1. Julia Emilie Neilson was an English actress best known for her numerous performances as Lady Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel, for her roles in many tragedies and historical romances, and for her portrayal of Rosalind in a long-running production of As You Like It.
Julia Neilson was the mother of the actress Phyllis Neilson-Terry and actor Dennis Neilson-Terry.
Julia Neilson's parents divorced shortly after her birth, and her father soon died, leaving her mother to struggle to support her child.
Julia Neilson returned to England to enter the Royal Academy of Music in 1884, at the age of fifteen, to study piano.
Julia Neilson soon discovered that she had a talent as a singer, winning the Llewellyn Thomas Gold Medal, the Westmoreland Scholarship and the Sainton Dolby Prize.
Julia Neilson played Cynisca in a charity matinee of his play, Pygmalion and Galatea, at the Lyceum Theatre, and later that year, in the same play, she was the lead character, Galatea, in a similar matinee at the Savoy Theatre.
Julia Neilson then played Selene in a revival of Gilbert's The Wicked World.
Julia Neilson remained with Tree's company for five years at the Haymarket Theatre as a tragedienne, beginning with the role of Julie de Noirville in A Man's Shadow, which opened in September 1889.
In 1891, Julia Neilson married another actor in the company, Fred Terry, the brother of Gilbert's former protegee, Marion Terry.
Julia Neilson played Drusilla Ives in The Dancing Girl by Henry Arthur Jones, and Terry and Neilson's daughter Phyllis was born in 1892.
Julia Neilson was back on stage as Lady Isobel in Jones's The Tempter, and created the role of Hester Worsley in Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance.
Julia Neilson gave birth to her second child, Dennis, in October 1895.
In 1896, they returned to England where, at the St James's Theatre, Julia Neilson played Princess Flavia in The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope, remaining at that theatre for two years.
Julia Neilson played the title role in Pinero's The Princess and the Butterfly in 1897.
Julia Neilson's husband appeared with her in The Tree of Knowledge and other plays from October 1897 until the summer of 1898; her roles included Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.
Again with Tree's company, now at Her Majesty's Theatre, Julia Neilson was Constance in King John and Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Julia Neilson's roles included the title role in Kester's adaptation of Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall.
In 1926, Julia Neilson starred alongside Lawrence Grossmith in a revival of Henry of Navarre, which toured the provinces.
Julia Neilson later starred in This Thing Called Love in 1929.
Julia Neilson retired from the stage after a run as Josephine Popinot in the revival of the farce Vintage Wine by Seymour Hicks and Ashley Dukes at Daly's Theatre.
Julia Neilson made a brief return to the stage in 1944 to play Lady Rutven in The Widow of 40 by Heron Carvic.
Julia Neilson wrote a memoir entitled, This For Remembrance, which gives an account of her life in the theatre business.
Julia Neilson died in a hospital in Hampstead, London, after a fall at her home, in 1957 at the age of 88.
Julia Neilson was cremated at Golders Green, and she and her husband are both buried at Hampstead Cemetery in London.