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1959 - Elizabeth Taylor Signs for Cleopatra

Elizabeth Taylor signs with 20th Century Fox to make Cleopatra. Her salary is $1 million.

Taylor was born in London to American parents in 1932. Her family moved to Los Angeles just before World War II. Taylor was striking even as a child, with flowing dark hair and violet eyes. By the time she was 10, she had signed with MGM and made her first picture, There's One Born Every Minute, with Carl Switzer, better known as Alfalfa from the Little Rascals.

At age 18, Taylor entered the first of her many marriages when she wed hotel owner Nick Hilton. The marriage dissolved after a few months. In 1952, she married actor Michael Wilding and divorced him five years later. In 1958, she married Mike Todd, producer of such film hits as Oklahoma in 1955 and Around the World in 80 Days in 1956. Taylor converted to Judaism upon entering the marriage. Sadly, Todd died a year later while flying his plane, the "Lucky Liz," to accept an award from the National Association of Theatre Owners.

While making Cleopatra, Taylor entered a long-term romance with co-star Richard Burton. The two wed in 1964 (after her divorce from fourth husband Eddie Fisher), but they later separated, divorced, wed again, then finally split for good in 1976. Taylor married several more times.

1977 - Ethel Waters Dies

On this day, actress and singer Ethel Waters dies. Waters was born in 1896 in Chester, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Philadelphia and performed on the vaudeville circuit.

She began recording in the 1920s and became one of the rare black singers of her day to gain popularity with a white audience. She became popular as a stage actress in the late 1930s and scored a Broadway triumph in Member of the Wedding in 1950.

1984 - Tina Turner Tops the Charts

Tina Turner's song "What's Love Got to Do With It?" from her 1984 album, Private Dancer, tops the charts. The song won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Another song on the album, "Better Be Good to Me," won the Best Female Rock Vocalist award. Private Dancer sold five million copies.

Turner had started recording with husband Ike Turner in 1960 but she left him in 1976, claiming he had mistreated her for years. She began her comeback in 1981, opening for the Rolling Stones. Soon she was releasing hit singles, which she continued to do throughout the 1990s.

She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 while ex-husband Ike was in prison on drug charges.