Born in England on 27th February 1932 to American parents, Elizabeth took her first steps into the world of show business when she started ballet at the age of three. Shortly after, during the Second World War, her family decided to move back to the States. The family settled in Los Angeles, California, and Elizabeth’s father opened an art gallery, which attracted many big names in Hollywood.
Through her father’s high-profileconnections, Elizabeth began her career as a child actress. Very soon, both MGM and Universal Studios were fighting over the rights to cast her in their films. Her first movie was There’s One Born Every Minute, which was followed by Lassie Come Home, Jane Eyre and National Velvet. She later described National Velvet as the “most exciting film” she’d ever made, despite suffering ongoing back problems after falling off a horse during the shoot.