MY ELIZABETH TAYLOR STORY

THE diamond

Everyone has a story about Elizabeth, and this one is mine.

It was the fall of 1980 and the presidential campaign was in full swing. Reagan was running against Carter for the presidency.

I was on tour with "Makin' Whoopee!" with Imogene Coca and Mamie Van Doren. We were performing in Denver. I was also the driver (and keeper) of a big RV which transported Imogene and her husband and animals from town to town. That in itself is another long story.

But we were in Denver and it was a Monday morning and we were leaving for St. Louis. I drove the mobile home to Brown's Hotel and parked out front and went up in the hotel to get Imogene and entourage. I first went to her suite and got Ford, her standard poodle - a HUGE black dog. And I went back and pushed the button for the elevator to take us down.

I was handling Ford and trying to keep him still when the elevator doors opened and the only thing I saw was a very handsome man. Ford and I got on the elevator and I didn't notice anyone else in the car with us. I finally tried to get Ford calm and all of a sudden this hand came from the left and patted Ford on the head and said, "That's all right honey. We'll be out soon". I turned and look at the hand and on it was the BIGGEST diamond I had ever seen. I mean it was the size and shape of a large fig. I was pretty sure who it was, but slowly moved my head to the left and yes, there she was: Elizabeth Taylor.

She was at her fattest stage and the handsome man I had seen was her husband of the moment, Senator John Warner. She said she was going down to select a tie for the senator. Imagine, the most famous movie star in the world picking out your tie. And patting the dog.

Those eyes! You've never seen anything like them, I promise. And that's one of my elevator stories. (I have many).