Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/D/1/9/89
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 13 January 1960 (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
A typescript letter, in which Beaton asks Hose to write to Freedman explaining that he thinks his play can be done on television in England or abroad, and asking whether he would agree to Czech taking care of this. Asks her to write to Czech explaining the situation and send her the last copy of the play. She can also tell her that Cyril Connolly gave a very favourable report of the play in Brighton. Beaton thinks they left the Sauguet piece of music at Denman's. Is returning by post the Henry Duke of Portland book. Asks Eileen to type out all that he marked. Is taking "a ghastly pleasure" in "Memento Mori."