LOS ANGELES, AUG. 17 -- Elizabeth Taylor sued NBC today to block the broadcast of a miniseries based on a book that contends she was beaten by three of her seven husbands.
The still-unreleased book by C. David Heymann also claims that Taylor labored to make current husband Larry Fortensky presentable in her upper-crust social circles. Taylor met the working-class Fortensky, who is 20 years her junior, in a drug rehabilitation program.
The lawsuit contends the miniseries would invade Taylor's privacy, be inaccurate and hurt her financially. The show is planned for broadcast next season, although no date has been set.
Also named as defendants were Heymann, producer Lester Persky and screenwriter Gerald Ayres.
An NBC spokesman said network officials had not seen the lawsuit and would not comment.
He did say another NBC miniseries based on a Heymann biography, "A Woman Named Jackie," won an Emmy Award two years ago.
Taylor's attorney, Neil Papiano, said Heymann's work was inaccurate in damaging ways.
"For example he says that a number of her husbands beat her," Papiano said. "That is not true."
The book contends that Taylor was beaten by Mike Todd, Nicky Hilton and Richard Burton. She married Burton twice.
According to the lawsuit, Taylor earns her livelihood exclusively from her name, image and likeness in movies, television, personal appearances and the sale of her cosmetics and jewelry products. If the miniseries is broadcast, the lawsuit said, Taylor's ability to make money off her name would be damaged.