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Sad news this morning, as Oscar-winning actress Elizabeth Taylor has passed away at the age of 79. Few actresses remain these days that could hold the term “Hollywood Royalty”, but Taylor maintained a level of respect and admiration among her peers that was almost unparalleled in the industry.
“She was surrounded by her children- Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton,” Taylor’s publicist, Sally Morrison, said in a statement.
Taylor also had ten grand children and four great grandchildren. She had been hospitalized a month and a half ago with congestive heart failure. Her condition experienced a few rough spots, but she had stabilized and was expected to return home, making today’s announcement a little unexpected.
Through Twitter Taylor had mentioned her heart operations noting it’s “very new and involves repairing my leaky valve using a clip device, without open heart surgery so that my heart will function better.”
Taylor had received two Academy Awards for WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (1966) and BUTTERFIELD 8 (1960), though she’s perhaps best known for her starring role in CLEOPATRA (1963). She was born in London in 1932, and first caught audience attention at 12 starring in NATIONAL VELVET (1944). Her other notable films include A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) and CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (1958). Taylor just celebrated her 79th birthday last month, February 27.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
