The Nanny

Liz Night/Taylor Made Monday

To promote the release of her latest fragrance, Black Pearls, Elizabeth made crossover appearances on four CBS sitcoms—The Nanny, Can’t Hurry Love, Murphy Brown, and High Society—which aired on the eve of her 64th birthday in February 1996. The pearls, which she’s set to wear in a photo shoot, mysteriously disappear during The Nanny and aren’t recovered until the final scene of High Society.

A handful of CBS stars, including Chuck Norris (Walker, Texas Ranger), Elizabeth’s National Velvet and Mirror Crack’d co-star Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote), and Paul Gross (Due South), recorded promos to generate excitement for what was dubbed “Liz Night” or “Taylor Made Monday”.

Where’s the Pearls?

Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) has invited Elizabeth to his home to discuss a play he’s eager for her to appear in. But first he needs to find a way to get Fran Fine (Fran Drescher), the starstruck nanny to his three children, out of the house. After Maxwell’s business partner, CC Babcock (Lauren Lane), inadvertently reveals that Elizabeth will be dropping by, Fran stops at nothing—barricading doors, installing a guard dog—to meet the Hollywood legend.

Elizabeth: So, are you Maxwell’s wife?
‍Fran: Oh no, I just work for him. Actually, I’ve never been married.
‍Elizabeth: Not even once?
‍Fran: Well, you know, there was one time, but then I thought about it…
‍Elizabeth: [Laughing] That was your mistake, dear.

Fran tells Elizabeth that she’s seen all her work, but her favourite is when her ring got stuck on Lucille Ball’s finger on Here’s Lucy. “You know, I bet you a lot of people ask you this, but could I…?” she asks, eager to try on the Krupp diamond glittering on Elizabeth’s finger. “No,” Elizabeth responds.

Fran, hanging up Elizabeth’s coat, discovers her mother, Sylvia Fine (Renée Taylor), hiding in the closet. She, too, wants to meet Elizabeth Taylor. “If I could meet Elizabeth Taylor today I could retire in Florida tomorrow.” That’s enough for Fran. She agrees. Sylvia, dropping to a deep curtsy fit for royalty, tells Elizabeth: “This meeting bestows on honour upon me which is unparalleled within my universe.”

Meanwhile, Maxwell finally discovers that Elizabeth has arrived, and invites her to join him for a spot of tea in his study. Right on cue, the butler, Miles (Daniel Davis), who has clearly had a run in with the guard dog, enters through the front door with the silver tea service. “Oh, how do you do, Tis Maylor, I’m Biles the nutler,” says the flustered butler.

Before Elizabeth joins Maxwell, she asks Fran to do her a favour. “I’m wearing these for a photo shoot to promote my new fragrance, Black Pearls,” she explains, showing Fran and Sylvia a pearl necklace. “Say, could I…?” Fran asks, indicating the pearls. “No.” Elizabeth asks her to call a bonded courier and have them delivered to an address indicated on a card. “Yes my queen, yes,” Fran promises, as she and her mother curtsy out of the room. “That call will get made.”

Fran decides to take matters into her own hands and deliver them herself. However, the well-intentioned nanny is rushed to the hospital after Fran hits her head on the taxi partition when driver Cozette (Rosie O’Donnell) abruptly slams the brakes to avoid going through a red light. The pearls are left behind in the taxi.