Twiggy, 1949–

views updated

Twiggy, 1949–

(Twiggy Hanson, Leslie Hornby, Leslie Hornsby, Twiggy Lawson)

PERSONAL

Original name, Leslie Hornby; born September 19, 1949, in north London, England; daughter of William Norman (a carpenter) and Helen (maiden name, Reeman) Hornby; married Michael Witney (an actor; some sources spell name Michael Whitney), June 14, 1977 (divorced); married Leigh Lawson (an actor and director), September 23, 1988; children: (first marriage) Carly; stepchildren (second marriage): Jason. Avocational Interests: Music, design, dressmaking.

Addresses: Agent—Peters Fraser and Dunlop, Drury House, 34-43 Russell St., London WC2B 5HA, England.

Career: Actress, singer, model, writer. Professional model, 1966–71; Twiggy Enterprises, Ltd., director and manager, beginning 1966; introduced Twiggy Skincare, including a promotional appearance on the shopping channel QVC, 2000; introduced Aroma Therapies for Face and Mind (a line of skin care products), 2001; appeared in advertisements and on magazine covers. Affiliated with merchandise, such as Twiggy badges, binders, board games, dresses, dress up kits, false eyelashes, fashion tote bags, lunch boxes and thermoses, paper dolls, pens, sweaters, and tights; also depicted as a Barbie doll, 1967. Singer and performer at various venues, including the Royal Albert Hall, London, England and a tour of the United Kingdom. Worked as a hairdresser's assistant. Made various personal appearances, including ones at London Fashion Week, 2004. Involved with animal welfare causes and organizations for breast cancer research. Also known as Twiggy Hanson.

Awards, Honors: Named the face of '66, Daily Express; Golden Globe awards, most promising newcomer—female and best motion picture actress-musical/comedy, both 1972, for The Boy Friend; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a musical, and Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding actress in a musical, both 1983, for My One and Only; album Twiggy has won several awards and has been designated a silver album in sales; named one of the world's greatest supermodels, Channel 5 (England).

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Herself, Popcorn (documentary; also known as Popcorn: An Audio-Visual Rock Thing), Sherpix, 1969.

Extra, The Devils (also known as The Devils of Loudon), Warner Bros., 1971.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Polly Browne, The Boy Friend (musical), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1971.

(Uncredited) All Talking … All Singing … All Dancing (short documentary), Kaleidoscope Films, 1971.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Katie Lewis, W (also known as I Want Her Dead and W Is the Mark of Death), Cinerama Releasing, 1974.

Herself, The Butterfly Ball (animated musical), Oyster Films, 1976.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Polly Perkins, There Goes the Bride, Vanguard, c. 1979.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Chic lady, The Blues Brothers, Universal, 1980.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Jennie Bailey, The Doctor and the Devils, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Phillipa Lloyd, Club Paradise, Warner Bros., 1986.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Jenny, Madame Sousatzka, Universal, 1988.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Maud, Istanbul (also known as Harem Hotel Istanbul and Istanbul, Keep Your Eyes Open), Omega Film & Television, 1989.

Viv, Woundings (also known as Brand New World), Isle of Man Film Commission/Cinequanon/Muse Productions/Stone Canyon Entertainment, 1998.

Marlene Dicktrick, Edge of Seventeen, Blue Streak Films/Luna Pictures, 1998, Strand Releasing, 1999.

Television Appearances; Series:

"Twiggs," Show of the Week, BBC-2, 1974.

Twiggy, BBC-2, 1975.

Host, Twiggy's Juke Box, syndicated, beginning c. 1978.

Twiggy and Friends, BBC, beginning c. 1980.

Princess Georgina "Georgy" De La Rue, Princesses, CBS, 1991.

Interviewer, Twiggy's People, Independent Television, 1998.

Guest presenter, OK! TV (also known as OK! Television), Independent Television, 1999.

Presenter, This Morning (also known as This Morning with Richard and Judy), Independent Television, beginning 2001.

Interviewer, Take Time with Twiggy, Granada Television, 2001.

Judge, America's Next Top Model (also known as America's Next Top Model Cycle 5, America's Next Top Model 2, and ANTM), UPN, beginning 2005.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Hannah Chaplin, Young Charlie Chaplin (also known as Charlie Chaplin and Charlie the Kid), Thames Television, 1988, broadcast on WonderWorks (also known as WonderWorks: Young Charlie Chaplin), PBS, 1989.

Television Appearances; Movies:

(As Twiggy Lawson) Detective sergeant Charlotte "Charlie" Lawson, The Diamond Trap, USA Network, 1988.

Fen Harris, Sun Child, Yorkshire Television, 1988.

(As Leslie Hornby) Cathy Matthews, "Eye," Body Bags (also known as John Carpenter Presents "Body Bags" and John Carpenter Presents "Mind Games"), Show-time, 1993.

(As Twiggy Lawson) Eve Hamel, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, CBS, 1997.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Twiggy (documentary), Granada Television, 1967.

Twiggy in Hollywood (documentary), ABC, 1967.

Twiggy in New York (documentary), ABC, 1967.

Twiggy, Why? (documentary), ABC, 1967.

Song performer, Cole Porter in Paris, NBC, 1973.

Charles Aznavour Sings for You, BBC, 1975.

Bring on the Girls, Independent Television, 1976.

The Daily Mirror Supersonic Pop Club, Independent Television, 1976.

Portrait of … Twiggy, Independent Television, 1976.

Roller Coaster, Independent Television, 1976.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas, NBC, 1977.

Night out at the London Casino, Independent Television, 1977.

Noel Edmonds Presents Swap of the Pops, BBC, 1977.

Golden Gala, Independent Television, 1978.

Mike Yarwood in Person, BBC, 1978.

Ronnie Corbett's Thursday Special, BBC, 1978.

(As Leslie Hornsby) Host, Echoes of the Sixties, NBC, 1979.

Bonkers, Associated Television, 1979.

The Val Doonican Christmas Show, BBC, 1979.

(As Leslie Hornsby) The Donna Summer Special, ABC, 1980.

Eliza Doolittle, Pygmalion, Yorkshire Television, 1981.

Royal Variety Performance, Independent Television, 1983.

Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope's Super Birthday Special, NBC, 1984.

(As Leslie Hornsby) The 1984 Miss USA Pageant, CBS, 1984.

Josie Roberts, The Little Match Girl (musical), Harlech Television, c. 1987.

Herself, The Royal Film Performance, BBC, 1989.

Sophie's mother, Sophie's World, BBC-2, 1995.

Herself, An Audience with the Spice Girls, Independent Television, 1997.

Esther, BBC-2, 1997.

Herself, Carry on Snogging, Channel 4 (England), 1998.

Herself, The Beatles Revolution (documentary), ABC, 2000.

Herself, Fame, Fashion and Photography: The Real Blow Up (documentary), BBC, 2002.

Broadway's Lost Treasures (documentary), PBS, 2003.

Herself, The Rise of the Celebrity Class (documentary), BBC, 2004.

(Uncredited) Herself, Why I Hate the 60s: The Decade That Was Too Good to Be True, BBC, 2004.

Cause Celeb, Community Channel, 2004, 2005.

Mrs. Minola, The Taming of Shrew (part of the Shakespeare Re-Told series), BBC, 2005.

Herself, TV Pop Rules!, Channel 4, 2005.

Appeared in a solo stand-up comedy show broadcast on Comedy Central during the early 1990s. Some sources cite appearances in Captain Beaky specials, BBC.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 46th Annual Academy Awards, NBC, 1974.

Presenter, British Screen Awards, BBC, 1975.

Presenter, The 56th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1984.

Presenter, BAFTA Awards, Independent Television, 1988.

Presenter, Evening Standard Film Awards, Independent Television, 1989.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Panelist, Juke Box Jury, BBC, 1967.

24 Hours, BBC, 1967, 1969.

Herself, "Twiggy," This Is Your Life, Independent Television, 1969.

Herself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1971.

Cilla, Independent Television, 1974.

Personal Choice, BBC, 1974.

Parkinson, BBC, 1974, 1976, 1980, Independent Television, 2005.

The Likes of … Twiggy, BBC, 1975.

Florence Cook, "Victorian Scandals," Frontiers of Science (also known as Frontiers of Science: Victorian Scandals), Granada Television, 1976.

Herself, The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1976.

The Basil Brush Show, Independent Television, 1976.

Nationwide, BBC, 1976.

Musikladen, [West Germany (now Germany)], 1976, 1977.

Top of the Pops (also known as All New Top of the Pops and TOTP), BBC, multiple episodes in 1976, 1977, 1978.

Herself, Dinah! (also known as Dinah! & Friends), syndicated, 1977.

David Essex, Independent Television, 1977.

Russell Harty, Independent Television, 1977.

Supersonic, Independent Television, two episodes in 1977.

Swap Shop, BBC, 1977.

The Val Doonican Music Show, BBC, 1977, 1978.

Herself, America 2-Night, syndicated, 1978.

The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour, NBC, 1978.

Max with Love, Independent Television, 1979.

Music performer, Na sowas!, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (Germany), 1985.

Wogan, BBC, 1985, 1986.

Aspel & Co., Independent Television, 1985, 1987, 1988.

Des O'Connor Tonight, Independent Television, 1985, 1998.

Herself, Good Morning Britain (also known as TV-am), Independent Television, c. 1985, 1989.

Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?, BBC-2, 1986.

Sunday, Sunday, Independent Television, 1989.

The Clive James Interview, BBC-2, 1991.

Felicity, "The New Arrival," Tales from the Crypt (also known as HBO's "Tales from the Crypt"), HBO, 1992.

Jocelyn Sheffield, "Stop the Wedding, I Want to Get Off," The Nanny, CBS, 1994.

(As Twiggy Lawson) Lady Janet Whitly, "A Winter's Tale," Heartbeat, Independent Television, 1994.

Barrymore, BBC-2, 1995.

Showstoppers, BBC-2, 1995.

Squidge, Stick with Me Kid, The Disney Channel, 1996.

Herself, Angels de nit, TV3 (Televisio de Catalunya in Spain), 1996.

Herself, So Graham Norton, Channel 4 (England), 1999.

Herself, "Menopause," Absolutely Fabulous, BBC-2 and Comedy Central, 2001.

Herself, "Parralox," Absolutely Fabulous, BBC-2 and Comedy Central, 2001.

Herself, Celebrity, Ready, Steady, Cook, BBC, 2001.

Herself, Open House (also known as Open House with Gloria Hunniford), Channel 5 (England), 2001.

Star Lives, Independent Television, 2001.

Herself, Today with Des and Mel, Independent Television, 2003.

Heaven & Earth, BBC, 2003.

Herself, Breakfast, BBC, 2005.

Herself, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CBS, 2005.

Appeared in The Hollywood Fashion Machine, American Movie Classics.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Princess Georgina "Georgy" De La Rue, Princesses, CBS, 1991.

Television Appearances; Other:

Appeared in Go Go Go Said the Bird. Appeared in news broadcasts as well as in footage broadcast on various channels.

Stage Appearances:

Title role, Cinderella (pantomime), Casino Theatre, London, beginning 1974.

Herself, The Butterfly Ball (musical benefit), Royal Albert Hall, London, 1975.

Captain Beaky and His Musical Christmas (pantomime; also known as Captain Beaky's Musical Christmas), Apollo Victoria Theatre, London, 1982.

Edith Herbert, My One and Only (musical; also known as My One and Only, the New Gershwin Musical), St. James Theatre, New York City, c. 1983–84, also produced in Los Angeles.

Elvira, Blithe Spirit, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, England, 1997.

Gertrude Lawrence, Noel and Gertie (musical), Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, Long Island, NY, 1998.

Gertrude Lawrence, If Love Were All (musical; revised version of Noel and Gertie), Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York City, 1999.

Elvira, Blithe Spirit, Bay Street Theatre, 2002.

The Play What I Wrote, Wyndham's Theatre, London, then Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, then Wyndham's Theatre again, all 2002.

Art, Bath Theatre Royal, Bath, England, 2003.

Peter Pan, Chicken Shed Theatre, Albery Theatre, London, 2004.

Good fairy, Jack and the Beanstalk (pantomime), Theatre Royal Brighton, Brighton, England, 2005–2006.

Major Tours:

My One and Only (musical; also known as My One and Only, the New Gershwin Musical), 1983.

Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Warren's Profession, English cities, 2003.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

(In archive footage) Herself, Children's Songs and Stories with the Muppets, 1985.

(In archive footage) Herself, A Bing Crosby Christmas, 1998.

Herself, The Best of So Graham Norton, United Film and Television Production, 2000.

Funny Ladies, Volume 4, 2004.

Albums:

I Need Your Hand in Mine, 1966, released under title Twiggy and the Girlfriends, Ember Records, 1972.

Twiggy, Mercury, 1976.

Please Get My Name Right, Mercury, 1977.

Pieces of April, St. Michael, 1978.

Then He Kissed Me, Spartan Records, 1990.

London Pride: Songs of the London Stage, Varese Sarabande, 1996.

The Best of Twiggy, Spectrum Music, 1998.

Midnight Blue, Eureka, 2003.

Some sources say she recorded London Pride (Songs from the Brit Musicals), Varese Sarabande.

Albums with Others:

The Boy Friend (original soundtrack), Columbia, 1971.

The Boy Friend (soundtrack excerpts and promotional radio interview), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1971.

Cole Porter in Paris, Bell Systems, 1973.

Captain Beaky and His Band, Polydor, 1977.

My One and Only (original Broadway cast recording), Atlantic, 1983.

The Doctor and the Devils (original soundtrack), Island Records, 1985.

The Boy Friend & Highlights from Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/EMI, 1990.

Twiggy and the Silver Screen Syncopaters, Fat Boy Records, 1995, released as Beautiful Dreams, Perfect Picnic, 1997.

A Hollywood Christmas, Varese Sarabande, 1996.

(With Twiggy Ramirez) "I Only Want to Be With You," Dead Man on Campus (soundtrack), DreamWorks, 1998.

If Love Were All (original cast recording), Varese Sarabande, 1999.

Narrator, Peter Pan (original cast recording), Chicken Shed, c. 2004.

(With Linda Thorson) A Snapshot of Swinging London, 2005.

Singles:

"Beautiful Dreams," c. 1966.

"A Room in Bloomsbury" (with Christopher Gable)/"You Are My Lucky Star"/"All I Do Is Dream of You," 1971.

"Zoo De Zoo Zong"/"Little Pleasure Acre," Bell Records, 1971.

"Here I Go Again"/"In Love Together," Mercury, 1976.

"Vanilla Olay"/"Good for You Too," Mercury, 1976.

"Please Get My Name Right," Mercury, 1977.

"Rings"/"Please Get My Name Right," Mercury, 1977.

"Tomorrow Is Another Day"/"After All These Years" (instrumental), 1977.

"A Woman in Love"/"I Lie Awake and Dream of You," 1977.

"Falling Angel," Mercury, 1978.

"Feel Emotion"/"Feel Emotion" (instrumental version), 1985.

"Feel Emotion" (extended mix), 1985.

"Diamond"/"Lies, Lies," Arista, 1986.

"Diamond" (extended mix), Arista, 1986.

"Winter Wonderland"/"Needles and Pins," 1989.

Singles also released in other countries.

Audiobooks:

Val McDermid, "Breathtaking Ignorance," More Whodunnits, PolyGram Spoken Word, 1995.

WRITINGS

Nonfiction:

(Some sources cite another author) Twiggy: How I Probably Just Came Along on a White Rabbit at the Right Time, and Met the Smile on the Face of the Tiger, Hawthorne Books, 1968.

(With Penelope Denning) Twiggy (also known as Twiggy: An Autobiography), Hart-Davis, 1975, reissued under title Twiggy in Black and White, Simon & Schuster, 1998.

(With Angela Neustatter) Twiggy's Guide to Looking Good (also known as Open Look: Twiggy's Guide to Looking and Feeling Good), Robson Books, 1985.

Also the author of Unlimited Twiggy. Twiggy's books have been published in other languages. Affiliated with the magazine Twiggy: Her Mod Mod Teen World.