By Jessica Sly, author of The Promise of Deception

These days, in a world of social media and constantly changing latest trends, we’re bombarded on every side by Hollywood stardom and paparazzi pics.

But it seems the public has long held a fascination with actors. Let’s go back around 100 years, back to the start of the 20thcentury. The Titanic was getting ready to take its maiden voyage. Ireland was in the process of fighting for its independence. And a beautiful actress and singer was drawing the public eye and would go on to become that era’s most photographed woman in the world. Her name was Lily Elsie.

Elsie was born in 1886 as Elsie Cotton. Her father, William Cotton, worked as a manager of a theater (later, as she grew to public prominence, people suspected that she was an illegitimate child, but that’s never been proven). Influenced by her father’s profession, she was drawn to the stage and began to perform early, pouring herself into singing, pantomime, and impersonation. Lauded for her charm and beauty, she became a darling of the public and was dubbed “Little Elsie.”

But then tragedy struck. Her father died in the late 1890s, so she and her mother moved to London and took up odd jobs in order to keep food on the table. Elsie found a contract as a model for postcards.

Around this time, as she was blooming into a young woman, she realized that the moniker “Little Elsie” sounded too juvenile, so she rebranded herself as Lily Elsie.

Soon, Elsie returned to the stage, and in 1901 when she was 15 years old, she successfully auditioned to be a chorus girl in The Silver Slipper. During the run of that production, she caught the eye of the producer, George Edwardes. He recognized her potential and decided to mentor her, hoping to turn her into a star.

Elsie joined Edwardes’ company at Daly’s Theatre. For the next several years, Elsie appeared in 14 productions. It was then that Edwardes took her to Germany to see an operetta called Die lustige Witwe (or The Merry Widow in English). Edwardes intended to adapt the production for London audiences and wanted Elsie to play the lead. At first, Elsie turned him down, afraid her voice was too soft for the role. But Edwardes kept pushing, and she eventually conceded and accepted the part.

The Merry Widow opened on the West End in 1907—and it was a major hit, propelling Elsie into instant stardom. The public praised her beauty, grace, and style. And suddenly, advertisers and postcards began clamoring to use her image. As a result of the public’s admiration, Elsie became the most photographed woman of the Edwardian era.

Despite her success and enchanting stage presence, behind the scenes, Elsie suffered from stage fright, which would grow into a more serious nervous disorder. Nevertheless, she continued to perform for several more years until she met and married Ian Bullough. And she then decided to retire from the stage.

But soon, her marriage began to suffer, in part because of her developing depression and inability to have children. So, in 1915, as her husband helped with the war effort, Elsie returned to the stage once again. The productions weren’t smash hits as The Merry Widow had been, but audiences still loved her.

Finally, in 1928, she appeared in her last show, The Truth Game. After many years of living in a spotlight and becoming one of the most photographed faces of the time, Elsie was able to take her final bow and let the curtain fall on her stage career.

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