Elizabeth Taylor was known for her talent, beauty, and legendary love life. The Hollywood icon married eight times to seven different men, making her one of the most famously wed celebrities in history. However, one star outdid her: movie star Zsa Zsa Gabor, who boasted nine marriages.
Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic love life
Elizabeth Taylor’s marriages were as dramatic as her on-screen performances. Taylor first wed hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr. in 1950, but the union lasted less than a year.
Her second husband, British actor Michael Wilding, gave her stability for a time, but they divorced in 1957. She then married producer Mike Todd, who tragically died in a plane crash.
Taylor’s most scandalous marriage was to Eddie Fisher, Todd’s best friend, who left his wife, Debbie Reynolds, to be with her. However, Taylor’s greatest love was Richard Burton, whom she married twice.
Their fiery romance captivated the world, but ultimately, they couldn’t make it work. After two more marriages to John Warner and Larry Fortensky, Taylor remained single for the last years of her life. She died in 2011.
Zsa Zsa Gabor: The queen of marriages
Although Elizabeth Taylor was famously known for her love of being married, Hungarian-American actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor outdid Taylor with nine trips down the aisle. Gabor wed hotel owners, actors, and several wealthy businessmen.
The star of 1952’s Moulin Rouge star’s began her marriage journey with Turkish politician and diplomat Burhan Asaf Belge (1935–1941). Conrad Hilton (1942–1947), the founder of Hilton Hotels followed.
Husband number three was George Sanders (1949–1954), an actor who later married Zsa Zsa’s sister, Magda Gabor, after their divorce. Following was Herbert Hutner (1962–1966), a wealthy investment banker.
Spouse number five was Joshua S. Cosden Jr. (1966–1967), an oil magnate. He was followed by Jack Ryan (1975–1976), a toy designer known for creating the Barbie doll.
Michael O’Hara (1976–1983), a lawyer, was husband number seven. Gabor was married to Mexican actor Felipe de Alba (1983) for only one day; the marriage was annulled because her previous divorce from Michael O’Hara had not been finalized.
Gabor’s ninth and final husband was Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt. This was her longest marriage, lasting from 1986 through her death in 2016.
Hollywood’s most married celebrities
While Elizabeth Taylor and Zsa Zsa Gabor are two of Hollywood’s most famously wed stars, other classic celebrities have also had their fair share of marriages. Babes in Arms star Mickey Rooney had eight marriages.
Talk show host Larry King was married eight times to seven women. Madame X star Lana Turner tied the knot seven times.
Elizabeth Taylor’s love life remains one of the most talked-about in Hollywood history, but Zsa Zsa Gabor still holds the crown for the most trips down the aisle. In a town where relationships are often fleeting, these movie superstars’ romantic escapades continue to fascinate fans decades later.
