In the center of party on the floor of Madison Square Garden was a 30-foot wide, 14-foot tall, one-ton birthday cake. Elizabeth Taylor, Mrs. Mike Todd, made the ceremonial first slice of the cake which was then offered to the audience.
When the food was offered to the crowd at the conclusion of the party, an unruly mob washed onto the Madison Square Garden floor with some members stealing scenery and props as "mementos" of the affair. Elizabeth Taylor said some waiters would hoard the champagne, water it down and sell it to guests for $10.00 a bottle. She said "the sight of chic, lacquered, coiffured, elegant women fighting with little kids over a hamburger" contributed to making the whole event an "unmitigated disaster".
Mike Todd, on hearing later criticism of how badly the festivities got out of hand, said "they can't arrest me for throwing a lousy party!"
Sir Cedric Hardwicke was paraded around before the crowd on the back on an elephant to commemorate his role as a British officer in India during the film. The fact that he was seated on an unsecured cloth in an open carriage atop the beast almost allowed him to fall when the elephant's gait began to rock the elderly actor too hard. Hardwicke fought to maintain his place atop the pachyderm to the applause of the audience.
Commemorating the Academy awards garnered by his film, Todd had a 20-foot tall replica of Oscar created, made totally out of chrysanthemums, and placed it on the floor of the Garden.