Evelyn Nesbit: The Tragic Beauty & The Trial Of The Century, ~ Fame, Jealousy And Murder...

Evelyn Nesbit And ‘The Trial Of The Century’ — A Sordid Tale Of Sex, Jealousy, And Murder Among Manhattan’s Elite, ~ By Kaleena Fraga | Edited By Maggie Donahue Published May 9, 2023 Updated September 19, 2023 >>> The tumultuous relationships of early-1900s supermodel Evelyn Nesbit proved to be deadly when her husband murdered her former lover in what was called the “crime of the century.” >>> At the beginning of the 20th century, Americans could hardly go anywhere without seeing the face of Evelyn Nesbit. The beautiful young model’s likeness appeared on magazine covers, works of art, and advertisements for toothpaste. And in 1907, she became the star of the “trial of the century” after her husband murdered one of her former lovers. The trial captivated Americans across the country and revealed the dark underbelly of Nesbit’s seemingly glamorous life. Her story was not one of champagne and parties — but sexual assault, manipulation, and violence. This is how Evelyn Nesbit became one of the most famous woman in America, and what happened to her after her illustrious star began to dim... Evelyn Nesbit’s Rise To Fame: Born on December 25, 1884 in Pennsylvania, Florence Evelyn Nesbit found fame at a young age. After the death of her father left her family destitute, Nesbit was able to make money as an artist’s model starting around the age of 14. “The work was fairly light,” Nesbit wrote in her memoirs, per PBS. “The poses were not particularly difficult. In the main they wanted me for my head. I never posed for the figure in the sense that I had posed for the nude. Sometimes I would be painted as a little Eastern girl in a costume of a Turkish woman, all vivid coloring, with ropes and bangles of jade about my neck and arms.” In 1900, Nesbit moved to New York City to pursue modeling further. She was a smash hit, and her likeness proved so popular that she appeared in works of art, as one of the original “Gibson” girls, on the cover of magazines like Vanity Fair, and in advertisements for everything from tobacco to face creams. Evelyn Nesbit in 1900: Her likeness appeared on everything from works of art to advertisements...

Before long, Nesbit was able to convert her celebrity into an acting career. She appeared in the chorus line for the Broadway play Florodora, and soon snatched up a speaking role in the play The Wild Rose. As an in-demand model and actress, Evelyn Nesbit was able to comfortably support herself, her mother, and her younger brother. But she soon learned that the glitter and glamor of fame had a dark side. >>>