O'Neill, Eliza (1791–1872)

Irish actress. Name variations: Lady Eliza Becher. Born in 1791; died on October 29, 1872; daughter of an actor in Drogheda, Ireland; married an Irish member of Parliament, William Wrixon (afterwards Baron Becher), in 1819.

A beautiful young Irish actress, Eliza O'Neill enjoyed one of the shortest and most brilliant careers on the English stage. She was the daughter of an impoverished actor in Drogheda, Ireland, where she made her first appearance as a child. Later, she played in the theaters of Belfast and Dublin, and her reputation led to a London engagement. On October 6, 1814, she made her debut at Covent Garden as Juliet to William Conway's Romeo. Though the management had modest expectations for the production, the houses were crowded nightly, and O'Neill was praised lavishly. William Macready, speaking of her debut, wrote: "Her beauty, grace, simplicity, and tenderness were the theme of every tongue. The noble pathos of [Sarah] Siddons' genius no longer served as the grand commentary and living exponent of Shakespeare's text, but in the native elegance, the feminine sweetness, the unaffected earnestness and gushing passion of Miss O'Neill the stage had received a worthy successor of her."

For five years, she was a reigning favorite, delighting audiences with her comedic portrayals, including Lady Teazle, and causing a sensation when she took on the tragic roles of Belvidera, Mrs. Haller, Mrs. Beverley, and Monimia. Throughout her theatrical career, O'Neill retained a flawless reputation, and in 1819 she married an Irish member of Parliament, William Wrixon, afterwards Baron Becher, and retired from the stage. Lady Becher, who lived to be 81, was usually referred to as "the great Miss O'Neill."

suggested reading:

Jones, Charles Inigo. Memoirs of Miss O'Neill; containing her public character, private life and dramatic progress. London, 1816.