- Collection:
- Cutler Collection
- Title:
- Hazel Beamer Cutler diary, 1922 September 11-1923 January 20
- Creator:
- Cutler, Hazel Beamer, 1901-1980
- Date of Original:
- 1922-09-11/1923-01-20
- Subject:
- Ziegfeld follies
Musical theater producers and directors--New York (State)--New York
Dance--New York (State)--New York
Dancers--New York (State)--New York
Dance teachers--New York (State)--New York
Artists--New York (State)--New York
Women pianists--New York (State)--New York
Thomasville (Ga.)--Description and travel
Thomasville (Ga.)--History
New York (N.Y.)--Description and travel
New York (N.Y.)--History
Man-woman relationships--New York (State)--New York
Man-woman relationships--Georgia--Thomasville
Friendship--Georgia--Thomasville - People:
- Cutler, Hazel Beamer, 1901-1980--Diaries
Cutler, Hazel Beamer, 1901-1980--Friends and associates
Haggin, Ben Ali, III, 1882-1951
Ziegfeld, Flo, 1869-1932
Rybner, Dagmar de Corval, 1890-1965
Valentino, Rudolph, 1895-1926
Keith, Boudinot, 1859-1925
Keith, Dora Wheeler, 1856-1940
Beamer, Bessie Baker, 1864-1955 - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Thomas County, Thomasville, 30.83658, -83.97878
United States, New York, New York County, New York, 40.7142691, -74.0059729 - Medium:
- diaries
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- Diary of Hazel Beamer Cutler (1901-1980), dated September 11, 1922, to January 20, 1923. The diary documents Hazel Beamer's life in New York City where she attended college and performed as a dancer before she married and took the surname of Cutler, and a Christmas vacation that she took back home in Thomasville, Georgia, where she grew up. In the diary, Beamer writes about portrait painter and stage designer Ben Ali Haggin, III (1882-1951), and her conflicting thoughts about a romance with him. Many of her diary entries describe outings and time spent with Haggin, her doubts about pursuing a romantic relationship or marriage with him, and the complexity of their relationship. Throughout the diary, Beamer describes several disagreements that she had with Haggin; some brought about by his drinking, where they argued about whether she loved him, and whether he was assisting her with her career because he was attracted to her, rather than on her merits. Throughout the diary, Beamer refers to "Uncle Boudi," probably Boudinot Keith (1859-1925), New York lawyer and reformer, and husband of illustrator, portrait artist, and muralist Dora Wheeler Keith (1856-1940), referred to as "Dearie," both of whom were Beamer's hosts and guardians in New York. On September 24, 1922, Haggin took Beamer to meet dancer, actress, and model Florence O'Denishawn. Beamer describes her dance classes (including "buck and wing" style dance), and classes taught by teachers named "Tarasoff" and "Billie." On November 4, 1922, she notes that Haggin was planning to take her to audition for Flo Ziegfeld, and she describes practicing for the audition with her teacher Billie. On her audition day for Ziegfeld, November 6, 1922, she was upset that Haggin canceled on introducing her to Ziegfeld and that she had to meet Ziegfeld on her own. She enjoyed her meeting with Ziegfeld, whom she had a friendly chat with, and was surprised he directed her straight to rehearsals without even having to audition. Later in the diary, she describes how elated she is to be dancing in the Ziegfeld Follies. She recalls several occasions where composer Dagmar Rybner played piano a small group of friends at Haggin's studio. On November 14, 1922, Beamer turned up an opportunity to meed Rudolph Valentino, on account of a disagreement with Haggin. She ended up meeting Valentino and his wife on November 20, 1922, as Haggin painted Valentino's portrait. She saw the Valentinos again on November 21, 1922. She describes rebuffing a suitor named "Bob," traveling down to Georgia for the Christmas holiday, where she was surprised by her friend "Hattie" on the train, and spending time with numerous suitors back in Thomasville, Georgia. She is most enamored by a boy named "Paul" (Paul Searcy) and spends a good portion of the remainder of her diary writing about her dates and encounters with him. Most of the mentions about her family members involve going shopping with her mother, Eva Elizabeth "Bessie" Baker Beamer (1864-1955). She is pleased that people back home in Thomasville are excited about her career. She spent most of her time on her Christmas vacation being entertained by suitors, or with her friend Hattie and other girlfriends.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:tchs_cutcol_tchs6129-08-01
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:tchs_cutcol_tchs6129-08-01
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/tchs_cutcol_tchs6129-08-01/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Holding Institution:
- Thomasville History Center
- Rights:
-
