ELIZABETH TAYLOR ARCHIVES: Television Appearances: 2000s

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TV Appearances: 2000s

Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration
Taped: May 26, 2000
Aired: 2000
Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration was an evening of entertainment in Dame Elizabeth’s honour at London’s Royal Albert Hall, just days after she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II. From the royal box, Dame Elizabeth and Michael Jackson watched the entertainment, which was hosted by Sir David Frost and Stephen Fry, and included performances by Jay Kay, Tony Bennett, Andrea Bocelli, Reba MacEntire, as well as appearances by Susan George and Joan Collins. Debbie Harry, Jamiroquai, and Charles Aznavour also appeared, but were cut from the television version. “Elizabeth Taylor has crammed more adventure into one life than Indiana Jones, had more perils than Pauline, been married more times than Henry VIII and through tireless charity work saved more lives than Florence Nightingale and James Bond,” said Collins. Between the performances were clips from various points in Dame Elizabeth’s life and film career. At the end of the evening, and after a rendition of ‘There Is Nothing Like a Dame,’ Elizabeth spoke about the cause closest to hear heart, AIDS. “Although we’ve made tremendous strides in terms of treating this terrible disease, sadly the benefits of that research are only available to a few,” Elizabeth told the audience. The profits went to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and the Red Hot AIDS Charitable Trust.

A DVD was released in Region 2, but is sadly now out of print.

Program:
James Bond Suite
John Barry

Steppin’ Out; You’re All The World To Me
Tony Bennett

Canto Del A Terra
Andrea Bocelli

All I Care About Is Love
Cast of Chicago

Let The River Run
Lesley Garrett

From This Moment On
Jay Kay

Mack The Knife
Ute Lemper

Don’t Rain On My Parade
Martine McCutcheon

Secret Love
Reba McEntire

Love Is All Around; Luck Be A Lady
Marti Pello

Elizabeth Taylor: England’s Other Elizabeth
Aired: 2000 (Britain), April 1, 2001 (US and Canada)
Elizabeth Taylor: England’s Other Elizabeth is a look at Elizabeth’s life and career, with a focus on her film roles and AIDS work; for once her personal life is not the centre of attention. Interviews include Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Angela Lansbury, Janine Basinger (Films Studies, Wesleyan University), Shirley MacLaine, Rod Steiger and Dr. Mathilde Krim.

England’s Other Elizabeth originally aired in Britain on BBC 1’s Omnibus, and in the United States and Canada on PBS’s Great Performances. Click here to visit the official American web site for the program. The documentary has been released on DVD, but is now out of print.

Larry King Live
Aired: January 15, 2001 on CNN
In Elizabeth’s first American sit down interview after being made a Dame of the British Empire and awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, Dame Elizabeth discussed her illnesses, former MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, her involvement with AIDS, her leading men, and her upcoming television film, These Old Broads costarring Shirley MacLaine, Joan Collins, and even, Debbie Reynolds—the first Mrs. Eddie Fisher. Dame Elizabeth said that she and Debbie, who had made up years before, referred to him as Harry Hunter during the production. Husbands John Warner and Larry Fortensky were also discussed; Dame Elizabeth had rarely spoken so candidly about the latter. The conversation also turned to addiction and her fragrance empire before Dame Elizabeth took calls from viewers.

Click here to read the transcript from this interview.

The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Aired: January 21, 2001
The audience rose to their feet when Dame Elizabeth presented the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Dame Elizabeth nearly forgot to read the list of nominees and almost went right to the winner—probably because clips from each nominated film had been already shown through the ceremony. “I’m new at this,” Elizabeth joked.

AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Barbra Streisand
Aired: May 31, 2001
Elizabeth spoke of Barbra Streisand on the occasion of her receiving the AFI Life Achievement Award, an honour Elizabeth received in 1993.

The Rosie O’Donnell Show
Taped: September 6, 2001
Aired: September 24, 2001
To welcome Dame Elizabeth, Rosie’s set was decorated with violet roses, the Franklin Mint Taylor dolls, as well as Rosie’s Taylor paper dolls that her mother had collected. It was a reunion of sorts for Elizabeth and O’Donnell, who had previously worked together on The Flintstones. Other than the usual subjects, Elizabeth, who was celebrating the tenth anniversary of White Diamonds, discussed adoption, the films she wishes she hadn’t made, and even revealed that her favourite lip gloss is called Slut.

Elizabeth was supposed to appear Rosie’s show back in 1997, but was forced to cancel after discovering a benign brain tumor.

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Aired: 2001
A beautiful Elizabeth introduced a performance by the Jacksons, including Michael, at a celebration of Michael Jackson’s thirty years as a solo artist at Madison Square Garden.

20/20
Aired: September 27, 2002 on ABC
Just before the release of her new book, My Love Affair with Jewelry, Dame Elizabeth was interviewed by Barbara Walters about her fantastic collection, and shared the sentimental stories behind many of her most treasured pieces. About one tenth of Elizabeth’s staggering collection was displayed for Walters and the 20/20 viewers. When asked how Elizabeth prevents new men in her life from being intimated by gifts from previous lovers, Elizabeth says she only has to, “Encourage them to give me more.”

Intimate Portrait
Episode: Elizabeth Taylor
Aired: December 2, 2002
Dame Elizabeth was interviewed for an episode of Lifetime Television’s Intimate Portrait, a series of biographies of influential female celebrities. The show, which was hosted by Meredith Vieira, also featured interesting interviews with Carrie Fisher, Kate Burton, Janet Leigh, Robert Wagner, Nastassja Kinski, Liz Smith, Mia Farrow, José Eber, Carole Bayer Sager, and Bruce Weber. The episode also contained wonderfully rare press footage, and unseen photographs taken by friend Bruce Weber.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
Taped: December 8, 2002
Aired: December 27, 2002
Elizabeth was given the Kennedy Center Honor in a lavish evening of entertainment in the presence of President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, hosted by venerable newsman, Walter Cronkite. Other honourees included James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, and James Levine. During Elizabeth’s segment, John Travolta spoke of Elizabeth and a dream he had of Elizabeth—with her not wearing the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof slip. Clips from her films and life were shown with narration by George Stevens, Jr. Also included was a performance of Steven Sondheim’s ‘Not Getting Married,’ (admitted Cronkite: “a phrase, well, not generally associated with Miss Taylor.”) The performance included Matt Bogart, Patricia Ben Peterson, Billy Hartung, and Alice Ripley. Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick performed the song ‘That’s What Friends Are For,’ a song Elizabeth suggested be recorded for amfAR years before. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. also serenaded Elizabeth with ‘There Is Nothing Like a Dame.’ The morning of the honours, Dame Elizabeth fractured a bone in her foot, and not having time to see a doctor, she was forced to sit in pain throughout the evening. Taped at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House in Washington, D.C.

Biography
Episode: Elizabeth Taylor: Facets
Aired: Sunday, March 16, 2003
Elizabeth Taylor: Facets, is a documentary about Elizabeth’s life and career which aired as part of A&E’s Biography series. Elizabeth herself was interviewed for the program, as was Janet Leigh, Shirley MacLaine, Anthony Geary, Jimmy Lydon, biographer Alexander Walker, Richard Meryman, Margaret O’Brien, journalist Virginia Campbell, Mickey Rooney, George Stevens, Jr., Keith Baxter, Brad Geagley, Martin Landau, Jack Brodsky, and Christopher Mankiewicz. The previous episode of Biography dedicated to Elizabeth’s life gave the program its highest ratings ever.

Available on DVD as part of A&E’s Silver Screen II: Goddesses set, which also features the biographies of Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and Angelina Jolie.

Larry King Live
Aired: February 3, 2003
A blonde Dame Elizabeth appeared on Larry King Live for a sit down interview. Just months before, Dame Elizabeth was given the Kennedy Center Honor and explained that she had fractured a bone in her foot the morning of the second night of the honours. Dame Elizabeth showed off the boot she was forced to wear because of the fracture; one she designed herself. Dame Elizabeth, who was joined by her beloved Maltese, Sugar, discussed her book My Love Affair with Jewelry, the death of Herb Ritts (who had recently completed a commercial for her latest fragrance, Forever Elizabeth), and AIDS. Larry also mentioned that February 8th was to be proclaimed, Dame Elizabeth Taylor Day in California.

Click here to read the transcript from this interview.

God, the Devil and Bob
Episode: God’s Girlfriend
Aired: June 15, 2003
Elizabeth provided the voice of God’s Girlfriend in an episode on the animated TV show God, the Devil and Bob. The controversial show, which aired on NBC, was cancelled after only four episodes were broadcasted. The remainder of the episodes, including this one, was finally aired in 2003. This episode can be found on the DVD God, the Devil & Bob: The Complete Series.

Larry King Live
Aired: May 30, 2006
After untrue reports emerged that Dame Elizabeth had Alzheimer’s and was gravely ill, she paid a visit to Larry King Live to tape her first sit-down interview in three years and set the record straight on all the health rumours. “Oh, come on, do I look like I’m dying? Do I look like or sound like I have Alzheimer’s?” She did say that she was in discomfort due to scoliosis and osteoporosis, but anything else was untrue, suggesting that, “they’re trying to sell magazines, and the only way they can do it is by being dirty. They’ve never sold—those dirty magazines have never sold a clean story. They don’t—some audience out there, and don’t ask me who they are, but there are millions, like scandal. They like filth. And if they want to hear that I’m dead, sorry, folks, I’m not. And I don’t plan on it.”

In addition to discussing the usual topics, Dame Elizabeth talked about her new House of Taylor Jewelry business. Dame Elizabeth even brought in pieces from her own incredible collection that had served as inspiration for her latest designs. Friend and House of Taylor Jewelry business partner Kathy Ireland called in and said, “being mentored by this genius is extraordinary. I never dreamed that this amazing woman, who is so much fun, would become family, and I thank Dame Elizabeth for allowing me to be a part of her publicly traded company, House of Taylor Jewelry. She is genius.” Kathy also commented on Dame Elizabeth’s tireless work for AIDS, calling her “the Joan of Arc of AIDS.”

Click here to read the transcript from this interview.

Entertainment Tonight
Aired: February 27, 2008
Airing on her landmark 75th birthday, Entertainment Tonight’s Mary Hart sat down to interview Dame Elizabeth about her life, career, AIDS work, House of Taylor Jewelry line, swimming with sharks, as well as today’s stars and their relationship with the paparazzi. One of Dame Elizabeth’s most interesting revelations was that she had recently called up ex-husband Eddie Fisher.

The interview was aired over a few episodes starting on Dame Elizabeth’s 75th birthday, February 27, 2008. The entire interview also aired during an episode of ET Weekend—and included portions of the interview that hadn’t been shown during the weekday show.

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