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Lillian Russell (Helen Louise Leonard) (December
4,1861 - June 6,1922) was an United States of
America|American actor|actress and singer.


Born in Clinton, Iowa in 1861, 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
chorus of Gilbert and Sullivan|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 at Tony Pastor|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 newsmedia. For forty years, she was
the companion of businessman Jim Brady|"Diamond
Jim" Brady who showered her with extravagant gifts
of diamond|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|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.
 
On her passing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in
1922, Russell was interred in the Allegheny
Cemetery in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.

==References==

http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/R/Russl
L.html Lillian Russell

==External links==
* http://www.judgmentofparis.com/Lillian1.htm
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