Eliza Doolittle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eliza Doolittle |
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| Pygmalion character | |
Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle meets Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins in the 1956 musical adaptation of Pygmalion, My Fair Lady
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| First appearance | Pygmalion |
| Created by | George Bernard Shaw |
| Portrayed by | |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | "The Flower Girl" (Act I) |
| Aliases | Liza |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Flower girl |
| Family | Alfred P. Doolittle (father) |
| Spouse(s) | Freddy Eynsford-Hill |
| Nationality | English |
Eliza Doolittle is a famous character from a play called Pygmalion (written in 1913 by George Bernard Shaw). She is also the main character in the popular musical My Fair Lady (from 1956).
Eliza lives in Lisson Grove, London, and sells flowers. One day, she meets Professor Henry Higgins at Covent Garden. Eliza speaks with a strong Cockney accent, which is a way of speaking common among working-class Londoners. She uses words like "ain't."
Eliza asks Professor Higgins to teach her how to speak properly. Higgins agrees to do this as part of a bet. He believes he can teach her to speak so well that she could pass as a high-society lady. Eliza learns how to speak clearly and also learns good manners, or etiquette. The story shows how much she changes and what happens next.
Contents
The Story of Eliza Doolittle
How Eliza Was Created
The idea for Eliza Doolittle might have come from a real person named Eliza Sheffield. She was a barmaid in London in the late 1800s. She managed to move up in society through marriage and other relationships.
Famous Actresses Who Played Eliza
Many talented actresses have played Eliza Doolittle over the years.
Early Performances
The first actress to play Eliza on stage was Mrs Patrick Campbell. She was a very famous actress in London at the time. George Bernard Shaw wrote the part especially for her. Even though some people thought she was too old, she was a huge success. She even caused a stir by saying the word "bloody" in the play, which was very shocking back then!
For the 1938 movie version of Pygmalion, Shaw personally asked Wendy Hiller to play Eliza. She had already played the role on stage.
Eliza in My Fair Lady
Julie Andrews was the first to play Eliza in the musical My Fair Lady on stage. She performed with Rex Harrison, who played Professor Higgins. Later, Sally Ann Howes took over the role.
When My Fair Lady was made into a movie in 1964, Audrey Hepburn played Eliza. Rex Harrison played Higgins again in the movie. Julie Andrews won an Academy Award for Best Actress that year for her role in Mary Poppins. Even though Audrey Hepburn wasn't nominated, many people loved her performance as Eliza. Critics praised her "exquisite" acting. Rex Harrison even said Audrey Hepburn was his favorite actress to work with.
Recent Eliza Performances
In 2001, Martine McCutcheon played Eliza in a London show of My Fair Lady. She won an award for best actress in a musical. Later, Lauren Ambrose played Eliza in a Broadway show in 2018. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. Laura Benanti also played the role after her.
Eliza Doolittle Day
There's a song in My Fair Lady called "Just You Wait." In the song, Eliza sings about how she will be famous one day. She imagines the king saying:
One day I’ll be famous! I’ll be proper and prim;
Go to St. James so often I will call it St. Jim!
One evening the king will say:
'Oh, Liza, old thing,
I want all of England your praises to sing.
Next week on the twentieth of May
I proclaim ‘Liza Doolittle Day!'
Because of this song, fans of My Fair Lady often celebrate an unofficial "Eliza Doolittle Day" every year on May 20th.
See also
In Spanish: Eliza Doolittle (personaje) para niños
