- Collection:
- Cutler Collection
- Title:
- Hazel Beamer Cutler diary, 1923 January 20-1923 May 30
- Creator:
- Cutler, Hazel Beamer, 1901-1980
- Date of Original:
- 1923-01-20/1923-05-30
- Subject:
- Cutler, Hazel Beamer, 1901-1980--Diaries
Cutler, Hazel Beamer, 1901-1980--Friends and associates
Haggin, Ben Ali, 1882-1951
O'Denishawn, Florence, 1897-1991
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
Wheeler, Candace, 1827-1923
Keith, Dora Wheeler, 1856-1940
Rybner, Dagmar de Corval, 1890-1965
Women pianists--New York (State)--New York
Keith, Boudinot, 1859-1925
Howland, Olin, 1886-1959
Dooley, Johnny, 1886-1928
Herbert, Victor, 1859-1924
Arthur, Julia, 1869-1950
Carroll, Harry, 1892-1962
Actors--New York (State)--New York
Rivoli Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
Composers--New York (State)--New York
Thomasville (Ga.)--Description and travel
Thomasville (Ga.)--History
Atlantic City (N.J.)--Description and travel
New York (N.Y.)--Description and travel
New York (N.Y.)--History
Man-woman relationships--New York (State)--New York - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Thomas County, Thomasville, 30.83658, -83.97878
United States, New Jersey, Atlantic County, Atlantic City, 39.36415, -74.42306
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 January 20, 1923, to May 30, 1923. The diary begins with Hazel Beamer's return from a trip to Thomasville, Georgia, where she grew up, to New York City where she attended college and performed as a dancer before she married and took the surname of Cutler. In the diary, Beamer describes her travel back to New York City from Thomasville, missing her Thomasville boyfriend "Paul" (Paul Searcy), and getting settled back in New York City with her "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." The Keiths were Beamer's hosts and guardians in New York. Beamer describes going back to school, rehearsing for a performance at the Strand Theatre, rebuffing a suitor named Lester, her mixed feelings about her friendship with portrait painter and stage designer Ben Ali Haggin, III (1882-1951), and spending time with dancer, actress, and model Florence O'Denishawn. She writes about her first professional dance performance on January 28, 1923, and describes her costume in great detail. She recorded the celebration of her twenty-second birthday on February 1, 1923, and remarks on all of the gifts she received, including a some flowers and a book she received from "Mrs. Wheeler," probably Candace Wheeler (1827-1923), the founder of the American decorative arts movement (and her hostess Dora Wheeler Keith's mother). Throughout the diary, Beamer vacillates between feeling less concerned about Ben Ali Haggin's romantic feelings towards her and being quite angry with him for lying to her about her career prospects. On February 12, 1923, she noted that actor Olin Howland is working on getting her in his next show. On February 24, 1923, she described attending one of Haggin's dress rehearsals and watching actor Johnny Dooley rehearse for one of his productions. She took a weekend trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey, met composer and conductor Victor Herbert at one of her rehearsals, and noted that he promised her music for her dance. Composer and pianist Dagmar Rybner played at one of her pantomime rehearsals at Haggin's studio. She sat for Dora Wheeler Keith ("Dearie") so that Keith could draw and paint her portrait. Beamer also contracted tonsillitis. Later in the diary, Beamer continues to distrust Ben Ali Haggin and has confided in a Frank McCoy "Mr. McCoy" who appears to represent the best interests of her career. Beamer writes about being cast in the production "Du Barry," noting that a conflict arose when she and another showgirl were assigned the same part, but that Mr. McCoy straightened out the problem. She expresses appreciation for Mr. McCoy. Beamer describes traveling to Philadelphia to perform in "Du Barry," notes that Victor Herbert attended one of her rehearsals, and greeted her heartily and that the shows were successful. After Beamer's success with "Du Barry," she and Haggin appear to coexist on better terms, though she notes he repeatedly professes his love for her, something about which she is conflicted. Beamer also mentions many dates she had with "George" (George Schleich), for whom she expresses a fondness. She describes rehearsals and a triumphant performance of "Du Barry" at New York City's Rivoli Theatre, and notes that she received compliments on her performance by Shakespearean actress Julia Arthur (who met her backstage), vaudeville entertainer Harry Carroll (whom she met several days later), and by her dance instructor "Tarasoff." Beamer laments the close of the production and its unceremonious final performance in a ballroom at the Pennsylvania Hotel.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:tchs_cutcol_tchs6129-08-02
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:tchs_cutcol_tchs6129-08-02
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/tchs_cutcol_tchs6129-08-02/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Holding Institution:
- Thomasville History Center
- Rights:
-
