Elizabeth Grant: My Life—My Story

By Marion Suzenne Witz and Carol Krenz

Elizabeth Grant has stood at the helm of her beauty empire for more than sixty years, regaling admirers with personal stories, notably one event that nearly killed her. When a German rocket dropped soundlessly from the sky on a peaceful Sunday in wartime London, its impact and resultant bomb blast damage took her down, damaged her face and rendered her almost deaf in one ear.

A young makeup artist at Ellstree Studios, she thought herself so repulsively scarred, she could no longer face acting luminaries like Vivien Leigh, Margaret Leighton, and Robert Taylor with any degree of confidence.

I honestly thought my life was over, Elizabeth says.

But as readers will learn, she easily has more than nine lives. From that misfortune came salvation.

With Elizabeth you will sense a wealth of wisdom and experience lurking beneath her self-deprecating wit. A more profound history - one that had lain hidden for decades - was waiting to be unearthed.

Revealing the multiple sides of Elizabeth was a painstaking labour of love, and one of our most rewarding journeys. Little by little, she emerged from self-imposed shadows with shocking and disturbing accounts of her nightmarish childhood.

Years of abuse and neglect had spawned crushing self-doubt, yet she soldiered on, nursing a remarkable will to survive at any cost - even daring to reach for the unreachable.

The Elizabeth Grant story spins a cinematic voyage on three continents, through Heaven and Hell. Compelling, tragic, wistful and humourous, it charts a unique woman's determination to overcome every boulder in her path. Her survival is a raw and powerful testament to human perseverance and her ultimate success provides inspiration that transcends time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 2, 2009
• ISBN: 9781449047627

Marion Suzenne Witz

When Elizabeth Grant talks in bold strokes of high-octane enthusiasm, people naturally listen. Whatever the subject, she makes it compelling. It therefore comes as no surprise that her melodic voice lands effortlessly on the page in a colourful blend of humour, irony and wit. Grant is a born storyteller. She paints intimate pictures of the dramatic events and people shaping her past and present, drawing readers into a surprising world with charm, poise and heart-breaking candor.  

Book preview

© 2010 Elizabeth Grant. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 5/6/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4490-4762-7 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4490-4760-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4490-4761-0 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009912968

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

Dedication

Foreword

Prologue

The Early Years: Lessons in Self-Reliance

The Dark Years: Finding the Light

Self-improvement Requires Conscious Effort

Take the Risk—Move Forward

Love but No Marriage

From Bad Comes Good

The Past Has to Be Managed, Not Ignored

Love Is Blind—a True Relationship Is about Trust and Honesty

Building a Business, 1950–1990

A Good Marriage Is a Partnership of Two People 1948–1990

Eighty Is Just another Number

Here’s to Life—an Infinite Realm of Possibilities

Dedication

067761.pdf

I dedicate this book to all women who have said I can’t, I’m too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, too plain, too …

To you I say, Yes you can.

You can be whoever you want to be.

I also dedicate this book to my beloved Papa, who always guided me and helped me and loves me to this very day.

Foreword

067761.pdf

Marion Suzenne Witz (a.k.a. Suzenne Best)

I’ll never forget the day I met Elizabeth. Of course, I was nervous — who wouldn’t be? I knew that she was a powerhouse, dynamic, very beautiful, and extremely successful. She shoots it straight from the hip, I was told. "Make sure you look your best, don’t slouch in the chair, stop licking your lips, and don’t chew gum. Elizabeth notices everything …"

Everything? Oh dear. I wasn’t sophisticated. I never bothered about dressing well. I was a girl next door, wearing basic jeans, sneakers, and T-shirts—casual and always comfortable. I lived a very average life where not much happened. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way I looked, but after I heard this, I started to fret. Dressing for Elizabeth became an obsession; I wanted to look perfect. I went to the hairdresser, and of course, he cut my hair too short. I went shopping for the perfect outfit and felt like a frump. And the shoes …

The shoes I purchased (after the salesgirl told me that they were absolutely perfect) were too high, too clumpy, and … white. You bought white shoes! How many times have I told you that Elizabeth always says, ‘White shoes are for brides and tennis players’? This was going to be a disaster. Naturally, the white shoes went to the back of my closet and I started again. This time I paged through catalogues and started to look for the right look.

In a nutshell, when I met Elizabeth I got everything wrong but meeting her made everything right. As I approached her, she turned around, her face lit up with a warm, sunny glow, and she said, Marion, I’m so glad to finally meet you. You are more than everything I imagined. She put her arm around me and made me feel as though I was the most important person she had ever met. It didn’t matter what I was wearing or how I looked. What mattered most was that we were now together and had a lot of catching up to do.

Although I didn’t start to work with Elizabeth until years later, the first time we met in Canada has always remained one of those memories that as I think about it, I smile, because the day I met Elizabeth was the beginning of a life-changing adventure that still continues.

I had been married to Paul, Elizabeth’s son, for twelve years. We were living with our three children in Canada, and although we regularly received chatty letters and care parcels from Elizabeth about what was happening in South Africa, who got married, had a party, what was on sale, the latest gossip—very newsy tidbits on life back home—we had never actually met, and this was why it was a big deal for me. The care parcels were always loads of fun for the family when they arrived. Elizabeth made sure that everyone got something—chocolates for Paul; comics, books, toys, and stylish clothes for the children; and Elizabeth Grant skincare for me. Honestly, I was not impressed with my gifts. I shoved them in the back of the cupboard or gave them away. In my own little way, I was inadvertently building a loyal following of Torricelumn girls because my friends and family repeatedly asked me for more of that stuff, but at the time this was not my intention. I was a brand snob—nothing but a big brand label was good enough for me and my mother-in-law’s stuff didn’t cut it. Years later I realized how foolish this was, and today (having used Elizabeth Grant for over ten years) I bless Elizabeth every time I look in the mirror.

Mother-in-law—daughter-in-law. At first I thought I was lucky that my mother-in-law lived on a different continent. My friends constantly complained that their mother-in-law interfered, passed comments, or gave them the look. I didn’t have these issues. I put it down to the fact that we lived in different countries, but this really was not the case. When Elizabeth and I first spoke on the phone she said, You are the mother of my grandchildren, the wife of my son. I will never have a fight with you. And she never has. You see, when Elizabeth gives her word, it is cast in stone.

Our relationship has grown from mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to a true friendship. When we first went on air together I was so shy I used my middle name, Suzenne. I needed a last name and Elizabeth sweetly quipped – "Suzenne, in my mind you’re the best so from now on your name is Suzenne Best.

I respect, trust, and love Elizabeth and enjoy sharing my life with her. We have travelled all over the world together. We laugh a lot. We shop, dine, watch movies, go to the theater, and when it comes to business, seek out each other’s opinion and then move forward. Elizabeth is, stylish, a fashion icon, witty, and very smart. She is what every woman aspires to be, and I am fortunate to be part of her family.

I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it were not for Elizabeth. She has taught me courage, independence, self-reliance, and the essence of being a woman. She has also taught me to become aware of my own inner beauty, and today I feel I shine. I know of so many people who Elizabeth has touched in the same way.

While working on the book, Elizabeth shared many experiences with me that were impactful, and after our conversations, I would find myself thinking very deeply about how she was able to mold herself into the person she became through conscious effort. I learned that it is not luck that makes you who you are but the effort you put into yourself, and I learned from Elizabeth that the true secret to success is hard work and commitment.

Elizabeth’s message is one of hope, of how to overcome adversity through drive and determination. Elizabeth’s life was fraught with so much suffering. Many a time when she had just started an upward climb, something, someone, or some event would knock her sideways. But because she knew what she wanted from life, she never let these obstacles deter her vision, which is why today she can look back at her life and say, I made it!

Marion Witz, President of Elizabeth Grant International Inc, is based out of Toronto, Canada. Marion has authored, Stand Up and Talk to 1000 People (And Enjoy It!), helping readers empower their voice and strengthen their expression. In May 2006, Marion was selected by the City of Toronto to be a part of the city wide poster campaign, We Build This City, which recognized the experiences of Toronto’s most talented and skilled business leaders. She is considered one of Canada’s top women entrepreneurs, having been recognized on the Profit W100’s ranking for last four consecutive years.

Prologue

067761.pdf

Carol Krenz

I discovered Elizabeth Grant the way thousands of people do. I was flipping through myriad television programmes and landed at The Shopping Channel in Canada when she was presenting her skin-care line. I sat up immediately. Here was a uniquely charismatic woman of intense passion and zest selling out individual products almost as fast as she could introduce them.

I was greatly impressed. As a beauty journalist for more than twenty years, I had sampled them all—thousands of lotions and creams promising the world, delivering little, and in some cases, costing as much as the gross national product of Luxemburg. I confess I am a beauty junkie but one who is infused with healthy skepticism.

I was not prepared for Elizabeth’s unique style. She was speaking so earnestly, so charmingly. She was completely disarming. Silver-haired and a self-proclaimed octogenarian, she stood a scant few inches above five feet, sporting a square-neck top that revealed a smooth and creamy décolleté. Her cupid mouth wore a luxurious shade of red, and her luminous complexion leapt right through the cameras. Matching this striking image was her voice, rich and melodious in an English accent that tilted from authoritative received pronunciation to the humour of the Midlands. Her brown eyes, dark, large, and intense, brimmed with emotion as her words poured forth with endless zeal and wit.

Be a clever girl, she was advising, and stock up! At this price you’ll kick yourself if you don’t. It’s got a shelf life of three years, and you’ll be set for the season.

I do not recall what the product was. It might have been her now-famous serum or a package of numerous products grouped as the daily showstopper, but it doesn’t matter. The point was, I had discovered her, and like thousands of other viewers, try as I might, I simply could not stop watching her.

Why? What was it about this woman that was so compelling? I stayed with her shows for the rest of the day and snapped up almost everything she had to offer. What’s more, I endorse her line as the most splendid and effective I have ever used. But the magic of her products is really beside the point. And that’s why this book had to be.

What captured me about Elizabeth’s on-air persona was the way she shared intimate bits and pieces of her life. Personal stories and anecdotal quips peppered her speech. Her entire raison d’être about the magnificence of Torricelumn™—the cornerstone marine ingredient of all her anti-aging lines—lay in the reality of wartime London and a bomb blast whose flying debris hit the left side of her face and neck, badly scarring her, just missing her eye, and leaving her permanently deaf in the left ear. It was a tragedy, she said, that changed her life completely.

She talked about working as a makeup artist in various London film studios peopled by such twentieth-century luminaries as Vivien Leigh, Robert Taylor, Laurence Olivier, Margaret Lockwood, Claire Trevor, Margaret Leighton, and more. Trying to carry on in that environment with facial scarring was next to impossible. She felt horribly deformed, embarrassed, and thought life as she knew it was over.

Often she lapsed into advice from her mother, who had lived to 104. She elaborated on her own personal bath and beauty rituals and joked about life at home with a little dog: He’s blind and I’m deaf. We make quite a pair!

The more she talked, the more I wanted to listen. It occurred to me that her charming stories and memories provoke a hunger in anyone who’s ever longed for a grandmother, or an audaciously witty aunt. There was a universality to her approach, an enormous warmth and mothering that coloured her views on age, women, and the art of beauty. Mother Nature, she declared, is not on your side. But I am!

Then there was another more formidable aspect of Elizabeth Grant. She was unquestionably an indefatigable woman who simply refused to sit still on a rapidly expanding global empire and enjoy well-deserved leisure. On the surface, she gave one to believe that her life was entirely about skincare and anti-aging. But darting in and around her fabulous products lurked another depth of living and a philosophy that could not be ignored.

By day’s end, I knew I had to speak with her and with anyone who could shed more light on her. It has taken me several years to get here, but every step has been worth it.

Elizabeth Grant is mercurial and enigmatic. Although initially private and protective of certain events in her life—and who wouldn’t be?—she offers important glimpses into the spectrum of human existence. Anxious that her legion of Torricelumn girls not think she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and aware that everyone wants a memento, a legacy in writing, she consented at last to the book. She doesn’t want it to be about her crowning achievements and beauty advice, although they do inevitably seep in. Rather, her conversations and stories serve to illustrate the importance of human perseverance.

Marion and I spent many hours compiling this book. Initially I wanted to tell the story of Elizabeth’s life—her history—and then with Marion’s help I realized that this book would be so much more. I began reviewing Elizabeth’s formative years, a study in contrasts. Many of them, I thought, were unspeakably depressing and brutal, but when I tiptoed into this conversation with Elizabeth, she smiled at me and said, "You know, Carol, life is how you make it. I have learned that no matter how bleak a situation is there’s always a light out there waiting. I look back at my life and realize that I have been blessed because somehow I always found the light. Sometimes