Elizabeth Taylor is gone. I had the opportunity to have a few dealings with Miss Taylor and it was odd in so many ways. Odd in so much what was I doing talking with, visiting in her bedroom, and assisting this Hollywood legend. But she was a delight to be with and a class act in that way very few in this town seem to be anymore.
I have had the privilege to have been involved at different levels with Doris Duke, Bernard Lafferty, Dean Martin, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee. As I have told a few today’s so-called “celebrities,” I can die now, it does not get any better than what I have had access to and enjoyed. This will be the limit to my discussing these American Legends. There will never ever be “Stars” like these people, they were the real deal, with the exception of Miss Duke and Bernard, they were both very unique in their parts in the world theater.
Miss Duke died October 28,1993 at her home, Bernard Lafferty died November 4, 1996 at his home, Miss Peggy Lee died January 21, 2002 at her home, Mr. Sinatra died at Cedars Sinai, and now Miss Taylor also died at Cedars Sinai. An interesting note here is that almost all had visited the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, often for one or the other’s funeral or memorial.
My dear acquaintance Jose Eber was quite possibly one of Miss Taylor’s best friends, after all he was her hairdresser. And the story goes women tell their hairdresser all the scoop, and I have no doubt he was a close confidante. Well there was no way in the hell Jose would ever bring me anyplace near Elizabeth Taylor. Oh sure, I would hear this and that, and of course Miss Taylor and Bernard Lafferty were “friends” in what I would call in a Hollywood way. Bernard had access to millions, and he like so many adored Elizabeth Taylor, those Sunday afternoons were a real treat. And Miss Taylor’s interest was her fund raising for AIDS. Back to Jose, he as I said would have sooner cut his hair and stomped on his hat than to grant access to me. Well, I get a call one night and it is Adam, Joses boyfriend, Adam is the best. He tells me that he wants to go see Elizabeth, my initial response was good, have a good time. Adam tells me he wants me to drive and wants to introduce me to her. I tell my son Mike that we are going to go and visit Elizabeth Taylor, Mike knowing Jose tells me, Jose is taking us? Of course not, I laugh and tell him we are going with Adam…my dear Adam is as real as it gets.
I had been working all day and picked up Adam and drove to Bel Air. There was a young kid from Israel who was working as “security.” These Israeli “security specialists” are a comical bunch of nitwits in Beverly Hills. Sure they have all worked for “Mossad,” they got the accent and most of the time it is bullshit, as I am sure this was. Why you ask? I had a .357 revolver, handcuffs, and pepper spray and no one noticed…so much for Hollywood security. Don’t get me wrong, Mossad, perhaps, parking cars, emptying trash cans, actual agents I think not.
Well, Miss Taylor had a silly little wormy guy, a real fruitcake, as her assistant and gate keeper, who I never trusted and I think that my feelings were shared with several others who will remain nameless. He sees me and runs to get the security guy, but Adam goes in and a few minutes later I hear, John, Mike come on up, security is still trying to posture like he can do something about our presence and with the worm making mouth noises and frowns, he has to step aside. I am sure the worm ran to the phone to call Jose and report to him what Adam had done…Nazarian & Kid are in the house and headed for the bedroom. The look on their faces was priceless. It is out of respect for the memory of Miss Taylor that I will not discuss the nature of her reasons for our meeting…small stuff when you look at the “big picture.” As my friend Neal Hersh of Hersh, Mannis and Bogen stated recently in open court, “Nazarian knows where all the bones are buried “.
The house looked as I had seen it many times on television and up we went, to Miss Taylors bedroom suite. I remember seeeing what looked like a velvet ottoman with a little spotlight on it, this was Sugars (Miss Taylor’s special pet dog) place. I think it was blue. There were one or two females present and of course Adam. Miss Taylor acted as if I was an old friend, we talked about our pets and she loved my LV date book that I was carrying and to this day I am not sure why I was carrying it. Miss Taylor loved my son Mike and they hit it off and it was at least two or three hours of laughs and fun, she was just incredible. Here was the biggest actress in the world and she acted like we had been friends for years, she was the best. We spoke briefly about my work and my thoughts on the current events and the news. I had contact with her again at other times…my thoughts on Elizabeth Taylor were grandmotherly. I thank Adam to this day for his willingness to introduce me and Mike to his friend, Elizabeth.
Footnote: there is not another person in my field that EVER has had the access that I have, and I will never betray the trust these people placed in me. They had class and most of all honor and appreciated those around them with similar behavior.
Straight Talk by John J. Nazarian, Private Investigator
March 23, 2011
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