Who owns her likeness??

Aside from the fragrances, her image isn't much wanted. The first jewelry line she did back in '93 was a big flop. I don't keep track of how this one is doing, but aside from reproductions of some of her own pieces, it's not very nice.

Marilyn is a "product" because she died young and still lovely. People now don't even really know her story, just the physical image--easily imitated--and some basic facts/myths/mysteries. There's nothing like that to play off, with Taylor. (Does anybody really think an eyeshadow or lipstick will make you "look like" Liz? Please--who has that face? And bless her over-the-top fashion sense, but no young woman wants to dress like Taylor!)

Liz lived to be a fairly old person (although not that old) and presented an infirm appearance for quite a few years before her death. Had she gone at 63--still sensational looking and making news--it might have been different in terms of product. But even then I doubt it. Her image doesn't lend itself to that sort of thing, aside from the perfumes, which made her more money than the film career.

Maybe that's true but they are working really hard in making her an internet meme and it's really awful and embarrassing to watch. They even stole the most popular Elizabeth Taylor page from its owner and took away all of his likes without permission, I know this person and that's what happened. They google pictures and take that, they don't care if they are fan creations, they use fake quotes, they have stolen gifs on their webpage, these people are beyond disgusting. Apparently it's her family, well they have no etiquette to say the least. They apparently have this huge photographic archive which they never use, like I said all their posts and graphics are stolen from the fans. The captions they give to their posts are cringe worthy, I really hate this people and I can tell that they are salivating to make Liz spas or who knows what else, that's why it's surprising to me that they haven't.

If they had any decency they would limit her online presence to Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and that's it, but right now ETAF is an afterthought, at least online it is.

The photographic legacy of ET is epic--there could be a book a year, for years without running out of material. So far, only Gianni B. has done anything. And his last book was a crappy black and white thing, with blurry pix. (Although some nice color shots showed up--as you know.)

AND, there are still plenty of people still alive to talk about her, and the last very active 30 years of her life--from the second Burton divorce to her early sixties. That could make a remarkable book. No interest it seems.

There's also the Firooz Zahedi book which I bought, but it's terrible. Anyway, what do you mean her image wouldn't lend itself to products?? I am fascinated by someone like Joan Crawford, I don't know who owns her likeness or why is it so, but she has no website, no social media presence whatsoever, no product endorsements, I don't know if that is because of the stigma of Mommie Dearest, but whatever the case, she doesn't need any of that, she is still an icon. Many people may come to know her for Mommie Dearest, which may be unfortunate but they don't stop there, they go and see her films and check her out and she constantly gets new fans. ET could be like that, she doesn't need any of what her "Trust" is doing to stay known. And Tim Mendelson is part of the trust, that's interesting, why would they stay with him? Who knows.

Crawford's image is slowly rehabilitating itself after "MD" although with the "Feud" campfest upcoming, she is likely to take another hit. However, Crawford is one of the group of stars who is particularly worshipped at TCM. Taylor somewhat less so. Although ET is far better regarded than Monroe, whom TCM treats like trash, as if she (MM) barely existed.

Perhaps at the ten-year anniversary of Taylor's passing there might be an uptick in interest, but Elizabeth remained fascinating to the public while she remained active, glamorous and vital. As her health began to decline, and public appearances became less frequent, or often ordeals for fans, in terns of her manner--she was never quite the same after the brain surgery--media interest finally faded a bit.

That lessening also coincided with the rise of cable TV and the internet. Newspapers and magazines, the lifeblood of her long reign, were finally loosening their own grip on the public.

Her memory has not fallen into oblivion or disrepair--a great biography is still possible, and photo tributes as well. Why these things are not happening I can't say. I just never think of her in terms of "products"--except again the perfumes.

She was for so long, "in the moment." Inhabiting the Now, always looking ahead, reflecting on her past in usually the most superficial of terms. She took most of her secrets and her real thoughts to her grave. Her family and friends appear to be taking that desire for true privacy to heart. No tell-alls, no shocking scandals. No betrayals sharper than a serpent's tooth.

Joan Crawford is a legend, online there is a whole community of young fans completely unaffected by Mommie Dearest, they truly love her. She gets new fans every year and they may be introduced through Mommie Dearest but they don't stay there. I think Mommie Dearest destroyed Christina and Faye more than it did Crawford, it just added to Crawford's mystique in a way, made her more camp, but didn't take any fans away. I think Feud is just going to make her bigger with young people today, it's bound to be a compassionate and rehabilitative portrayal, not that she needs it, the work speaks for itself and she is still popular and with no push by her state, or online presence, it is remarkable.

What does TCM do to Marilyn? I only have latinamerican TCM which is a 90's movie channel basically. I used to be so in love with Marilyn, I truly adored her, then the fake quotes began and it all went to hell. I just can't identify with her anymore, she's gone from a star that I respected to a meaningless image, like Carmen Miranda. She was even a one note performer, like Miranda. I don't understand what's happening, wish there was some explanation.

I'm always late for everything, so unfair, I love Liz and Madonna more than anybody, and I wasn't around, but the last years were frustrating because the media didn't seem to care about ET and I would usually learn about appearances one or two weeks after the fact.

Well, I can't speak for Crawford's popularity or enduring image other than she was a far better actress than given credit for and a truly great star.

TCM just basically ignores MM. But how can fake quotes change how you feel about a star? More likely, you simply outgrew her, which certainly happens to a lot of people with a lot stars. (The reverse is true as well--stars you grew up "not getting" suddenly make sense.)

The last years of Liz were sad, for longtime, lifelong fans such as myself. But, that IS life, and her run was extraordinary. As for Madonna, I love her too, but...well, I don't need to tell you that she needs to make better music again. However, good luck to her with the recent adoptions. One thing for sure, she will never self-destruct. So long as she has her health and her marbles and her billions of dollars, there's always hope for a brilliant album. But if not, I'm not crying for her.

It does because the image of the fake quotes and Marilyn spas is so gargantuan there is no room for the two of them. Her website even has "inspirational" quotes when this was a woman who would get punched in the face by her quack psychiatrist and who died of a barbiturate overdose. I personally can't handle it, and her films are not what Crawford and Taylor have, so there doesn't seem to be anything in it for me anymore.

I'm not sure Madonna has all her marbles given the last pathetic decade, but one thing is certain, she'll live to be 100.