Cecil Beaton British photographer and stage designer Date of Birth: 14.01.1904 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Cecil Beaton
2. Early Life and Education
3. Early Photography
4. Career and Achievements
5. Personal Life and Legacy

Biography of Cecil Beaton

Cecil Beaton was a British fashion photographer, portraitist, memoirist, style icon, interior designer, and costume and set designer. He was the recipient of three Oscar Awards for his work in the films "Gigi" (1958) and "My Fair Lady" (1964). He was also appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Early Life and Education

Cecil Beaton was born on January 14, 1904, in Hampstead, London. His father, Ernest Beaton, was a prosperous timber merchant, and his mother, Etty Sissons, came from a family of Welsh blacksmiths. Cecil grew up with his younger sisters and brother. He attended Heath Mount School and St Cyprian's School in Eastbourne, where his artistic talent was recognized.

Early Photography

Beaton developed an interest in photography at a young age. His nanny had a popular camera model called the "Kodak 3A Camera," which she used to teach him the basics of photography. He would often ask his mother and sisters to pose for him. As he gained more experience, he started sending his photographs to London magazines under a pseudonym. Eventually, his work caught the attention of British Vogue, and he became a staff photographer in 1927.

Career and Achievements

Beaton gained fame for his fashion photography and portraits of high society individuals. He also worked as a staff photographer for Vanity Fair and began photographing Hollywood celebrities. He was particularly fond of photographing Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. During World War II, Beaton worked for the Ministry of Information, capturing images of life on the home front. One of his most famous portraits was of three-year-old Eileen Dunne, who was injured during a bombing raid.

After the war, Beaton ventured into costume and set design. He created costumes and sets for the Broadway production of "Lady Windermere's Fan" and later worked on the films "Gigi" and "My Fair Lady," both of which earned him Oscar Awards. He also designed costumes and sets for several Broadway productions, winning four Tony Awards in the process. Additionally, Beaton worked on the opera production of Puccini's "Turandot" at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and Covent Garden in London.

Personal Life and Legacy

Throughout his life, Beaton published six volumes of his diaries, covering the years 1922 to 1974. In recent years, uncensored versions of his memoirs, featuring candid and insightful observations, have been released. Beaton was knighted in 1972. Two years later, he suffered a stroke, and by the early 1980s, his health had deteriorated significantly. He passed away on January 18, 1980, at the age of 76.

Beaton never married and was bisexual, having intimate relationships with both men and women. He had a close bond with collector Peter Watson but never considered themselves lovers. Beaton claimed to have had a romantic affair with American actor Gary Cooper, who was a close friend for many years. He also mentioned his relationships with actresses Greta Garbo and Coral Browne, as well as the British socialite Viscountess Castlerosse.