
She`s the end of an era. And as I said earlier, I don`t think - there`s not one movie star who could pass away today who would be a bigger story than her.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, unquestionably, just a force to be reckoned with, the likes of which we rarely see. In one interview, Larry, you asked her about Richard Burton who was her husband at the time. I want to watch that. Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
L. KING: Is it hard, Elizabeth, or easy, to work with someone you`re in love with?
TAYLOR: No, I`ve never had a better time in my life.
L. KING: Working with Richard?
TAYLOR: Yes, on "Virginia Woolf."
L. KING: Even though you fight tooth and nail?
TAYLOR: Well, we got it all out on the set. And we`d go home, have dinner with the children, play word games with them and learn our lines after dinner and go to sleep.
L. KING: Did you love doing that play?
TAYLOR: I did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Liz married Richard, Larry, not once, but twice. She also had six other husbands. Obviously, her love life is a big part of her legacy and she made no apologies for that, did she?
L. KING: No, she loved when she loved and married when she got married and divorced when she got divorced. She was Elizabeth Taylor. You know what she was? She was - she belonged in the paparazzi hall of fame.
She was there first. They followed - there was no paparazzi until Elizabeth Taylor. And then, suddenly, this wave began. The differences between her and a lot of what they follow around now is she had talent.
HAMMER: Exactly. She wasn`t famous for the sake of being famous.
L. KING: Yes.
HAMMER: Larry, one thing that always struck me about Elizabeth Taylor was how she always remained relevant. You know, I come from a generation which certainly recognized her as an iconic movie star. But we really knew her more from her philanthropy and her perfumes and being on TV.
And she was even just interviewed by Kim Kardashian. She was on twitter. Was staying relevant important to Elizabeth Taylor, Larry, or just sort of a by-product of the way she lived her life?
L. KING: I think it was a by-product. She was relevant because she was Elizabeth Taylor, but she didn`t seek it. It sought her. And I can`t tell you what an impact she had in this country, in all of our lives, both as a talent, as a fervent kind of person.
You see it in her face. She lived her life. Look at that face. Look at that face. And I tell you, you`re never seeing eyes like that again. They were purple.
HAMMER: Larry, I spoke with Carole Bayer Sager, the legendary songwriter, who talked about her fierce loyalty for her friends.
She had, as you mentioned, a fiercely strong relationship with Michael Jackson. She was among his staunchest supporters. Why was their connection so deep? Is it because they understood each other in a way that few others could?
L. KING: I think you`ve hit it right on the head. He understood her. She understood him. And she was like motherly to him. She loved his talent. She loved him as a person.
She never believed the stories about him and she was always there for him. Never discount that. She was always there for him. I`m running out of voice, A.J.
HAMMER: All right. Larry, I know this is a tough day for you personally. I do appreciate you taking the time with us today.
L. KING: Thanks, A.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Liz Taylor made an incredible impact in Hollywood, and way beyond. Coming up next, a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview with someone Taylor had a major impact on, big-time director Oliver Stone.
Elizabeth presented him with his Oscar for the movie, "Platoon." And today, we`ve got Stone`s emotional tribute to the late, great Liz Taylor.
Plus, she had so many headline-making moments throughout her life. And today, we`re taking a look back at Elizabeth Taylor in her own words. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, more of remembering Elizabeth Taylor through star tweets. All day long, we`ve been busy gathering the heartfelt words from big stars on the passing of Liz Taylor. Here are tweets now from Kim Kardashian and Marlee Matlin.
TEXT: "I am so saddened about the passing of Elizabeth Taylor! She will always be my idol!" - Kim Kardashian
"So very shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Dame Elizabeth Taylor. A true Hollywood legend and humanitarian and friend. RIP. - Marlee Matlin
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: There`s Elizabeth Taylor in 1963 as Cleopatra. That`s a movie she made $1 million for. But it was on that movie set that Taylor met one of the great loves of her life, Richard Burton. The two started a very public affair and then went on to marry and divorce twice.
All of Hollywood is mourning the loss of Elizabeth Taylor today, including Oscar award-winning director, Oliver Stone. Back in 1987, Stone won an Academy Award for best director for "Platoon."
And who presented that coveted award to him? None other than Elizabeth Taylor. Late this afternoon, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producer J.D. Cargill spoke with Oliver Stone in the SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview about his memories of a Hollywood legend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OLIVER STONE, MOVIE DIRECTOR: Elizabeth was there that magic night in 1986 on the stage at the Oscars. And we won for "Platoon," the best picture and best director, and she gave me the award for director.
It was a magic moment. I went on stage and she gave me a kiss. It was beautiful. Lovely woman. Sent me some magnificent flowers and very graceful woman.
J.D. CARGILL, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT PRODUCER: Yes.
STONE: Very kind.
CARGILL: I mean, it goes without saying, she was known worldwide as a legendary actress, but also as a humanitarian and she did so many great things.
And here, in that moment, you had that night where arguably one of the world`s greatest actresses was bestowing an Oscar to someone who went on to become one of the world`s greatest directors. I mean, that is pretty special.
STONE: Thank you. That`s very kind of you. You know, it was my baptism, so to speak. But Elizabeth Taylor, I just want to say - you know, because I grew up in the American - she was the beauty of the 1950s, you know.
And I remember her as a child when she won the Oscar for "Butterfield 8." And I just remember thinking, because I was like - she was a dark-haired queen and there was Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly, the blond-haired queens.
She was always the most beautiful - beautiful eyes. I mean, Richard Burton once said she had a double chin. She was a little bit plump, but that was part of her charm. I just remember those eyes and the eyebrows, of course, the black eyebrows.
So, if you were a young man or you liked dark haired women or blond-haired women - I always preferred dark-haired women. That`s what I was always saying. Grace Kelly couldn`t do it for me quite like Elizabeth Taylor.
But you know, you have to realize she was a fantasy to a young man. And when she was in "Rain Tree County," some of the oddball films played (INAUDIBLE), it was one of the most ravishing black-and-white films ever.
She`s so beautiful, and you have to remember "Giant." Don`t forget that one. And you must remember "Who`s Afraid of Virginia Woolf." She`s played an older woman. She`s magnificent and proved that she could act to those who doubted her.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So with all the tributes that we`ve heard today about Elizabeth Taylor, perhaps the best way to tell her amazing story is through her own words.
As part of their continuing coverage of Elizabeth Taylor`s death today, CNN.com has just posted a truly extraordinary look back at her life - Elizabeth Taylor, by Elizabeth Taylor, her career, her fame, her passion. And it features some extraordinary photos of a life very well lived.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
TAYLOR: They plan on doing a story of my life, which is completely fictionalized. Unless there was somebody under the carpet or under the bed during my 50 years, I find it an effrontery. But more than that, I am my own commodity. I am my own industry.
Well, I think the nation loves Rock Hudson. And I think it did bring it into focus. It brought it home to a lot of people how serious AIDS is and how it can touch everyone. Circles are becoming smaller.
The generosity of everyone here is overwhelming and I hope indicative of our whole industry. It shows the awareness of the terrible need for help.
My life has been like a yo-yo. I`ve been up and down so many times. I`ve been in favor, out of favor so many times. At the moment, life is very calm and I`m enjoying the calm. I guess I`m suspicious enough to realize that it won`t last indefinitely.
I`m very excited, but I`m not nervous. I`m just looking forward to it and the best man and the best woman and the best smell wins.
That`s really (EXPLETIVE DELETED), you know that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can we go onto the next question, please?
TAYLOR: You`re saying that I prefer this press conference over my mother is what you`re saying?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can we go on to the next question please?
TAYLOR: I`m sorry. You know, excuse me. We`re just going to have to close the conference. I`m sorry that you had to do that and you were so uncompassionate. I`m sorry, the press conference is closed.
AIDS, like the language of the cinema, knows no boundaries. We, who are so privileged and have a moral duty to support all those who need our help, and protect all those who can be saved.
L. KING: Is it hard, Elizabeth, or easy, to work with someone you`re in love with?
TAYLOR: No, I`ve never had a better time in my life.
L. KING: Than working with Richard?
TAYLOR: Yes, on "Virginia Woolf."
L. KING: Even though you fight tooth and nail through it?
TAYLOR: Well, we got it all out on the set and we`d go home, have dinner with the children, play word games with them and learn our lines after dinner and go to sleep.
L. KING: Did you love doing that play?
TAYLOR: I did.
L. KING: That`s top of the crop writing, isn`t it?
TAYLOR: Oh, wonderful, and wonderful words to wrap your lips around.
L. KING: How did you like - was Richard a helpful actor?
TAYLOR: He was a brilliant actor and helpful. And we were like on the same beam so much that we triggered each other off.
L. KING: Is that still the ring he gave you?
TAYLOR: Well, I don`t throw it out.
L. KING: Can we get a shot of this ring? Because it`s sinking ships. Was this his engagement ring to you?
TAYLOR: No, it was like a couple of years later.
L. KING: Just a gift?
TAYLOR: Yes.
L. KING: A bauble he gave you?
TAYLOR: Yes. I think there are times when being famous is useful when it comes in handy. And if I or any other celebrity can help, then we should do everything we can. I think that`s the only reason for being famous.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Such an extraordinary look at Elizabeth Taylor`s life. And if you`d like to see it again or maybe you want to tell somebody about it, go to "CNN.com."
Among the tributes to Taylor today there was a remarkable one this morning on "The View." You have to watch now as Whoopi Goldberg revealed the powerful influence Taylor had on her life and the very good advice Taylor once gave her about the ups and downs of fame.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: She was a big part of my life, you know. She - it was because of her that I learned about collecting things, like, she said to me, you know, careers go like this. This is day one, when we met.
She said, "Careers go up and down, so you need to get them when you work for a studio to get you a present." I was like, "You know what? You`re Elizabeth Taylor. That works for you."
And she said, no, no. You know, I know Sandy who was my manager. She said, "I`ll help you work this out," she said, "because you must always know that when the career is here, you can look around and see the things that you got that your agent didn`t commission, that your manager didn`t commission, that just is yours. So, you can see your career all over." I mean, she really mentored me.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Oh, like a mentor?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Fantastic. Well, the romance between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton is a story even Hollywood couldn`t have written, and it was one bumpy ride.
Next, James Earl Jones talks about having a front row seat to their love affair. And he shares a heartwarming story about his friendship with Elizabeth. That`s coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now more of remembering Elizabeth Taylor through star tweets. All day, we`ve been gathering heartfelt words from big stars on the passing of Liz Taylor. Here are tweets from Magic Johnson and Jason Alexander.
TEXT: "Elizabeth, thank you for all your help in the battle against HIV and AIDS. You will be missed by the world." - Magic Johnson
"I actually met Liz Taylor while I was butt-ass naked. Long story. She didn`t even blink. Class act. And yes, gorgeous. Great life. RIP. - Jason Alexander
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: First of all, I am Caesar.
TAYLOR: And I am Cleopatra, queen, builder of Isis.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: If I say so and when I say so, you are what I say you are, nothing more.
TAYLOR: Hail Caesar!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, long before there was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, there was Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Theirs was a smoking hot Hollywood romance that had everybody talking.
One star who actually had the chance to witness Richard and Elizabeth`s romance up close is James Earl Jones. Earlier today, he told CNN about Burton and Taylor`s undeniable chemistry and about his unforgettable first encounter with Liz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES EARL JONES, ACTOR (through telephone): It was very clear that he ran - his mind was so brilliant and his speech was so brilliant. She ran deep though. So in contrast to each other, they were a perfect match.
I had a chance to work with them both, and the movie was set in Haiti. We had a (INAUDIBLE) in Africa, in the former French colony in Africa. It was then called (INAUDIBLE).
And I had chance to work with mainly Richard, but they were both starring. It was their first time starring on equal footing. And the friendship, I think, began there, probably because my own squareness.
They gave a reception where they introduced themselves to the cast which included Cicely Tyson and Gloria Foster Raymond St. Jacques and Roscoe Lee Browne and Sir Alec Guinness and a great bunch of world famous actors and actresses.
And I was the only sort of novice and dufus in the company. And I`m sitting beside this attractive lady on a sofa in the hotel lounge waiting for this reception to start.
And I said to someone, "When does Elizabeth Taylor arrive?" I`m sitting right next to her and she just looked at me and smiled. I guess she thought I was making a funny. I was not. I didn`t know I was sitting next to Elizabeth Taylor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were sitting next to Elizabeth Taylor.
JONES: I didn`t know I was sitting next to Elizabeth Taylor. I think our friendship probably started then without my really knowing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What a terrific story. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday. And don`t forget, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: The first jump is just a plain heady jump.
TAYLOR: Don`t tell me anymore.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: you have to know the order of the jumps and the tricks of the race. There`s a lot to know.
TAYLOR: It is no use. Everybody riding out there tomorrow will know more than I do. It is no use.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Do you a race like this is run by luck?
TAYLOR: No. By knowing that I can win and telling him so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
END
