This article is from the archives of the UB Reporter.
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53 years ago

Elizabeth Taylor visits UB

Elizabeth Taylor visits with students during a visit to UB in 1957. Behind Taylor are UB Chancellor Clifford C. Furnas and her husband, Mike Todd. Photo: UB ARCHIVES

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  • Chancellor Clifford C. Furnas holds an umbrella over Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Mike Todd. Photo: COURTESY UB ARCHIVES

Published: March 24, 2011

Actress Elizabeth Taylor and her third husband, producer Mike Todd, spent four days in Buffalo in September 1957 as part of the city of Buffalo’s 125th anniversary celebration. During that visit, the famous couple came to UB on Sept. 20 and presented the university with “Buster,” a 7-month-old, Black Angus-Irish Dexter bull calf that served as a live mascot and commemorated the city’s 125th anniversary.

Unbelieveably, the visit to campus drew very little attention in the student newspaper, The Spectrum. An article on Buster in the Oct. 4, 1957, issue mentions he had been given to the university by Taylor and Todd.

—John Edens, University Archives

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Reader Comments

Mark Wozniak says:

The Todds were in Buffalo for the city of Buffalo's 125th anniversary. UB didn't celebrate its 125th anniversary until 1971. I keep a "This Day in History" file with notable Buffalo and Western New York events, and I have this entry for the following day, September 21 1957:

Buffalo observes its 125th birthday with a celebration at Civic Stadium; three thousand people march in a World Port Celebration parade despite rain; the largest stage in the US to that time (450 feet) is built for a presentation of "Hello World"

(source: 1958 Buffalo Evening News Almanac and Fact Book)

Posted by Mark Wozniak, Producer, WBFO, 03/24/11