Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/D/1/9/31
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 7 September 1954 (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
Beaton writes to confirm that he has received Freedman's letter on his return from holidays the day before. Aldrich and Myers want to have the play put on at a summer stock theatre but Beaton is afraid they might not get the right cast and production. If Grace Kelly is willing to do it in 1955/56 she would not want to start on summer stock. Glen Byam Shaw thinks Beaton has a better chance of success in America as the English critics had not favourably received the first version. Shaw would have loved to direct it if he wasn't as busy. He felt Beaton needed a very robust director, and Frith Banbury would not do. Beaton would love to have Peter Glenville who is unfortunately booked up. Quotes from A3/1/29. Beaton will get in touch with Kitty Black to see if she has any suggestions. Binkie wrote to him an interesting letter, although Beaton disagrees with some of the objections. Beaton may come to America to work on Enid's play. He read the first act which he found "enchanting".