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1932 - 2011
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe
Syosset, New York
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"Aktrise" (actress),
Elizabeth Taylor, age 79,
is gone. She died from congestive heart failure on March 23.
Tom Mankiewics said,
"It's impossible to exaggerate ("megazem
zayn") how beautiful Elizabeth Taylor was
back then. She was so beautiful that my
teeth hurt."
Shown below is a Yiddish guide to Elizabeth (Liz) Taylor:
"aeroplan" (airplane)
Liz Taylor's first husband, Mike Todd, died
in an airplane crash. The small plane was
called the "Lucky Liz."
bal-tsdoke" (philanthropist/charity giver)
As AMFAR's founding national chairman and international chairman,
Dame Elizabeth worked tirelessly to establish the
Foundation's name within the U. S. and
around the world ("di velt"). The work
involved courageously speaking out about
the realities of the disease during a time
when very little was known about the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV).
She testified before Congress in support of the Ryan White CARE Act of 1990, which remains a primary source of federal funding for HIV/AIDS programs. She fought for AIDS before Rock Hudson died of the disease.
"Bankrot" (bankruptcy)
Re: "Cleopatra" movie, 1961
Fox executives were panicked because the
studio was close to bankruptcy due to its
losses on "Cleopatra," the epic being filmed
in Rome. Though Elizabeth Taylor was paid
a "milyon' (million) dollars to make the
film--ten times what Marilyn Monroe was
making for "Something's Got to Give,"--
it would suffer numerous delays due to its
leading lady's many different illnesse and
missing days on the set.
"bukh" (book)
In 1987 Liz wrote a book titled, "Elizabeth
Taylor Takes Off: On Weight Gain, Weight
Loss, Self Image and Self-Esteem."
BUtterfield 8 (BUtterfield "akht")
In 1961, Liz Taylor was the biggest star in
the world largely due to her smash hit,
BUtterfield 8. She nabbed an Oscar for that
one.
"diment" (diamond)
To mark their official engagement
("farlobung"), Mike Todd presented Liz
with a 29-carat, emerald-cut diamond ring.
"Thirty carats would have been vulgar," he
told his son. (They were married in Puerto
Marquez, Mexico, on Feb.27, 1957, less than
48 hours after her divorce ("get") from
Michael Wilding was final.)
"esnvarg" (food)
Gossip magazines and comedians gorged
on Liz's excess. "Is Elizabeth Taylor fat?"
Joan Rivers was once quoted as saying,
"Her [Taylor] favorite food is seconds."
"gelt" (money)
Eddie Fisher was depicted as the
"checkbook-swinging husband" trailing
after his wife. The money spent was largely
Elizabeth's.
"ger" (converts to Judaism)
Taylor was born into a Christian Science
family in England. She was not active in
the faith after she came to Hollywood.
Before converting to Judaism she was
sometimes identified simply as "Protestant."
After converting to Judaism she was NOT
at all a regular synagogue-goer, although
in later life she apparently became more
interested in spirituality and prayer in her
life.
According to Taylor, her conversion had absolutely nothing to do with her marrage to Mike Todd or Eddie Fisher, both of whom were Jewish.
"geboyrn" (born)
Taylor was born in Hamstead, London.
"hotel" (hotel)
Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor were
married at Grossinger's Hotel in the
Catskills.
"kinder" (children),"bobe" (grandmother),
"elte-bobe" (greatgrandmoter)
Liz had four children: Michael Howard
Wilding, Jr., Christopher Edward Wilding,
Liza Todd, and Maria Burton (adopted).
She had 10 grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
"kokhn"(to cook)
Shooting a scene in BUtterfield 8, director,
Daniel Mann, handed Elizabeth Taylor, his
star, a couple of eggs and told her to pretend ("pretendirn")
to make breakfast
as she stood at the stove. Taylor's eyes
grew wide. Holding an egg out in each
"hant' (hand), she said, "But what do I do
with them?" She never made breakfast
("frishtik") in her life.
"kushn" (to kiss)
After the Catholic Mass, Nicky Hilton slipped a $10,000 wedding
band on her
finger. They kissed so long that Monsignor
Patrick J. Concannon told Elizabeth, "I think
that's long enough.'
"lib hobn" (to love)
Chronicles have usually described Liz's
romance with Eddie Fisher as simply a case
of love on the rebound. It was heartache
("hartsveytik") of a passionate widow who
turned to her beloved husband's
"best-friend" for comfort and solace.
"lila" (purple)
Purple was Liz Taylor's favorite "kolir"(color).
"lungen-entsindung (pneumonia
In 1961, Liz had a near-fatal bout with
pneumonia.
(She also had spinal fusion
to treat a herniated disc, brain surgery,
and other surgeries.
"meditsin" (medicine)
In the 1950s, many actresses and actors
depended on drugs to get through the day.
Everyone from Liz Taylor to Marlon Brando
to Montgomery Cliff to Tallulah Bankhead
was addicted to one drug or another. Their
lives and careers were NOT enhanced either
by such excessive self-medicating, says
J. Randy Taraborrelli ("The Secret Life of
Marilyn Monroe").
"Metro walk"
Note: The word meaning "to walk" is "geyn"
Liz Taylor learned the "Metro walk":
sucking in the stomach, squaring the
shoulders, and stepping off on the right foot.
"moler" (painter/artist)
A poster for "Cat ("kats") on a Hot Tin
Roof" in Arlington, Virginia, was
spray-painted with the word "Jewess."
"nomen" (name)
Liz's Hebrew name was Elisheba Rachel.
The name was given to her when she
converted at Temple Israel in Hollywood.
"oyftretn" (to perform/to act)
Willilam J. Mann wrote "For her perfor
mances both good and bad, for her
innocence, sexiness, rebellion, honesty,
and sheer life force--she has been called
the greatest movie star of all."
"parfum" (perfume)
Liz Taylor's name appears on "White
Diamonds" perfume, "Violet Eyes," and
'Forever Elizabeth," introduced in 2002.
"redn" (to talk)
Liz Taylor said, "I don't pretend to be an
ordinary housewife" ("bale-boste").
"shidekh" (marriage match)
Perhaps Liz should have used a "shadkhn"
marriage broker)! She had 8 marriages to
7 different men:
Conrad (Nicky) Hilton
Michael Wilding
Michael Todd
Eddie Fisher
Richard Burton
Richard Burton (again)
John W. Warner
Larry Fortensky
"simkhe" (celebration/joyous)
The Taylor-Hilton wedding was the great
celebrity event of 1950, held at the Church
of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. The
church was known as "Our Lady of the
Cadillacs" because of the richness of its
parishoners.
"talantirt" (talented)
In the 1950s, there was a certain segment
of movie stars who were considered
classic, highly talented actors. This list
included:
Elizabeth Taylor
Joan Crawford
Bette Davis
Katharine Hepburn
"tate"/"mame" (parents)
Liz Taylor's mother was Sara Taylor; her
father was Francis Taylor. Her "bruder"
(brother) was named Howard.
"veynen" (to weep)
Larry King said of Dame Elizabeth Taylor:
"She was special ("spetsyel"). It's pouring
rain here in Southern California. It's
almost like the skies are weeping."
"zaftik" (sl. for fat)
Liz wrote about Debbie Reynolds, from
whom Taylor stole husband, Eddie Fisher:
"Someone told me that Debbie Reynolds
kept a photograph of me taken during
my fattest ("shverst") period on the
refrigerator door. She said it reminded
her of what could happen if she charged
into the icebox.
During the initial stage of my diet I thought, well, if it works for Debbie, maybe it will work for me...If you think a picture of me as Miss Lard will inspire you, go ahead and put it on your refrigerator. I have no objection." What a "hobn humor"--sense of humor she had.
"zis kind" (sweet child)
Liz Taylor was the sweet child of National
Velvet, the story of a little English girl
who masquerades as a boy ("yingl") and
rides her horse ("ferd") to victory in the
Grand National.
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