"How To Write An Obituary For The Rich And Famous:

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Elizabeth Taylor:The Film Diva of the 20th Century Journalism 200 "I don't look too bad for someone my age, with my history of illnesses and operations and all those anesthetics. When they knock you out, it gives you time to catch up on your beauty sleep." These are the words spoken by the filmdiva of the 20th century - Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor. However, the stunning 70 year old diva will be able to catch up on a lot of beauty sleep. On March 4, 2002, she died of a heart attack in her Los Angeles home.

From her first film debut in 1942, There's One Born Every Minute, to her last debut in 1994, The Flintstones, the world has journeyed with Mrs. Taylor's throughout her lifetime. This includes her movie career, her eight weddings, her Oscars (for the roles of Gloria in Butterfield 8 and Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), the arrival of her four children and her own birthdays, too.

We have chronicled some of her brushes with death and many of her 73 hospitalizations. We have also applauded her selfless support of charities ranging from UNICEF to her most recent passion, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

Though Mrs. Taylor prepared for the possibility of death, in February of 1997,during brain surgery, she told longtime LIFE magazine writer, Brad Darrach, on the day before the operation: "My lips might look just a little dry in the cover photo. If they do, would you mind asking your art director to touch them up?" Indeed Mrs. Taylor survived the brain surgery. This quote constantly reminds America of Taylor's beautifully expressive nature, but non-fragile and invulnerability.

"Big girls wear big diamonds" a famous statement by Taylor, is indeed a true statement. Mrs. Taylor truly made it clear, to America and the film industry, that she was a "big girl," and she paraded her diamonds among the screen with pride. As stated by film director Billy Wilder, "What is really needed in order to become a star is an extra element which God gives you or doesn't give you. You're born with it. You cannot learn it. God kissed on her cheek and there she was." *Remember, Liz Taylor has not died, this is an obituary written for my Journalism 200, on the living rich and famous.*