Elizabeth Frances Todd is better known as Liza Todd. She is the daughter of Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor and film producer Mike Todd. Many people search for her because of her famous mother. But her own life is not just a Hollywood story. Elizabeth Frances Todd chose art, animals, and a quiet home life over movie fame. She grew up close to cameras, but she did not build her name through acting. Her story is about a child born into bright fame who later picked a softer and more private path.
Quick Bio: Elizabeth Taylor’s Daughter
| Quick Bio Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elizabeth Frances Todd |
| Known As | Liza Todd, Liza Todd-Tivey |
| Date of Birth | August 6, 1957 |
| Famous For | Daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd |
| Mother | Elizabeth Taylor |
| Father | Mike Todd |
| Stepfather | Richard Burton adopted her |
| Main Work | Sculptor and artist |
| Art Style | Animal and horse sculpture |
| Education | Hornsey College of Art and Otis Institute |
| Children | Quinn Tivey and Rhys Tivey |
| Known Cause | African wildlife and elephant support |
| Public Image | Private, creative, and family-focused |
Born Into a Famous Hollywood Family
Elizabeth Frances Todd was born on August 6, 1957. Her mother, Elizabeth Taylor, was already one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Her father, Mike Todd, was a bold film and theater producer. He was known for big ideas and big shows. Liza was their only child together. She was also Elizabeth Taylor’s first daughter. Taylor had two sons, Michael Wilding Jr. and Christopher Wilding, before Liza, and later adopted Maria Burton. Recent family coverage still lists Liza as one of Taylor’s four children.
The Loss That Marked Her Early Life
Elizabeth Frances Todd faced sadness very early. Her father, Mike Todd, died in a plane crash when she was still a baby. This meant she did not grow up with clear memories of him. Elizabeth Taylor was left grieving while raising young children. This part of Liza’s life is important because it shows that fame did not protect the family from pain. Many people think a star’s child has an easy life. Liza’s story shows a different truth. She had love, but she also had loss from the start.
Growing Up Near the Cameras

Elizabeth Taylor’s home life was often followed by the press. Her children were known because she was known. Elizabeth Frances Todd grew up in a world where photographers wanted family photos, school moments, and private news. Taylor tried to protect her children from too much attention. Still, it was hard to hide from the public eye. This helped shape Liza’s quiet nature. She saw fame up close, but she also saw its cost. That may be one reason she later chose a life far from daily media attention.
Why She Did Not Become a Movie Star
Many people expected Elizabeth Frances Todd to follow Elizabeth Taylor into acting. That did not happen. Liza did have small screen links when she was young, but acting did not become her life’s work. She chose art instead. This choice matters because it shows strong personal direction. She did not need to copy her mother. She did not need to live as “Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter” only. She made a new road. Her life reminds readers that children of famous parents can honor family history without repeating it.
Her Education and Start as an Artist
Elizabeth Frances Todd studied art seriously. Her official artist bio says she trained at Hornsey College of Art in London and later at the Art Institute in Los Angeles. After finishing her studies in 1979, she began a career as a sculptor. Her early work included bronze pieces of famous racehorses. This was not a hobby. It became a real career. Her love of horses helped guide her hands and her eye. Over time, she became known for animal forms, movement, and careful detail.
Horses Became a Big Part of Her Work
Horses were very important in the art of Elizabeth Frances Todd. She knew their shape, strength, and spirit. Her artist bio lists private commissions linked to major racehorses, including Northern Dancer, Seattle Slew, John Henry, Secretariat, and Nashua. This shows that serious horse owners and art buyers respected her skill. Her work was not based only on her last name. It was based on study, practice, and a real feel for animals. For a blog reader, this is one of the clearest signs that Liza built her own creative name.
Her Public Sculptures and Memorial Art

Elizabeth Frances Todd also made art with public meaning. In 1999, she was asked to create a life-size bronze calf for the village of Gstaad in Switzerland. Her official bio also says she created a life-size rescue dog sculpture after the 9/11 attacks. That piece used a base made with real rubble from the World Trade Center. These works show a warm side of her art. She was not only making pretty objects. She was using sculpture to remember places, animals, and human feeling.
Her Work for African Wildlife
In recent years, Elizabeth Frances Todd has become strongly linked with wildlife support. Her official site says that since 2016, her work has focused on helping African wildlife, especially orphaned elephants cared for by HERD in South Africa. This is one of the most useful newer details for readers in 2026. Liza’s story is not frozen in old Hollywood. She is still connected to living causes through her art. Her animal work gives her public image a kind and modern purpose. It also connects her love of animals with real-world care.
Elizabeth Taylor as Mother, Not Only Star
To the public, Elizabeth Taylor was a screen legend. To Elizabeth Frances Todd, she was also a mother. Taylor’s fame came from films, beauty, and public drama. But family members often describe a warmer private side. Vogue reported that Quinn Tivey, Liza’s son and Taylor’s grandson, saw his grandmother as fun, caring, and human, not only as a movie star. This helps readers understand the family in a fuller way. The Taylor name carried glamour, but at home it also carried love, stories, and close family ties.
Her Children and the Taylor Legacy
Elizabeth Frances Todd married artist Hap Tivey in 1984. They had two sons, Quinn Tivey and Rhys Tivey, and later divorced in 2003. Quinn is closely tied to the Elizabeth Taylor estate and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. The foundation says he has served as a co-trustee of Taylor’s estate since 2016 and also serves as an officer of ETAF. Rhys Tivey is a musician, trumpeter, songwriter, producer, and teacher. In this way, Liza’s children continue both sides of the family story: art and service.
Final Thoughts
Elizabeth Frances Todd is often introduced as Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter. That is true, but it is not the full story. She is also an artist, a mother, and a person who chose privacy over fame. Her life includes Hollywood history, early loss, strong art training, horse sculpture, public memorial work, and wildlife support. For readers in 2026, the most important point is simple. Liza Todd did not live as a copy of her mother. She built a quieter life with its own value. That makes her story more human and more lasting.
Key Facts to Remember
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Elizabeth Frances Todd is also known as Liza Todd.
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She is the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd.
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Her father died when she was still a baby.
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Richard Burton later adopted her.
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She became a sculptor, not a movie star.
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Her art often focuses on horses and animals.
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Since 2016, her work has supported African wildlife and orphaned elephants.
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Her sons Quinn and Rhys Tivey continue creative and charity work.
FAQs
1. Who is Elizabeth Frances Todd?
Elizabeth Frances Todd is the daughter of actress Elizabeth Taylor and producer Mike Todd. She is also known as Liza Todd or Liza Todd-Tivey. She became known to the public because of her famous parents, but she later built her own life as a sculptor and animal artist.
2. Is Elizabeth Frances Todd Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter?
Yes. Elizabeth Frances Todd is Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter with Mike Todd. She was Taylor’s first daughter and the only child Taylor had with Mike Todd. She is part of Taylor’s well-known family, along with Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, and Maria Burton.
3. What does Elizabeth Frances Todd do?
Elizabeth Frances Todd works as a sculptor. Her art has focused on horses, animals, public sculptures, and wildlife themes. Her official artist bio says her work has been shown in galleries in the United States and Europe. She has also made pieces connected to African wildlife causes.
4. Did Elizabeth Frances Todd become an actress?
No, Elizabeth Frances Todd did not become a major actress like her mother. She chose a different path. She studied art and became a sculptor. This makes her story interesting because she grew up near Hollywood fame but did not build her adult life around film stardom.
5. Why is Elizabeth Frances Todd linked to wildlife?
Elizabeth Frances Todd is linked to wildlife because her later art has supported African animals. Her official bio says that since 2016, her work has helped African wildlife, especially orphaned elephants cared for by HERD in South Africa. This shows how her art connects with animal care and conservation.
