A man Elizabeth Taylor considered one of her favorite directors transferred more than $1 million in community property he held with his wife to a longtime lover without his spouse’s consent, according to a lawsuit filed by his widow.
Victoria Hutton filed the lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Catherine Rose, who the complaint states had a romantic relationship with director Brian G. Hutton in the 1970s.
The plaintiff did not know of the affair until after his death at 79 Aug. 19, from complications of a heart attack, according to the lawsuit.
Victoria Hutton is suing Rose for a return of the property as well as a declaration that she is the rightful owner of any community property transferred to Rose by the plaintiff’s husband without her consent.
A representative for Rose could not be immediately reached.
The Huttons were married for about 60 years. They acquired a Los Angeles apartment building in 1978 and her lawsuit alleges that her husband tried to deprive her of her interest in the building by asking her to sign a quitclaim deed that she did not understand.
“Mrs. Hutton has only a high school education,” the suit states.
Brian Hutton allowed Rose, about 25 years younger than him, to live for free in a unit of the apartment building from 1978 until he died, the suit states. Rose should have known that the plaintiff never consented to her living there without being charged rent, the suit states.
The suit also alleges that Brian Hutton used funds he jointly owned with his wife to pay Rose’s utilities, medical expenses, automobile insurance, cell phone charges, dinner expenses, pet care, credit card costs and taxes.
Brian Hutton directed Taylor in the 1973 British thriller “Night Watch” as well as as the 1972 movie “X, Y and Zee.” He replaced Roman Polanski on the 1980 film “The First Deadly Sin” after statutory rape charges were filed against Polanski and he was removed from the film. Bruce Willis made his film debut in the movie.
Brian Hutton also directed “Kelly’s Heroes” and “Where Eagles Dare.”
—Staff and wire reports