Lillie Langtry | |
|---|---|
 Langtry in 1882 | |
| Born | Emilie Charlotte Le Breton 13 October 1853 |
| Died | 12 February 1929 (aged 75) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Signature | |
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Emilie Charlotte, Lady de Bathe (née Le Breton, formerly Langtry; 13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929), known as Lillie (or Lily) Langtry and nicknamed "The Jersey Lily", was a British socialite, stage actress and producer.[1]
Born on the island of Jersey, she moved to London in 1876 upon marrying. Her looks and personality attracted interest, commentary, and invitations from artists and society hostesses, and she was celebrated as a young woman of great beauty and charm. During the aesthetic movement in England, she was painted by aesthete artists. In 1882 she became the poster-girl for Pears Soap, and thus the first celebrity to endorse a commercial product.[1][2]
In 1881, Langtry became an actress and made her West End debut in the comedy She Stoops to Conquer, causing a sensation in London by becoming the first socialite to appear on stage.[3] She starred in many plays in both the United Kingdom and the United States, including The Lady of Lyons, and Shakespeare's As You Like It. Eventually she ran her own stage production company. In later life she performed "dramatic sketches" in vaudeville.
From the mid-1890s until 1919, Langtry lived at Regal Lodge at Newmarket in Suffolk, England. There she maintained a successful horse racing stable. The Lillie Langtry Stakes horse race is named after her.
One of the most glamorous British women of her era, Langtry was the subject of widespread public and media interest. Her acquaintances in London included Oscar Wilde, who encouraged Langtry to pursue acting. She was known for her relationships with royal figures and noblemen, including the future King Edward VII, Lord Shrewsbury, and Prince Louis of Battenberg.
- ^ a b "When Celebrity Endorsers Go Bad". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
British actress Lillie Langtry became the world's first celebrity endorser when her likeness appeared on packages of Pears Soap.
- ^ Richards, Jef I. (2022). A History of Advertising: The First 300,000 Years. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 286.
- ^ "Lillie Langtry British actress". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 3 March 2022.