Substance Addiction and Marriage To Elizabeth Taylor
In 1987 he was convicted for driving while intoxicated. Police found him in a San Clemente, California parking lot, "very intoxicated" and in possession of marijuana. Using Teamster medical insurance from his construction job, he checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic in 1988, where he met Elizabeth Taylor. At the time, he was living in a small house in Stanton.
During the courtship she would sometimes deliver "goodies" to Fortensky at his work site.
The wedding, which cost between $1.5 and $2 million, was attended by 160 at the Neverland Ranch, and presided over by Marianne Williamson. It was a high profile event with paparazzi helicopters buzzing overhead, and a guest list that including Liza Minnelli, Eddie Murphy and Nancy Reagan as well as Franco Zeffirelli, Arsenio Hall, Pia Zadora, George Hamilton, Merv Griffin, Quincy Jones and Macaulay Culkin. Taylor's $25,000 dress was a gift from Valentino. She was escorted by Jackson and her eldest son Michael Wilding Jr. Their toast was with mineral water. Fortensky's best man was Taylor's hairdresser Jose Eber. Fortensky's family arrived in their own cars rather than limousines. The couple donated money from selling wedding photos to AIDS charities.
When Taylor and Fortensky married in 1991 Fortensky was reported to have a pre-nuptial agreement where he would receive $1 million (with no additional support) if the marriage lasted five years. The couple split after five years in 1996 with Fortensky hiring New York divorce attorney Raoul Felder.
Linda Untiet, Fortensky's sister, said they were divorced because Fortensky did not want to be known as "Mr. Elizabeth Taylor" anymore and that the two had remained in contact after the divorce.
In August 1996, Fortensky was arrested for drug use after police in Hemet, California found him in an illegally parked luxury motor home with no license plates with a woman he identified as his live-in maid. Fortensky, whose black BMW was parked by the home's front door, refused to allow police to search the motor home, but was arrested for being under the influence of drugs at the time.
Read more about this topic: Larry Fortensky
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