English actress Nell Gwyn was BOTD in 1650 (or possibly 1642). Born in London as the daughter of a sex worker, she raised among the street vendors of Covent Garden, working as a hawker and possibly as a child prostitute. Hired as an orange seller in the newly-reopened theatre in Bridges Street (now the Theatre Royal Drury Lane), she began acting professionally. She quickly became one of the most popular theatre stars of her age, particularly known for her comic roles. She eventually caught the eye of King Charles II, and became his mistress in around 1668, bearing him two illegitimate children whom he raised to the peerage. She is also thought to have had affairs with playwright Aphra Behn, and Frances Talbot the Countess of Tyrconnell. Charles died in 1685, requesting on his deathbed “Let not poor Nelly starve”. His successor James II duly paid off her debts and granted her a pension. She died of complications from tertiary syphilis in 1687, aged 37 (or 45, depending on which birth year you believe). One of the most beloved folk heroes in English history, her life and legacy have inspired numerous books, plays and films. She has been portrayed  onscreen by Mary Pickford, Dorothy Gish, Gracie Fields and Anna Neagle.