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Lillian Russell
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'''Lillian Russell''' ('''Helen Louise Leonard''') (
December 4,
1860 -
June 6,
1922) was an
United States of America American actor actress and
singer.
Image:LillianRussell.jpg thumb|Lillian Russell
Born in
Clinton, Iowa in 1860, Helen Louise Leonard would become one of the most famous and beautiful actresses of the late
19th century and early
20th century. Little is known of her early life except that she had some musical training in
Chicago. At the age of 18, she and her mother left for
New York where Helen was offered a role in the
choir chorus of
Gilbert and Sullivan's
operetta ''
H.M.S. Pinafore''. This would serve as an inauspicious beginning to a dazzling career.
In
1879, under the new guise of "Lillian Russell", Helen made her first appearance on the august
Stage (theatre) stage at
Tony Pastor's
Theater. Tony Pastor, known as the father of
vaudeville, was responsible for some of the biggest stars in show business. Russell's appearance caused such a stir that she stayed on with Pastor and starred in some of his
comic opera comic operas.
Not only was her voice celebrated but her beauty caused quite a stir among the men and the women of the audience. Since her first appearance at Tony Pastor's she was also the subject of a great deal fanfare in the
news media. For forty years, she was the companion of businessman
James Buchanan Brady "Diamond Jim" Brady who showered her with extravagant gifts of
diamonds and
gem gemstones.
For years, Russell was the foremost singer of operettas in the U.S. Among her most well-known roles were in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''
Patience (operetta) Patience'' and ''
The Sorcerer'' as well as
Jacques Offenbach's ''
The Princess of Trebizonde'', ''
The Brigands'', and ''
The Grand Duchess''. She performed with a variety of
opera company opera companies including the company of the
Casino Theater in New York and the company of
Weber and Fields.
A very wealthy woman, during the
Actors' Equity strike of 1919, Russell made a major donation of money to sponsor the formation of the
Chorus Equity Association by the chorus girls at the
Ziegfeld Follies.
Lillian Russell died June 6, 1922 shortly after a completing a fact-finding mission to Europe on behalf of President Harding. She was buried with full military honors.
Russell is interred in a private mausoleum in the
Allegheny Cemetery in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
References
[http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/R/RusslL.html Lillian Russell]
External links
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Image galleries
Category:1860 births Russell, Lillian
Category:1922 deaths Russell, Lillian
Category:Operetta performers Russell, Lillian
Category:Vaudeville performers Russell, Lillian
sv:Lillian Russell
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