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By 1957, with
a third of his earnings going to the taxman, the Burtons moved to Céligny,
Switzerland. The British press criticized his move, but it made financial sense
– in 1957 he earned £82,000 but only kept £6,000. In September
that year, Sybil gave birth to a baby daughter – Kate. Jessica, Richard and
Sybil’s second daughter, was born in 1960. |
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While he continued
to make films in Hollywood, some regarded as mediocre, Richard reminded the public
of his outstanding talent when he returned to England to play George Holyoake
in A Subject of Scandal. Back in America he completed the narration of
26 episodes of The Valiant Years, and Camelot, a Broadway musical.
His next project shaped the course of his life beyond prediction. |
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Cleopatra
was the most expensive film of its time and Twentieth Century Fox needed the film
to be a financial success. So, with Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra, the studio
was happy to attract publicity regarding her hairstyles, jewels, acting, figure
and temper. It was not so happy when the publicity turned to gossip about her
adulterous affair with her co-star Richard Burton who was playing Anthony. |
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The affair
seemed to set the world press on fire, the Vatican spoke out and the American
Congress sought to prevent them from entering America again. Initially the studio
was anxious and angry with the couple, however, it soon became apparent that their
pairing would increase box office sales – the couple was currency. |
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Their relationship
continued throughout their next film, The VIPs, with Richard eventually
divorcing Sybil in 1963. In 1964 Elizabeth got her divorce from Eddie Fisher,
Richard began rehearsals for Hamlet in Canada and New York, and then they
married. |
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His life changed
by being with Elizabeth. Paparazzi followed them continually. Soon they owned
houses in Mexico and Switzerland. Cooks, secretaries, hairdressers, bodyguards
and dogs travelled with them everywhere. Their pay role also included a merry
band of trusted agents, lawyers, accountants and doctors. |
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Their most
successful picture together was Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He persuaded
her to play the part of Martha to stop anyone else doing it – she earned
an Oscar. She cornered him into co-starring as George – he should have won
an Oscar. In the film their hair-raising domestic slanging matches were performed
with uncomfortable realism. |
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Richard continued
to make films, at least two or three a year. These includedThe Taming of the
Shrew, The Comedians, Doctor Faustus, Boom, Candy
and Where Eagles Dare. He was charging $1 million per picture although
he had written into all his contracts since he began acting that he did not work
on 1 March – St David’s Day. |
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Richard lived
life at full throttle. He had smoked since the age of eight, later puffing 100
a day. He also enjoyed drinking. Both habits were like old friends to him. As
his career took off so did his drinking. Even though he knew he was an alcoholic,
he couldn’t and wouldn’t say ‘no’ forever. |
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In 1970 he
was awarded a CBE and took Cis and Elizabeth with him to Buckingham Palace to
receive his honors. For Raid on Rommel in 1970 he remained sober throughout
the filming. The abstinence was sometimes self inflicted and at other times doctor’s
orders. |
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