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“Wealth, sensuality, shopping and scandal: Masterpiece Theatre’s Mr. Selfridge has been gripping viewers on both sides of the Atlantic for four seasons now,” began a recent review, “and on Sunday, May 18th, the series’ fourth and final season will conclude.” So Sleuth can conclude you’d like a two-part look at its breast moments!
The period drama—spanning a similar epoch to PBS’ previous block•buster Downton Abbey {see our earlier blog post}—“has been a roller coaster ride through war and romance,” the reviewer continues, “following the rise and fall of its tit•ular character, the London retail magnate Harry Selfridge (played by Jeremy Piven).
Beginning as a lowly stockboy in Marshall Field’s department store in Chicago—where fellow entrepreneur Mr. Skin is headquartered—Harry Gordon Selfridge took off for London at age 50 and opened his eponymous store in 1909 {a rare postcard announcing the opening is below}.
The marketing genius revolutionized retailing—inventing the phrase “the customer is always right,” becoming the first to light shop windows at night and moving such “racy and taboo” items as ladies lingerie and toiletries from under the counter to the front of the store. Thus, visitors were greeted with the sweet scent of perfume at the entrance—cleverly designed to mask the manure from the horse-carriages outside.
Today, modern double-decker buses bring tourists at all hours of the day to view the still-thriving landmark.
“But while Mr. Selfridge was devoted to business,” the Daily Mail points out, “he always found time to pursue pleasure.” Admits his adoring (and surviving) great-granddaughter Cleone Augur: “He had a good time with the ladies,” though she insists: “He did not have affairs when his wife was alive, though he went slightly bananas after she died in the flu epidemic of 1918.” Here’s his beloved Rose, in the cream-colored suit from the show.
And here’s the real Rose and Harry Selfridge—she was the heiress to the wealthy Buckingham family of Chicago {namesakes of the famous Fountain and the ’60s pop group that had huge hits with “Don’t You Care?” and “Have Mercy on Me”}. Rose scandalized British society shortly after arriving by posing in a sheer dress that revealed her underwear due to the flash (above right).
So let’s flash forward to the present-day series…and begin our flash backs of its English roses in their sexiest poses with the actress who em•bodied our hero’s beloved bride:
FRANCES O’CONNOR asRose Selfridge, Harry’s tragic wife
KIKA MARKHAM asLois Selfridge, Harry’s adored mother
Topless above from Double Dare and bottomless below in Sea Song!
Harry and Rose doted on their debutante daughters, Rosalie and Violette—the society sexpots below left are played by real-life sisters Kara and Hannah Tointon (below right).
KARA TOINTON as Rosalie Selfridge, Harry’s elder daughter
The apple of her Pa’s eye, he nicknamed her ‘Rosebud’
HANNAH TOINTON as Violette Selfridge, Harry’s younger daughter (at left below)
The feisty beauty wore Marie Antoinette’s lace on her wedding dress in 1921, flew around the world for her honeymoon in a two-seater private plane (sharing the controls with her groom) and died in 1996 at age 99!
“My great-grandmother was a deeply religious woman and wasn’t on the make,” huffs Selfridge’s surviving great-granddaughter. Indeed, she looks almost angelic (above right) compared to the conniving Russian freeloader portrayed in the show by Zoë Wanamaker {whose father was famed actor Sam Wanamaker}.
ZOË WANAMAKER as Princess Marie Wiasemsky, mother-in-law of Rosalie Selfridge
AMY BETH HAYES asKitty Hawkins Edwards, Head of Beauty at Selfridge’s
Kitty is shocked and humiliated when husband Frank has a fling, but she let a lover head ‘to the south of France” {sans pants!} in 2010 on the British TV series Misfits
SACHA PARKINSON as Connie Hawkins Towler, Kitty’s little sister and Fashion salesgirl
The more happily-married of the two, Sacha’s shelves are even more ‘stacked’ than her those of her big sis (above) and her lower drawers have put a major camel toe on display!
AISLING LOFTUS as Agnes Towler Leclair, Harry’s prim protégée who married window dresser Henri and moved to France
AMANDA ABBINGTON as Miss Josie Mardle Grove, Head of Fashion at Selfridge’s and Roger’s recent widow
She’s being taken from behind by True Blood’s gentlemanly ‘Bill Compton’ (Stephen Moyer, above)…butt in real life Amanda makes it a Hobbit with Martin (Sherlock) Freeman—they’ve been partners for 16 years and have 2 kids!
“I love this season the most,” reflects Jeremy Piven as the Selfridge finale approaches. “I know I have said that every year but it really does just keep getting better.
Something to shoot for in our up•coming Part Two …
