Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/D/1/9/69
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- September 1959 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
2p 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
Rehearses all his grievances against Wolfit. Wolfit was selfish during rehearsals. Resorted to "virtual blackmail" by threatening to walk out of the play. Gave a "shamefully unsuitable, old-fashioned performance". Failed to learn the part. Inserted "humourless, oversentimental phrases". Sought pity when afraid that his behaviour would make him unpopular. "Finally broke all theatre ethics" by communicating his private grievances to the press with no consideration for the other actors and people involved. Beaton could not refute his aspersions for fear of further damaging the play. He had been warned of Wolfit's "reputation for recalcitrance" when he approached him. Hopes "there will be less opportunities for [him] to create these disturbances in future".