twiggy

Twiggy
Young Twiggy
Born	September 19 1949 (1949--) (age 58) Neasden, London, England
Spouse	Michael Witney (1977-1983) Leigh Lawson (1988)- Current
Website	http://twiggylawson.co.uk/

Leslie Hornby (Popularly known as Twiggy) (born 19 September 1949) is an English supermodel, actress, and singer, now also known by her married name of Twiggy Lawson. A 1960s pop icon known for her large eyes, long eyelashes, and thin build, she is regarded as one of the most famous models of all time. Twiggy went on to star in movies, and is currently a judge in the reality show, America's Next Top Model.

Early life

Twiggy, also known as Leslee Hornby, was born in the London suburb of Neasden, the daughter of William Norman Hornby, a master carpenter and joiner, and Nellie Lydia "Helen" Reeman, a factory worker at a printing firm and a counter girl at Woolworth's.^[1][2] She attended Brondesbury and Kilburn High School in Salusbury Road, Kilburn.

Modeling career

In 1966, Nigel Daves noticed the young Lesley Hornby and offered her a modelling contract. She was only sixteen and weighed 6½ stone (41 kg, 90 lbs).^[3] Daves advised her to go by her childhood nickname, Twiggy, and renamed himself Justin de Villeneuve. Twiggy arrived in New York in March 1967. It was believed that the Twiggy craze would die down within a month; Twiggy, however, became an instant icon and supermodel. Known for the high fashion mod look created by Mary Quant, Twiggy changed the world of fashion. Whereas most women fashion models were full-figured with traditionally feminine hairstyles, Twiggy was famous for her slender, short-haired androgynous look. Her style has dominated the runways for forty years. She was also famous for drawing long, fake eyelashes under her bottom lashes. These are, unsurprisingly, named Twiggys.

Twiggy was regarded as the face of 1960s Swinging London, along with other models such as Celia Hammond.

On June 16, 1967, Capitol Records released Twiggy's first single for the label "When I Think Of You" with "Over And Over" on the flip side.

In early 1968, Twiggy toured Japan and filmed commercials for Toyota Motors and Choco Flakes breakfast cereal. In 1969 she did commercial work in the United States for Diet Rite Cola.

Twiggy was the first teenage female supermodel.

Life after modeling

After four years of modeling, Twiggy retired, claiming "You can't be a clothes hanger for your entire life!" She embarked on an award-winning acting and singing career, including Ken Russell's 1971 film version of Sandy Wilson's musical, The Boy Friend, for which she won two Golden Globe Awards. Since then she has played a variety of roles on stage and screen, including My One and Only and as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, opposite Robert Powell, in a 1981 television production.

Twiggy married the American actor Michael Witney in 1977. They had one daughter, Carly, born in 1978. That marriage ended with his sudden death in 1983 from a heart attack. She met Leigh Lawson on the film Madame Sousatzka, and married him in 1988. They reside in London.

In 1976, Twiggy signed to Mercury records and released the albums "Twiggy" and "Please Get My Name Right", discs that contained both pop and country tunes. "Twiggy" sold very well, peaking on the UK charts at no.33, and gave Twiggy a silver disc for good sales. The album contains Twiggy's top twenty hit single, "Here I Go Again" and "Please Get My Name Right" made it to no.35 in 1977.

In 2003, she released another album, "Midnight Blue".

In 2005, Twiggy joined the cast of the TV show America's Next Top Model as one of four permanent judges. She also returned to modeling, fronting a major new TV, press and billboard campaign for Marks & Spencer, a British department store chain. In 2006, she portrayed herself as a nineteen year-old in the radio play Elevenses with Twiggy for BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play series.

Appearances

• 1966 Mattel issued a 'Twiggy' doll, Barbie sized, but with smaller bust and hips
• 1971 Film debut as an extra in Ken Russell's The Devils
• 1971 First leading role in features as Polly in Ken Russell's adaptation of Sandy Wilson's pastiche of 1920s musicals The Boy Friend; initial collaboration with Tommy Tune
• 1974 Made West End stage debut in Cinderella
• 1974 Made second feature, the thriller W; co-starred with future husband Michael Whitney
• 1974 Hosted own British TV series, Twiggs (later renamed Twiggy)
• 1977 Makes an appearance on The Muppet Show.
• 1980 Made cameo appearance in The Blues Brothers
• 1981 Starred as Eliza Doolittle opposite Robert Powell in Yorkshire TV production of Pygmalion
• 1983 Broadway debut in the musical, My One and Only, starring and co-staged by Tune; earned a Tony nomination
• 1987 Played a vaudeville performer in the British TV special The Little Match Girl
• 1988 Had supporting role in Madame Sousatzka, opposite second husband Leigh Lawson
• 1989 Cast as Hannah Chaplin, mother to Charles, in the British TV-movie Young Charlie Chaplin; aired in US on PBS' Wonderworks
• 1991 Co-starred in the ill-fated CBS sitcom Princesses
• 1997 Acted in London stage revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit
• 1998 Played Gertrude Lawrence in the biographical stage musical Noel and Gertie at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, Long Island
• 1999 Returned to New York stage as Lawrence in Off-Broadway production If Love Were All, a revised version of Noel and Gertie, directed by Lawson; what set this edition apart were its tap numbers in period style; starred opposite Harry Groener's Coward
• 2001 Co-hosted the English magazine programme This Morning

Filmography

Television

Recordings

References

External links

• Twiggy Official Site
• Twiggy at the Internet Movie Database
• Twiggy at TV.com
• Fashion Windows: Twiggy - from an article by Dorothee Werner
• TWIGGY Interview in SWINDLE Magazine

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