Editing Elizabeth Taylor (section)

===1941–1949: Early roles and teenage stardom===
In California, Taylor's mother was frequently told that her daughter should audition for films.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|27–30}} Taylor's eyes in particular drew attention; they were blue, to the extent of appearing violet, and were rimmed by dark double eyelashes caused by [[Distichiasis|a genetic mutation]].<ref name="palmer20110325">{{cite web |url=https://slate.com/culture/2011/03/elizabeth-taylor-beautiful-mutant.html |title=Elizabeth Taylor: Beautiful Mutant |access-date=July 12, 2021 |date=March 25, 2011 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |first=Palmer |last=Roxanne}}</ref><ref name=Walker />{{rp|9}} Sara was initially opposed to Taylor appearing in films, but after the outbreak of war in Europe made return there unlikely, she began to view the film industry as a way of assimilating to American society.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|27–30}} Francis Taylor's Beverly Hills gallery had gained clients from the film industry soon after opening, helped by the endorsement of gossip columnist [[Hedda Hopper]], a friend of the Cazalets.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|27–31}} Through a client and a school friend's father, Taylor auditioned for both [[Universal Pictures]] and [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] in early 1941.<ref name="Kashner">{{cite book |last1=Kashner |first1=Sam |last2=Schoenberger |first2=Nancy |title=Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century |year=2010 |publisher=JR Books| isbn=978-1-907532-22-1}}</ref>{{rp|27–37}} Both studios offered Taylor contracts, and Sara Taylor chose to accept Universal's offer.<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|27–37}}

Taylor began her contract in April 1941 and was cast in a small role in ''[[There's One Born Every Minute]]'' (1942).<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|27–37}} She did not receive other roles, and her contract was terminated after a year.<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|27–37}} Universal's casting director explained her dislike of Taylor, stating that "the kid has nothing ... her eyes are too old, she doesn't have the face of a child".<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|27–37}} Biographer [[Alexander Walker (critic)|Alexander Walker]] agrees that Taylor looked different from the child stars of the era, such as [[Shirley Temple]] and [[Judy Garland]].<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|32}} Taylor later said that, "apparently, I used to frighten grown ups, because I was totally direct".<ref name="lostinter">{{cite magazine |first=Jonathan |last=Cott |title=Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Interview |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/elizabeth-taylor-the-lost-interview-74065/?print=true |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=March 29, 2011 |access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref>

Taylor received another opportunity in late 1942, when her father's acquaintance, MGM producer [[Samuel Marx]], arranged for her to audition for a minor role in ''[[Lassie Come Home]]'' (1943), which required a child actress with an English accent.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|22–23,27–37}} After a trial contract of three months, she was given a standard seven-year contract in January 1943.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|38–41}} Following ''Lassie'', she appeared in minor uncredited roles in two other films set in England – ''[[Jane Eyre (1943 film)|Jane Eyre]]'' (1943) playing Helen Burns, and ''[[The White Cliffs of Dover (film)|The White Cliffs of Dover]]'' (1944).<ref name=Walker />{{rp|38–41}}

[[File:National-Velvet-1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mickey Rooney]] and Taylor in ''National Velvet'' (1944), her first major film role]] Taylor was cast in her first starring role at the age of 12, when she was chosen to play a girl who wants to compete as a jockey in the exclusively male [[Grand National]] in [[National Velvet (film)|''National Velvet'']].<ref name=Walker />{{rp|40–47}} She later called it "the most exciting film" of her career.<ref name="Gussow2">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/movies/elizabeth-taylor-obituary.html |title=Elizabeth Taylor, 1932–2011: A Lustrous Pinnacle of Hollywood Glamour |access-date=December 1, 2018 |last=Gussow |first=Mel |date=March 23, 2011 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Since 1937, MGM had been looking for a suitable actress with a British accent and the ability to ride horses. They decided on Taylor at the recommendation of ''White Cliffs'' director [[Clarence Brown]], who knew she had the necessary skills.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|40–47}} At that time Taylor was deemed too short for the role, so filming was delayed several months in order for her to grow an inch or two. In the interim Taylor spent her time practicing her horseback riding.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|40–47}}

In MGM's effort developing Taylor into a film star, they required her to wear braces to straighten her teeth, and had two of her baby teeth pulled out.<ref name="Walker" />{{rp|40–47}} The studio also wanted to dye her hair, change the shape of her eyebrows, and proposed that she use the screen name "Virginia", but Taylor and her parents refused.<ref name="lostinter" />

''[[National Velvet (film)|National Velvet]]'' became a box-office success upon its release on Christmas 1944.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|40–47}} [[Bosley Crowther]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' stated that "her whole manner in this picture is one of refreshing grace",<ref>{{cite web |first=Bosley |last=Crowther |title='National Velvet,' Color Film, With Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor, at Music Hall – 'Tall in Saddle' Comes to the Palace |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1944/12/15/archives/national-velvet-color-film-with-rooney-and-elizabeth-taylor-at.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 15, 1944 |access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref> while [[James Agee]] of ''[[The Nation]]'' wrote that she "is rapturously beautiful... I hardly know or care whether she can act or not."<ref name=":2">{{cite magazine |first=James |last=Agee |title=Elizabeth Taylor in 'National Velvet' |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/elizabeth-taylor-national-velvet/ |magazine=[[The Nation]] |date=March 24, 2011 |access-date=December 1, 2018 |archive-date=April 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413010239/https://www.thenation.com/article/elizabeth-taylor-national-velvet/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Taylor later stated that her childhood ended when she became a star, as MGM started to control every aspect of her life.<ref name="lostinter" /><ref name="lifemag">{{cite magazine |first=Richard |last=Meryman |title=I refuse to cure my public image |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kFEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA74 |magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]] |date=December 18, 1964 |access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref><ref name=Walker />{{rp|48–51}} She described the studio as a "big extended factory", where she was required to adhere to a strict daily schedule.<ref name="lostinter" /> Her days were spent attending school, and filming at the studio lot. In the evenings, Taylor took dancing and singing classes, and practiced the following day's scenes.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|48–51}} Following the success of ''[[National Velvet (film)|National Velvet]]'', MGM gave Taylor a new seven-year contract with a weekly salary of $750. They cast her in a minor role in the third film of the Lassie series, ''[[Courage of Lassie]]'' (1946).<ref name=Walker />{{rp|51–58}} MGM also published a book of Taylor's writings about her pet chipmunk, ''Nibbles and Me'' (1946), and had paper dolls and coloring books made in her likeness.<ref name=Walker />{{rp|51–58}}

[[File:Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Powell in A Date with Judy.jpg|thumb|left|Taylor and [[Jane Powell]] in ''[[A Date with Judy (film)|A Date with Judy]]'' (1948)]] When Taylor turned 15 in 1947, MGM began to cultivate a more mature public image for her by organizing photo shoots and interviews that portrayed her as a "normal" teenager attending parties and going on dates.<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|56–57; 65–74}} Film magazines and gossip columnists also began comparing her to older actresses such as [[Ava Gardner]] and [[Lana Turner]].<ref name=Kashner />{{rp|71}} ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' called her "Hollywood's most accomplished junior actress" for her two film roles that year.<ref name=Kashner />{{rp| 69}} In the critically panned ''[[Cynthia (film)|Cynthia]]'' (1947), Taylor portrayed a frail girl who defies her over-protective parents to go to the prom; in the period film ''[[Life with Father (film)|Life with Father]]'' (1947), opposite [[William Powell]] and [[Irene Dunne]], she portrayed the love interest of a stockbroker's son.{{sfn|Gehring|2006|pp=157–158}}<ref name=Walker />{{rp|58–70}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Life With Father (1947) |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/25245 |publisher=[[American Film Institute]] |access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref>

They were followed by supporting roles as a teenaged "man-stealer" who seduces her peer's date to a high school dance in the musical ''[[A Date with Judy (film)|A Date with Judy]]'' (1948), and as a bride in the romantic comedy ''[[Julia Misbehaves]]'' (1948). This became a commercial success, grossing over $4 million in the box office.{{sfn|Troyan|1999|p=211}}<ref name=Walker />{{rp|82}}

Taylor's last adolescent role was as Amy March in [[Mervyn LeRoy]]'s ''[[Little Women (1949 film)|Little Women]]'' (1949), a box-office success.{{sfn|Clark|2014|p=158}} The same year, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' featured Taylor on its cover, and called her the leader among Hollywood's next generation of stars, "a jewel of great price, a true sapphire".<ref name="time19490822">{{cite magazine | url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,800624,00.html | title=Elizabeth Taylor: Star Rising |access-date=December 7, 2018 |date=August 9, 2021 | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref>