Shining Through Scandal: The Incredible Life Of Elizabeth Taylor

She Retired To Hollywood To Dedicate Her Life To AIDS Awareness

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Elizabeth Taylor was so dedicated to her philanthropy, that she officially announced her retirement from show business in 2003 after a career that spanned five decades, over the course of which she starred in over 70 films. Taylor’s last public performance occurred in 2007 when she and actor James Earl Jones performed the play Love Letters at Paramount Studios for an AIDS benefit. At this point, Taylor had not performed on stage for 23 years and although many were nervous about the quality of her performance, Taylor—who was introduced on stage in a wheelchair due to her declining health—was welcomed to a standing ovation.