AS SEEN ON TV: THE JERSEY LILY

LILLIE LANGTRY

AS SEEN IN:
'Lillie'

AS PLAYED BY:
Francesca Annis

LILLIE LANGTRY

AS SEEN IN:
'Kindred: The Embraced'

AS PLAYED BY:
Stacy Haiduk

This is an interesting case study for a "Two For Tuesday" feature, in that these two recastaways can remain in Earth Prime-Time and not have one of them jettisoned to an alternate TV dimension. (On the other hand, Jennie Seagrove's portrayal of the "Jersey Lily" would be in a different Toobworld, especially as it's a TV movie in which Christopher Lee and Patrick Macnee play Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.)

Francesca Annis, having her own mini-series as Lillie Langtry, is automatically the face of the chanteuse for Toobworld - especially as she also portrayed the role in a mini-series about 'Edward The Seventh'. But we can also claim that Stacy Haiduk was the same woman - after she was embraced into the world of the Undead. Life as a vampire must have changed certain of her physical features, which account for the change in appearance. (And we can always claim that she had work done afterwards; I don't think that's ever been considered in novels or films, has it? Plastic surgery for vampires?)

"If you let me,
I would show you I'm more real than the goddess you imagine."
'Lillie'

Here's a thumbnail sketch of Lillie Langtry's biography, from Wikipedia:

Lillie Langtry (13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929), born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, was a highly successful British actress born on the island of Jersey. A renowned beauty, she was nicknamed the "Jersey Lily" and had a number of prominent lovers, including the future King Edward VII.

At the suggestion of one of her close friends, Oscar Wilde, Lillie embarked upon a stage career. In December 1881, she made her debut before the London public in "She Stoops to Conquer" at the Haymarket Theatre. The following autumn, she made her first tour of America, an enormous success, which she repeated in subsequent years, though the critics generally condemned her interpretations of roles such as Pauline in the "Lady of Lyons" or Rosalind in "As You Like It". In 1903, she starred in America in "The Crossways", written by her in collaboration with J. Hartley Manners. She returned to America in 1906 and again in 1912, appearing in vaudeville.

In 1897, Langtry became an American citizen, and divorced her husband the same year in Lakeport, California. She had purchased a winery with an area of 4,200 acres (17 km2) in Lake County, California in 1888 which produced red wine. She sold it in 1906. The winery and vineyard are still in operation.

Langtry died in Monaco in 1929, and was buried in the graveyard of St. Saviour's Church in Jersey – the church of which her father had been rector.

Of course, in Toobworld, reports of her death were highly exagerrated.

Here's a description of how she was "embraced" into the world of vampirism:

"Among Lillie's admirers was the one who was to become her Sire. An old Toreador had seen Lillie in her performance as Rosalind, and fell in love with the English beauty. The Toreador followed Lillie wherever she went, a silient patron at her every performance. His obsession with her soon overpowered him. Embracing her on the stage of the empty theater. Lillie went on to be a greater sensation, reveling in the Toreador abilities she acquired. After her second husband died, Lillie sold the theater, and moved to America with her Sire, joining various small theater groups. Lillie finally settled down in San Francisco in 1920, where she met Julian Luna. Her Sire finally moved on..seeing her happy, and it is rumored that he was killed while acting in Berlin during World War II. During the 1970's, Lillie purchased an old warehouse, and converted it into a nightclub for Kindred and Kine alike, calling it "THE HAVEN", where she manages it, while living at Julian's Mansion."

And here's the reason why she's included in our salute to historical Western characters during the month of August:

The town of Langtry, Texas, was not named for her, although its most illustrious inhabitant, Judge Roy Bean, was an ardent admirer, naming the saloon where he held court "The Jersey Lily". Bean himself spread the rumor about the town's name. He also built an opera house in anticipation of a visit, and Mrs. Langtry appeared there after Bean's death. The town was named for railroad supervisor George Langtry. (This odd "relationship" was also featured in the feature films "The Westerner" and "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean".)

As the leader of the Toreador clan in San Francisco, Lillie Langtry is the one historical Western figure who is still aliv- er, "active" in Toobworld..... BCnU!

"Toreador. We're the sexy ones.
We like to entertain."

"The Toreador clan are artists.

Like any artist, we want our creation to last forever."
'Kindred: The Embraced'