It was a rough week for older women. 2 American icons passed this week, both know for different reasons–Elizabeth Taylor and Geraldine Ferarro.
Elizabeth Taylor passed away at the age of 79. She was absolutely one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her eyes were violet. She was a child star and continued to captivate fans the rest of her life. Even in old age and poor health she maintained some of that beauty. Happy marriages alluded her. She had 8 different husbands. 🙄
To Virginians she is best known for her marriage to Senator John Warner. Before that, she was known for snagging Debbie Reynold’s husband, Eddie Fisher. She had a tumultuous marriage to Sir Richard Burton.
Besides her acting career which included such classics as National Velvet, Whose Afraid of Virginia Wolf, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Giant, she was known for her social activism and charitable work. She championed the cause of AIDS awareness.
Taylor converted to Judaism and worked tirelessly for Zionism and for the Israeli causes. According to Wikipedia:
Taylor helped to raise money for organizations such as the Jewish National Fund; advocated for the right of Soviet Jews to emigate to Israel and canceled a visit to the USSR because of its condemnation of Israel due to the Six-Day War; signed a letter protesting the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 of 1975; and offered herself as a replacement hostage during the 1976 Entebbe skyjacking.
Taylor was also a mentor to Michael Jackson and appeared to never give up her belief in him.
Geraldine Ferraro passed away Saturday after an 12 year battle with a blood cancer. She was 75 years old. Ms. Ferraro was best known for running as the first woman vice-president on the Mondale/Ferraro ticket in 1984. She was very much a political trail blazer, rising up from a 3 term congresswoman to run with Walter Mondale.
Mondale’s nickname was Fritz so the two became known as Fritz and Tits. The women running for higher office today have no idea the disparaging remarks that were made back in 84 and they were made simply because she was a woman.
According to the Detroit Free Press:
Delegates in San Francisco erupted in cheers at the first line of her speech accepting the nomination.
“My name is Geraldine Ferraro,” she said. “I stand before you to proclaim tonight: America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us.”
Her speech launched eight minutes of cheers, foot-stomping and tears.
She went on to tell interviewers that she probably wouldn’t run for VP again had she known what was in store for her family:
“You don’t deliberately submit people you love to something like that,” she told presidential historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. in an interview in Ladies Home Journal. “I don’t think I’d run again for vice president,” she said, then laughed and said, “Next time I’d run for president.”
Both Elizabeth Taylor and Geraldine Ferraro were spunky ladies. Both set the standard in their respective fields and will be sorely missed as they pass into the annals of history.
Watch Liz in “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof” on Netflix. It will take your breath away.
I do need to rewatch that. Is that the one with Big Daddy and Paul Newman?
Yes! And when Paul Newman takes his shirt off–whew! They didn’t have to be very graphic back then.
I have it on my agenda.
I seem to recall that Paul Newman look. What a hunk. Today I think everyone looks alike. Maybe I have that facial recognition problem.
Elizabeth Taylor offered to exchange herself with the jewish hostages when they were being held in Entebbe.
Things that you never knew……
I didn’t know that either, Cargo. Yet it doesn’t seem unfamiliar, if that makes sense.
Who of the now living female movie stars will be remembered 30 years hence, I wonder?
“Cat on hot tin roof” is unforgettable as is “A place in the sun”. Shelley Winters acting was
wonderful too in the latter one.
My husband’s movie “girl friends” were Melina Mercouri and Simone Signoret. 🙂
@Moon-howler
There’s no one like Paul Newman; there never was one like him; there never will be anyone like him. His blue eyes were as tantalizing as were Liz’s violet orbs.
@Punchak
He was gorgeous and sexy. Clark Gable was also fabulous. Paul Newman was also more gorgeous and sexy because he was with the same woman for so long. Very rare.
Yes, MH.
Supposedly he made a comment about staying married to Joanne Woodward that went something like: “Why should I go out for hamburger when get steak at home.”
thankfully with palin, bachmann, coulter, laura ingraham et al, female trailblazers continue to forge forward