Perhaps no film star has made quite as many boldface headlines as birthday girl Elizabeth Taylor, who looms large to this day. She had five career nominations, the first four of which were consecutive, and won twice — for Butterfield 8, a gimme since she had recent surgery, and Whos’ Afraid of Virginia Woolf, in 1966. Then, in 1993, she received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award as well.

This article is part of a special year-long series of anecdotes, reflections and thoughts about the Academy Awards.