Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/A/A2/14a/121
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 30 May 1954 (Circa. Letter dated 'May 29th or 30th Sunday'.) (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
2 p. 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
Wishes Garbo was at Reddish to enjoy summer in the English countryside. Reports that he has been at Reddish for two weeks working with Waldemar Hansen on several literary projects. Reflects on his Gainsborough play, which he has been rewriting. Complains that he has already worked on it for nearly five years. Praises Waldemar's company. Mentions that his mother has been away for three weeks. Refers to his short trips to London.