Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/D/1/9/77
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 16 October 1959 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
1p paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Photographer, artist, writer, and designer of scenery and costumes. Educated at Harrow and St John's College, Cambridge, 1922-5. Made his name as a photographer through portraits of the Sitwells. Employed by Vogue in London and New York. Published 'The Book of Beauty' (1930). Photographed the Duke of Windsor's wedding, 1937. War photographer, 1939-45. Designed 'Lady Windermere's Fan', 1945. Designed costumes for 'An Ideal Husband' and 'Anna Karenina', 1948. Worked on 'The School for Scandal', 1949, 'Quadrille' for Noel Coward, 1952, 'Turandot', 1961, and 'La Traviata', 1966. Designed costumes for 'My Fair Lady', 1956, and for the film version in Hollywood, 1963. His play 'The Gainsborough Girls', 1951 and 1959, was unsuccessful. Published 'The Glass of Fashion' (1954), and six volumes of diaries. Exhibited photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, 1968. Knighted 1972.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Beaton is frustrated that Wolfit might not get punished but will follow Milmo's advice. Hopes Minster will send his letter to the Managers. Stands by what he wrote. Tomorrow is Beaton's "big day": the costume parade for "Saratoga". Very disappointed by "Fiorello", the Harold Prince musical. Hated Chéri [a play by Anita Loos adapted from the novel by Colette] but not because of Anita's script. Took a "Modess" sitting and two more on Monday. Typescript postcript: Doesn't remember if he asked her to bill Modess in January for the three sittings. Asks her to have another picture made of Mrs Ogden Mills, Mrs Fell and Mrs Cushings for Vogue. Has already received a $25.00 cheque for this.