A Jeweled Tiffany Bicycle and Votes For Women : Gilded Age Superstar Lillian Russell
We of the 21st century have our fair share of divas - J Lo, Mariah, Ariana, but Gilded Age operetta start Lillian Russell paved the way for all divas to come. She drew enormous crowds in New York and London and lived a lavish lifestyle with a paramour for 20 years. Raised by a suffragist mother and a newspaper man father she wrote a column in support of women's suffrage. She originated many roles in popular operettas of the day. Called "the most beautiful actress on legitimate stage," Lillian Russell was a star before there was recorded music, radio, or Hollywood.
Lillian Russell was born Helen Louise Leonard on December 4th either in 1860 or 1861, the fourth of five daughters. Her father Charles Leonard, managed a newspaper in Clinton, Iowa, and her mother Cynthia Leonard worked to promote women's suffrage ; eventually she would become the first woman to run for mayor of New York City. The family moved to Chicago in 1865. Helen, called Nellie, acted in school theatricals and privately studied music. When Nellie was 18 her parents divorced and Cynthia, Nellie, and Nellie's younger sister moved to New York. Cynthia worked with Susan B. Anthony. Nellie's religious mother felt the stage and theater was not appropriate career for her daughter.
Nellie courted with a young man, Walter Sinn, whose family owned theater. Nellie found a job as a chorus girl and began a relationship with Harry Braham, an orchestra leader. Nellie became pregnant ; she and Harry wed, and in June of 1880 her son Harry was born. In 1881 baby Harry died and Nellie and Braham divorced. Harry worked for Tony Pastor, known as the father of vaudeville. Nellie toured with Pastor's company in 1881. Pastor suggested she adopted stage name, so Nellie rebranded herself as Lillian. Pastor billed her as Lillian Russell : English Ballad Singer and Lillian sang and performed in skits.
In 1882 Lillian met Edward Solomon, an English composer, working as a musical director at Tony Pastor's theater. Lillian became Solomon's mistress and the two sailed to England in 1882. Lillian performed in many of Solomon's shows to great success. In 1884 their daughter Dorothy Lillian Russell was born and Lillian and Solomon married in 1885. Lillian grew weary of her marriage to Solomon, partly due to his poor finances. In 1886 Solomon was revealed to be a bigamist, having deserted his wife and daughter about 13 years prior. Lillian sued for divorce and was finally granted one in 1893.
Lillian did not let marriage to a bigamist stop her. She became the best known comic operetta actress in America and was covered extensively in the newspapers. Lillian Russell's voice was heard over the first long distance telephone call. Tiffany and Company built a gold-plated, mother of pearl handlebar, jeweled bicycle for her. She shortened the skirt of her cycling suit by 3 inches and caused a fashion sensation. From 1899 to 1904 she was the star of Weber and Fields Music Hall until vocal difficulties forced Lillian to semi retire.
Lillian had an admirer in wealthy business tycoon "Diamond" Jim Brady. James Brady was born August 12, 1856. He began his career in hotels, then worked for railroads. He went to work selling railway equipment for Manning, Maxwell, and Moore, and charmed customers so much he became a millionaire. Jim loved jewels and died with 20,000 diamonds and 6,000 other jewels in his possession. That is not monetary value - that is actual numbers of individual stones. His favorite ring featured a 25.5 karat diamond.
Jim admired Lillian and every opening night for 20 years he sent her a bouquet and attached a piece of jewelry. After Lillian performed they would dine at the cities finest restaurants. I don't mean that in a general sense ; they would dine at multiple restaurants per night. Restaurant owner George Rector described Brady as "the best 25 customers I ever had" - I'm going to link to Wikipedia {3} for a full list of what Brady ate in a day, because his menu is longer than this blog entry. Lillian and Jim were often seen together socially, summered in Saratoga Springs together, and frequently took in horse races. Lillian introduced Jim to bicycling and he ordered twelve bicycles for himself. Jim proposed to Lillian but she refused. Jim died, unmarried, April 13, 1917 of many causes due to his appetite for food and life.
She recorded one song "Come Down Ma Evenin' Star" after her voice deteriorated. She moved on to much acclaim appearing in non-musical comedies. In 1912 she married a fourth husband and mostly retired. In 1915 Lillian, along with Lionel Barrymore, starred in the film Wildfire. Lillian reprised her role from the stage play. Lillian played Henrietta, the daughter of a gambler shot after a poker game. The man who shot her father forged papers to say he owned her father's horse stable. He tries to get the jockey of horse Wildfire to throw a race, but Henrietta intervenes and saves the day. Lillian appeared in Vaudeville until poor health forced her to permanently retire in 1919.
Starting in 1912 Lillian wrote a newspaper column in support of women's suffrage. In 1913 she declared she wouldn't pay income taxes because she could not yet vote. She raised money to support World War I efforts, and donated money to set up the Chorus Girl's Equity to aid chorus girls of the Zigfield Follies. But, as we of the modern age discover, unsavory beliefs of people from bygone eras seem at odds with their overall personas. Despite Lillian's suffrage support and generosity to those in need, Lillian was staunchly anti-immigration. In 1922 at the behest of President Harding, Lillian journeyed to Europe on a fact-finding mission. Lillian stated immigration should be held back and immigrants should be required to live in the US for 21 years before being allowed to become citizens. On the trip back to the U.S. Lillian suffered minor injuries that drew more serious complications. She died at her home June 6th 1922. Lillian Russell, despite her flaws, was arguably one of the first mega celebrities.
SOURCES :
Bowery Boys : Jimian? The Strange Affair of Lillian and Diamond Jim
Saratoga Today - History of Saratoga :
"Diamond" Jim Brady. Wikipedia. {3}
Lillian Russell. Wikipedia.
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