Ivy Pearson

Ivy Pearson, known by the nickname Champagne Ivy, was a prostitute in Soho. When Dr. Henry Jekyll and his colleague Dr. John Lanyon were walking home they came upon Ivy being beaten by one of her callers. An incensed Jekyll chased the blackguard away and carried Ivy upstairs to her apartment, placing her in bed. Ivy became immediately smitten with the doctor, and pretended to be more hurt than she actually was, so that Jekyll would "examine" her. This resulted in her pulling Jekyll into a kiss.

At this point, Lanyon came in to check on them and caught them at it. As he and Jekyll left, Ivy made Jekyll promise to "come back soon." It was this thought that was on the mind of Edward Hyde upon his creation through Jekyll's infamous formula. Proceeding immediately to the Variety Music Hall where Ivy worked part-time as a singer, Hyde forced her to have a drink with him. Ivy was repulsed by Hyde's appearance, but he assured her he could provide her with an expensive apartment and lots of money, provided she be totally his. Sealing her doom, Ivy agreed.

What followed was an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. Hyde terrorized and beat Ivy regularly. When Hyde left mysteriously, a man named Poole came with a parcel of money from Dr. Jekyll. Recognizing the name, Ivy, at her landlady Mrs. Hawkins' advice, went to see Jekyll to plead for his help in ridding her of the abusive Hyde. She did not suspect Hyde was Jekyll. A remorseful Jekyll promised Ivy would never be bothered by Hyde ever again, to her relief.

However, it was not to be. Against his will Jekyll became Hyde without the use of his formula after witnessing a cat kill a bird. Hyde, enraged that Ivy had betrayed him and sought help from Jekyll, whom he loathed, went to Ivy's apartment. He pursued her and ultimately captured her. Revealing the terrible truth ("I am Jekyll!") he strangled her to death.

Comments

• Ivy's surname is spelled differently at two points in the film. In the newspaper article about her murder, it is spelled "Pearson." However in the end credits it is spelled "Pierson."