"National Velvet"
Signed to a long-term contract at MGM, Taylor auditioned for the part of Velvet Brown, the British farm girl who rides her horse "The Pie" in England's Grand National race. When producer Pandro Berman declared her too petite for the role, she vowed to grow into it in time for production. And she did, growing three inches. Her charming, sweet performance in the 1944 classic had Daily Variety gushing that the 11-year-old "is fated for a great name in pictures."