19 Facts About Lily Elsie

Elsie Cotton, known professionally as Lily Elsie, was an English actress and singer during the Edwardian era.

Lily Elsie was best known for her starring role in the London premiere of Franz Lehar's operetta The Merry Widow.

Lily Elsie's mother, Charlotte Elizabeth Hodder, was a dressmaker who operated a lodging-house.

Lily Elsie married William Thomas Cotton, a theatre worker, in 1891, and Elsie became Elsie Cotton.

Lily Elsie was the niece of Wilfred Cotton, who married actress Ada Reeve.

Lily Elsie then joined George Edwardes' company at Daly's Theatre in London as a chorus girl.

Lily Elsie next played the roles of Gwenny Holden in Lady Madcap, Lady Patricia Vereker in The Cingalee in 1904, Madame du Tertre in The Little Michus in 1905, and Lady Agnes Congress in The Little Cherub, Humming Bird in See See and Lally in The New Aladdin at the Gaiety Theatre, all in 1906.

Lily Elsie was at first reluctant to take on the demanding part, thinking her voice too light for the role, but Edwardes persuaded her to accept.

Lily Elsie created the role at Daly's and toured with it beginning in August 1908.

Nevertheless, Lily Elsie became one of the most frequently photographed beauties of the Edwardian era.

Everyone agrees that Lily Elsie has the most kissable mouth in all England.

The publicity shy and exhausted Lily Elsie was happy to leave the stage for the next several years, except for charity performances to benefit the war effort.

Lily Elsie returned in the title role of Louis Parker's comedy play Malvourneen with Herbert Beerbohm Tree at His Majesty's Theatre, as Lady Catherine Lazenby in The Admirable Crichton in 1916 and in the title role in Pamela written by Arthur Wimperis, with songs by Frederic Norton.

In 1920, Lily Elsie moved with her husband to the Gloucestershire village of Redmarley D'Abitot.

Lily Elsie spent ten years away from the stage during this time, enjoying social events and fox hunting.

Lily Elsie returned to performing, first touring and then appearing at the Prince of Wales's Theatre in London in 1927 as Eileen Mayne in The Blue Train, the English language adaptation of Robert Stolz's German musical comedy Madi.

Lily Elsie spent much time in nursing homes and Swiss sanatoria.

Lily Elsie was diagnosed as having serious psychological ailments and underwent brain surgery that reportedly resulted in an improvement in her health.

Lily Elsie died at St Andrew's Hospital, Cricklewood, London, aged 76, and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.