Adrian Woodhouse (born 27 July 1951) is a British writer, journalist and collector. Born in Calcutta, India he moved with his family back to their native country in the mid-1960s. After reading history at
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city ...
, he started work as a financial journalist before moving into gossip which better suited his talent since childhood for "collecting" famous people. In 1978 he became editor of
Londoner's Diary
"Londoner's Diary" is a gossip column in the London ''Evening Standard''. Since 1916 the column has provided readers with witty and mischievous insights into high society; from political scandals and literary feuds to the backstage gossip at fash ...
in the ''
Evening Standard
The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format.
In October 2009, after be ...
'' for four years and in the following decade worked successively for ''
Tatler
''Tatler'' is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications focusing on fashion and lifestyle, as well as coverage of high society and politics. It is targeted towards the British upper-middle class and upper class, and those interes ...
'', ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' and Robert Maxwell's short-lived ''London Daily News''.
Through his more conventional collecting he curated from 1978 pioneering exhibitions of his favourite subjects - ceramics designer
Susie Cooper
Susan Vera Cooper OBE (29 October 1902 – 28 July 1995) was a prolific English ceramic designer working in the Stoke-on-Trent pottery industries from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Life and work
Born in Burslem, Staffordshire, she was the youngest of ...
, graphic artist
Beresford Egan
Beresford Egan (1905–1984) was a satirical draughtsman, painter, novelist, actor, costume designer and playwright. He was born in London but grew up in South Africa following a family move when he was five years old. He returned to London in Ju ...
and surrealist photographer
Angus McBean
Angus Rowland McBean (8 June 1904 – 9 June 1990) was a Welsh photographer, set designer and cult figure associated with surrealism.
Early life
Angus Rowland McBean was born in Newbridge, Monmouthshire, Wales on 8 June 1904, elder child and o ...
- and published full-length biographies of all three. With McBean he also wrote ''Vivien: A Love Affair in Camera'' about
Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh ( ; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967; born Vivian Mary Hartley), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O'Hara in ''Gon ...
.
From the 1990s garden and architectural history have been his staples in ''
Country Life'' and other magazines. He was initiator of the Capability Brown birthplace museum at Kirkharle, Northumberland in 2000 and is acknowledged
[ 'British Art Journal'', May, 2010/ref> champion of the reputation of the 17th century architect and designer John Smythson.
These professional notices should not obscure a colourful personal life that includes film and theatre legends, popstars and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. As yet the arch-gossip has not been persuaded to spill the beans about his unofficial as well as official encounters with the famous.
]
Bibliography
*''Vivien Leigh: A Love Affair In Camera''. London: Phaidon, 1989. (with Angus McBean.)
*''Susie Cooper''. Trilby Books, 1992.
*''Beresford Egan''. North Yorkshire:, Tartarus Press, 2005.
*''Angus McBean: Facemaker''. London: Alma, 2006.
*''Shakespeare by McBean''. Manchester. Manchester University Press, 2018
References
External links
''Beresford Egan'' by Adrian Woodhouse
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodhouse, Adrian
Living people
1951 births
British male writers
Alumni of King's College, Cambridge