Survived to poison the life of a celebrity (7 photos)

Nell Theobald turned out to be a woman with a very strange fate: she survived the attack of a predator, and then, for nine years, pursued an opera singer. But first things first.





Nell was born in Atlanta (USA) on October 5, 1944. And from childhood I never imagined myself as anything other than a future opera singer. After graduating from school, she immediately moved away from her parents to New York. But for the stages of the Metropolitan Opera or even Broadway theaters, Nell did not have enough talent.

The girl had to work as a dancer, a hostess in a restaurant, and a fashion model.



On April 6, 1966, Theobald arrived at a New York car dealership. There she had to pose near luxury cars. Her shooting partner was a real lion, which was brought to the salon from a private circus. The animal's name was Ludwig and he was completely calm: first he met Nell through the bars of the cage, then he walked with the trainer on a leash around the hall, and only then the model was allowed to approach the lion.

At first glance, Ludwig and Nell became friends - he allowed himself not only to be stroked, but even to be leaned on slightly. Photographers immediately began clicking their camera shutters to capture the wonderful sight. Most likely, it was the flashes and noise that frightened the lion. Enraged, Ludwig sunk his teeth into Nell's leg and began tearing it with his claws.

The trainer, although not immediately, was able to pull the lion away. Nell was immediately taken to the hospital.





Nell’s life was not in danger, but at first they wanted to amputate her leg. The girl demanded and begged to save her leg and the doctors decided to take a risk. Only a month and a half later, Nell left the hospital. Her leg was saved, but she was left with terrible and noticeable scars, so she could forget about her career as a dancer, and even more so as a fashion model. Nell, of course, ended up on the pages of newspapers and in news releases, but not in the “Art” section, but in the “Incidents” section.

Theobald filed a lawsuit in the amount of three million dollars against the organizers of that ill-fated filming. Everything came to a peace agreement and the payment of a quarter of a million compensation to Nell. In today's terms, that's about $2.2 million.



Having become a wealthy young lady, Nell finally decided to devote herself to what she had always loved: opera. She began to regularly attend premieres of the best theaters not only in the USA, but also in Europe. Over time, she has already become “one of the people” in the circle of directors, critics and actors.

Opera is a hobby for the rich. After all, you not only need to buy tickets, but also fly to theaters, stay in hotels, and buy dresses for receptions. The compensation that the car dealer paid her seemed simply endless to her.

In 1968, Nell came to the opera festival in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. This festival is distinguished by the fact that it exclusively performs the works of Richard Wagner.

It was there that Theobald met one of the greatest opera singers, Birgit Nilsson. The Swedish singer is rightfully considered the best female soprano performer of the 20th century. She traveled to all the major stages in the world, including the USSR.

It is unclear what exactly shocked Nell so much about Nilsson, but from a sweet opera fan, the girl turned into a nightmare for any public person. And not public either.



Birgit Nilsson

Nell came to every performance of Birgit Nilsson, no matter where it took place. She sent her favorite flowers - dark red roses - to the singer's hotels and dressing rooms. She bombarded her with letters, reaching up to ten a month. The singer was frightened by such pressure from a not entirely adequate fan and forbade her to approach her.

Nilsson's order not only did not stop Nell, but only added fuel to the fire. Friends of the girl said that she had completely stopped, as they say, “seeing the shores.” Theobald stayed in the same hotels as Birgit. And she even managed to get to the Nobel Prize ceremony, where Birgit was invited.

Having a significant amount of money in hand, Nell constantly bribed hotel maids to get into her idol’s room, stealing her underwear, perfume and some other personal items. Then she told everyone that these were gifts from Birgit, her beloved woman. Well, yes, Nell told absolutely everyone she met that she was in a love affair with herself.Birgit Nilsson.

For reference: Nell always dated only men, just like Nilsson, who was married to her only husband and lived with him until her death.



The next stage of Nell's madness was Nilsson's "reply letters." She learned to masterfully forge the handwriting of her “object” and wrote herself hundreds of tender love letters and notes on “her” behalf.

It’s scary to imagine how this story could have ended if Theobald had not seen the bottom of her moneybox. All compensation was spent in nine years and Theobald simply had no other sources of income.



In 1977, Nell spent her last money to fly to Vienna. She rented a room in the same hotel where Birgit lived. The girl had no money left either for a theater ticket, or for flowers, or to bribe the maids. That evening, Nilsson performed on stage at the Vienna State Opera and during her performance Nell drank a handful of tranquilizers and sleeping pills.

And they pumped her out. A beautiful death, as Nell apparently planned, did not work out. But there was no stopping her.

On August 20, 1977, she was found in a cheap motel room in New York. She again took a lethal dose and died on her bed, littered with those same fake letters. In her farewell note, Nell asked that her ashes be scattered in Birgit Nilsson's garden. Of course, no one did this.