Elizabeth Taylor began her journey in Hollywood at the age of nine. In 1942, she appeared in her first film, a short comedy called There’s One Born Every Minute. Universal Pictures gave her a contract that paid $100 per week. The studio executive did not think she had the “face of a child” and released her from the contract after only one movie. Her parents, Francis and Sara Taylor, moved the family to Los Angeles from London just before World War II began. Francis owned an art gallery, and Sara was a former stage actress. Sara recognized her daughter’s beauty and talent early on. She helped Elizabeth secure an interview at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, known as MGM, in 1943.
MGM signed Elizabeth to a long-term contract. Her first role for the studio was in Lassie Come Home. She played Priscilla, the granddaughter of a wealthy duke. On the set, she met Roddy McDowall, who became a lifelong friend. Directors and camera operators noticed her unique physical traits immediately. Elizabeth was born with a double row of eyelashes, a rare condition called distichiasis. This made her eyes look very thick and dark on camera without the need for much makeup. Her eyes were a deep shade of blue that looked violet under certain studio lights.
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In 1944, Elizabeth became a superstar. She won the lead role in National Velvet after she spent months proving she was tall enough to play the part. She practiced riding horses every day at a local country club to prepare. The movie tells the story of a young girl named Velvet Brown who trains a horse to win the Grand National race. Elizabeth performed many of her own stunts in the film. During one scene, she fell off a horse and injured her back. This injury caused her pain for the rest of her life. MGM gave her the horse from the movie, a chestnut thoroughbred named King Charles, as a gift because she bonded with him so closely.
Elizabeth spent most of her teenage years inside the MGM studio walls. She attended the “Little Red Schoolhouse,” a classroom on the studio lot for child stars. Her classmates included famous actors like Jane Powell and Margaret O’Brien. The studio strictly controlled her daily routine. She spent three hours in school, several hours on the film set, and more time in dance or singing lessons. Elizabeth did not attend a regular high school or go to a normal prom. She later stated that she felt like a “child of the studio” rather than a normal teenager.
The studio’s marketing department began to change her image in the mid-1940s. They wanted her to look more mature than she actually was. In 1946, she starred in Courage of Lassie, followed by Cynthia in 1947. In Cynthia, Elizabeth played a frail girl who finds her voice and goes to a dance. This was her first film where she had an on-screen kiss. By 1948, at age 16, she played a character named Judy Foster in A Date with Judy. She wore high-fashion gowns and sophisticated hairstyles that made her look like a young woman in her twenties.
Her mother, Sara Taylor, remained a constant presence on set. She acted as Elizabeth’s manager and coach. She taught Elizabeth how to speak with a clear, resonant voice. Sara also helped choose the clothes her daughter wore to public events. Elizabeth often wore pearls and silk dresses that emphasized her transition from a child star to a leading lady. The public followed her life closely through movie magazines. They read about her favorite hobbies, such as collecting pets and jewelry.
In 1949, Elizabeth played Amy March in the film version of Little Women. She wore a blonde wig for the role to match the character’s description in the book. During the same year, she filmed Conspirator in England. In this movie, she played the wife of a Soviet spy, played by Robert Taylor. She was only 17 years old, but her co-star was 38. This role marked her official shift into adult characters. She no longer played children or students.
Elizabeth’s personal life also moved quickly during the late 1940s. In 1948, she became engaged to Glenn Davis, a famous football player and Heisman Trophy winner. The relationship did not last, and she later became involved with Bill Pawley, the son of a wealthy ambassador. MGM used these relationships to keep Elizabeth in the news. By the end of 1949, she met Conrad “Nicky” Hilton Jr., the heir to the Hilton hotel chain. Their relationship moved toward marriage as the decade closed. Elizabeth finished the 1940s as one of the most bankable and photographed women in the world.
