Edie beale biography

Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale

American socialite and songster (1895 – 1977)

Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (née Bouvier; October 5, 1895 – Feb 5, 1977) was an American socialite and singer known for her reclusive[1][2] and eccentric lifestyle.[3][4] Known as Big Edie,[5] she was a sister nominate John Vernou Bouvier III and authentic aunt of First Lady Jacqueline Jfk Onassis and socialite Princess Lee Radziwill. Her life and relationship with amass daughter Edith Bouvier Beale was highlighted in the 1975 documentary Grey Gardens.[1]

Biography

Beale's parents were Maude Frances Sergeant additional John Vernou Bouvier Jr., the kindly grandparents of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.[1] Her siblings were John Vernou Bouvier III; William Sergeant "Bud" Bouvier (1893–1929), who died from alcoholism; and sisters Maude Reppelin Bouvier Davis (1905–1999) and Michelle Caroline Bouvier Scott Putnam (1905–1987).[6]

Beale was engaged to Horace Heed. Bigelow Allen. However they broke cancel their engagement in 1916. Horace right now joined the Red Cross and nautical port for France to drive ambulances extensive World War I. There, he wed another socialite named Kiki Gwynne. Kiki went on to become known whilst "the girl with the silver syringe" and was the alleged mother type a child born out of union with Prince George, Duke of County, fourth son of King George Fully. That child, Michael Temple Canfield, became Beale's niece Lee Radziwill’s first husband.[7]

Beale pursued an amateur singing career endure in 1917 married lawyer/financier Phelan Beale (who worked at her father's illtreat firm Bouvier and Beale) in calligraphic lavish Catholic ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.[8] The combine lived at 987 Madison Avenue (now the site of the Carlyle Hotel). They had three children: daughter Edith (who was referred to as "Little Edie", 1917–2002) and two sons (Phelan Beale, Jr., 1920–1993, and Bouvier Beale, 1922–1994).[1]

In 1923, Phelan Beale purchased blue blood the gentry Grey Gardens mansion in the Georgica neighborhood of East Hampton, a stop up from the Atlantic Ocean. The Beales separated in 1931, with Edith use the Grey Gardens house. Edith reactionary child support, but no form pressure alimony. She continued to pursue become known singing career, giving recitals in squeeze up home and at local functions. Bring about sons went to college and Existence War II duty and had families of their own.[citation needed] In 1946, Phelan Beale notified her of their divorce via telegram from Mexico.[9] Locked in July 1952, Beale's daughter Edith (known as "Little Edie")[5] returned after quintuplet years in Manhattan to live for good at Grey Gardens.[10]

In October 1971, law enforcement agency raided Grey Gardens and found primacy house "full of litter, rife traffic the odor of cats and bond violation of various local ordinances". Ethics Suffolk County, New York, Board nominate Health prepared to evict Beale standing "Little Edie" due to the unsteady condition of the property. Following probity publicity, Beale's family paid a contemporaneous $30,000 to refurbish the property, put back taxes, and give Beale tell off "Little Edie" a stipend (the match up women's trust fund income had prod out some years before). The removal proceedings were dropped.[1]

Beale's niece, Lee Radziwill, hired documentary filmmakers Albert and Painter Maysles in 1972 to work push a film about the Bouvier lineage. At the outset, the brothers filmed Beale and "Little Edie".[11] The inspired film project was not completed, advocate Radziwill kept the footage that confidential been shot of the Beales.

The Maysles brothers were fascinated by ethics unique life the two women endorse. After raising funds for film famous equipment on their own they shared and filmed 70 more hours imitation footage with Beale and "Little Edie". The resulting 1975 film Grey Gardens is widely considered a masterpiece marvel at the documentary genre.

Beale died endorse pneumonia at Southampton Hospital in Southampton, New York on February 5, 1977. Her body is buried in nobleness Bouvier family plot at Most Unacceptable Trinity Catholic Cemetery in East Hampton.[1]

As Beale neared her death, "Little Edie" reportedly asked if she had woman in the street final thoughts. Beale replied: "There's drawback more to say. It's all detect the film."[12]

Legacy

The notoriety of the 1975 Grey Gardens documentary prompted various blemish works. The documentary was adapted though a 2006 musical of the harmonize name, including the characters Lee become peaceful Jackie Bouvier appearing as visiting breed in retrospect. The documentary film playing field the story surrounding the Beales' lives was the basis of the 2009 HBO television movie Grey Gardens.[13] Picture original 1972 footage featuring Radziwill blight the Beales was released in 2017 as That Summer.[14]

References

  1. ^ abcdefSaxon, Wolfgang (February 7, 1977). "Edith Bouvier Beale, Solitary, Dead at 81. Aunt of Wife. Onassis Was Subject of the Film Movie 'Grey Gardens'". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  2. ^Nolasco, Stephanie (11 September 2018). "Jackie Kennedy Onassis was 'horrified' of recluse aunt, cousin soul in crumbling Grey Gardens, book claims". Fox News.
  3. ^Brady, Tara. "That Summer: Demonstrate the walls fell in on depiction Hamptons". The Irish Times.
  4. ^Nicholson, Amy (18 May 2018). "That Summer: the report behind the 'other' Grey Gardens documentary". The Guardian – via
  5. ^ abAylmer, Olivia (18 May 2018). "A Hardly any Glimpse Inside Lee Radziwill's Once-in-a-Lifetime Summertime at Grey Gardens". Vanities.
  6. ^"Family tree rot Edith Ewing Bouvier". Geneanet. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  7. ^"Facebook". . Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  8. ^"About Big Edie". . Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  9. ^"A Return to Grey Gardens". . 26 October 2006.
  10. ^Goodman, Walter (February 22, 1976). "'Grey Gardens': Cinéma Verité or Sideshow?". The New York Times – via
  11. ^Woodman, Sue (2002-02-09). "Obituary: Edith Bouvier Beale". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  12. ^Thames, Stephanie (April 11, 2014). "A Trip to Grey Gardens plus Albert Maysles". TCM Classic Film Celebration Hollywood 2014. Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  13. ^Rohter, Larry (2009-04-07). "'Grey Gardens,' Exacerbate Story Included, on HBO With Player Barrymore". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  14. ^Weissberg, Jay (March 30, 2018). "Film Review: That Summer". Variety.

External links