Edith Bouvier Beale (November 7, 1917 – January 14, 2002), nicknamed Little Edie, was an American socialite, fashion model, and
cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...
performer. She was a first cousin of
Jacqueline Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...
and
Lee Bouvier Radziwill. She is best known for her participation (along with
her mother, with whom she lived) in the 1975 documentary film ''
Grey Gardens'' by
Albert and David Maysles
Albert Maysles (November 26, 1926 – March 5, 2015) and his brother David Maysles (January 10, 1931 – January 3, 1987; ) were an American documentary filmmaking team known for their work in the Direct Cinema style. Their best-known films i ...
.
Early life
Beale was born in New York City, the only daughter of
Phelan Beale, a lawyer, and
Edith Ewing Bouvier
Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (October 5, 1895 – February 5, 1977) was an American socialite and singer known for her reclusive and eccentric lifestyle. Known as Big Edie, she was a sister of John Vernou Bouvier III and an aunt of Jacqueline ...
(known as "Big Edie"), the daughter of Phelan’s law partner,
John Vernou Bouvier Jr.
Major John Vernou Bouvier Jr. (August 12, 1866 – January 15, 1948) was an American Wall Street lawyer and stockbroker. He was the father of John Vernou Bouvier III as well as a grandfather of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, socialite Le ...
She was born at 1917 Madison Avenue (now the site of the
Carlyle Hotel
The Carlyle Hotel, known formally as The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, is a combination luxury apartment hotel located at 35 East 76th Street on the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and East 76th Street, on the Upper East Side of New York City. O ...
). She had two brothers,
Phelan Beale Jr.
Phelan Beale Jr. (June 16, 1920 – June 26, 1993) was an American journalist and unemployment compensation law expert. He was a son of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale and a brother of Edith Bouvier Beale whose lives were highlighted in the documentary ...
and
Bouvier Beale, and had a lavish upbringing as part of America's "Catholic aristocracy". Beale attended
The Spence School
, motto_translation = Not for school, but for life we learn
, founder = Clara B. Spence
, tuition = $60,880 (2022-2023)
, chair =
, head_label =
, head ...
and graduated from
Miss Porter's School in 1935.
Known as "Little Edie," Beale was a member of the
Maidstone Country Club of East Hampton. A
debutante
A debutante, also spelled débutante, ( ; from french: débutante , "female beginner") or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and, as a new adult, is presented to society at a formal " ...
, she was presented to society during a ball at the
Pierre Hotel on New Year's Day 1936. ''The New York Times'' reported on the event, where she wore a gown of white net
appliqued in silver with a wreath of gardenias in her hair.
While Beale was young, her mother pursued a singing career, hiring an accompanist and playing at small venues and private parties. In the summer of 1931, Phelan Beale separated from his wife, leaving Big Edie, then 35 years old, dependent on the Bouviers for the care of herself and children. In 1946, he finally obtained a divorce, notifying his family by telegram from Mexico.
In her youth, Little Edie was a clothes model at
Macy's
Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
in New York
and
Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoas ...
. She later claimed to have dated
J. Paul Getty
Jean Paul Getty Sr. (; December 15, 1892 – June 6, 1976) was an American-born British petroleum industrialist who founded the Getty Oil Company in 1942 and was the patriarch of the Getty family. A native of Minneapolis, he was the son of pi ...
and to have once been engaged to
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. (July 25, 1915 – August 12, 1944) was the eldest of the nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. A US Navy lieutenant, he was killed in action during World War II while serving as a l ...
(although in reality she only met him once).
[''Grey Gardens'' DVD (2009). HBO. Audio commentary with executive producers Michael Sucsy, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz.] During the 1961 inauguration of
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...
, she told
Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
Joseph Patrick Kennedy (September 6, 1888 – November 18, 1969) was an American businessman, investor, and politician. He is known for his own political prominence as well as that of his children and was the patriarch of the Irish-American Ke ...
that, if young Joe had lived, she would have been
First Lady
First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
instead of Jackie. Once, Beale ran away to Palm Beach, where she was found by her father and brought home.
From 1947 to 1952, she lived in the
Barbizon Hotel for Women and worked as a model, dancer, and actress.
[ When she was in her late 30s, Beale developed ]alopecia totalis
Alopecia totalis is the loss of all hair on the head and face. Its causes are unclear, but believed to be autoimmune. Research suggests there may be a genetic component linked to developing alopecia totalis; the presence of DRB1*0401 and DQB1*0301 ...
which caused her body hair to fall out and prompted her to wear her signature headscarves. Beale's cousin, John Davis, claims Beale once climbed a tree at the house and set her hair on fire, suggesting Beale might have contributed to her own baldness.
Grey Gardens
On July 29, 1952, Beale returned to live with her mother in the East Hampton estate Grey Gardens.
In October 1971, police raided Grey Gardens and found the house "full of litter, rife with the odor of cats and in violation of various local ordinances". The Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County () is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. It is mainly located on the eastern end of Long Island, but also includes several smaller islands. According to the 2020 United States census, the county's populatio ...
, Board of Health prepared to evict Beale and "Big Edie" due to the unsafe condition of the property. Following the publicity, Beale's family paid a reported $30,000 to refurbish the property, settle back taxes, and give Beale and "Big Edie" a stipend (the two women's trust fund income had run out some years before). The eviction proceedings were dropped.
Beale's cousin Lee Radziwill hired documentary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles
Albert Maysles (November 26, 1926 – March 5, 2015) and his brother David Maysles (January 10, 1931 – January 3, 1987; ) were an American documentary filmmaking team known for their work in the Direct Cinema style. Their best-known films i ...
in 1972 to work on a film about the Bouvier family. At the outset, the brothers filmed Beale and "Big Edie". The original film project was not completed, and Radziwill kept the footage that had been shot of the Beales. However, the Maysles brothers were fascinated by the strange life the two women led. After raising funds for film and equipment on their own they returned and filmed 70 more hours of footage with Beale and Big Edie. The resulting 1975 film '' Grey Gardens'' is widely considered a masterpiece of the documentary genre. It was later adapted as a 2006 musical of the same name, where the characters Lee and Jackie Bouvier appear as visiting children in retrospect. An HBO television movie based upon the documentary and surrounding story of the Beales' lives, also called '' Grey Gardens'', appeared in 2009.
The original 1972 footage featuring Radziwill visiting the Beales was released in 2017 as '' That Summer''.
Later life
After her mother's death in February 1977, Beale attempted to start a cabaret career at age 60 with eight shows (January 10–14, 1978) at Reno Sweeney, a Manhattan night spot at 126 W. 13th Street. The club kept the bad reviews from her (''The New York Times'', on January 12, 1978, called it "a public display of ineptitude"), and she faced two new audiences per night, even through a fever and recent cataract surgery. She continued to live in Grey Gardens for about two years, according to her mother's wishes, holding out against selling the house as a teardown. In 1979, she sold the mansion to Ben Bradlee, then the executive editor of ''The Washington Post''.
Beale moved to Bal Harbour, Florida, in late 1997. She was found dead in her apartment on January 14, 2002, aged 84; it is believed she died about five days earlier, either from a stroke or heart attack. The inscription on her grave marker reads: "I came from God. I belong to God. In the end—I shall return to God."
Legacy
Interest in the Beales' story resulted in a variety of publishing and media projects as well as various mentions in popular culture.
* The original 1975 Maysles brothers' documentary '' Grey Gardens''.
* '' Grey Gardens: A New Musical'' debuted off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
in March 2006, starring Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals '' 42nd Street'' and ''Grey Gardens'', winning two Tony Awards. She has co-s ...
, and played on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre
The Walter Kerr Theatre, previously the Ritz Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 219 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed for the Shube ...
November 2, 2006 – July 28, 2007 for 300+ performances. Little Edie was portrayed in the first act by actresses Sara Gettelfinger
Sara Gettelfinger (born 1977 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American actress, singer, and dancer.
Early life and education
Gettelfinger was raised in Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana. (off-Broadway) and Erin Davie
Erin Davie is an American actress and singer, best known for her performance as the young Edith Bouvier Beale in the Broadway production of the musical ''Grey Gardens'', taking the part on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2006, after its ini ...
(on Broadway). Ebersole played Little Edie in the second act. Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson
Mary Louise Wilson (born November 12, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and comedian.
In a career that has spanned more than 50 years, she has appeared in a number of plays, films and television shows. Wilson's most notable work includes a ...
won Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
s.
* The Spring 2010 issue of the online literary journal BigCityLit features a pantoum by American poet Joel Allegretti called "The Belles of Grey Gardens", which is made up entirely of dialogue from the Maysles' documentary.
* In the 2011 episode of ''30 Rock
''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', takes ...
'' titled "Mrs. Donaghy
"Mrs. Donaghy" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the American television comedy series ''30 Rock'', and the 91st overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producer Jack Burditt and directed by Tricia Brock. The e ...
," Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis Lemon is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television series ''30 Rock''. She created and writes for the fictional comedy-sketch show ''The Girlie Show'' and later ''TGS with Tracy Jordan''.
She is po ...
(portrayed by Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
) does an impression of Drew Barrymore's impersonating Little Edie.
* A February 2013 episode of '' RuPaul's Drag Race'' featured drag queen Jinkx Monsoon imitating Little Edie during the Snatch Game challenge. Inspired by that episode, Jinkx Monsoon and Peaches Christ
Peaches Christ (stage name for Joshua Grannell) is an American underground drag performer, emcee, filmmaker, and actor. Peaches currently resides in San Francisco where her Backlash Production Company and Midnight Mass movie series are based. Gra ...
mounted a live 90-minute musical drag parody ''Return to Grey Gardens''.
* The first episode of the IFC mockumentary series ''Documentary Now!
''Documentary Now!'' is an American mockumentary television series, created by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Rhys Thomas, that premiered on August 20, 2015, on IFC. Armisen and Hader star in many episodes, and Thomas and Alex Buono ...
'' spoofed ''Grey Gardens'' in 2015, with Fred Armisen
Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series ''Portlandia''. He ...
and Bill Hader as mother and daughter in ''Sandy Passage''.
* The 2017 documentary film '' That Summer'' featured the original 1972 footage of Radziwill visiting the Beales.
Notes
References
Further reading
* ''My Life at Grey Gardens: Thirteen Months and Beyond'' by Lois Wright (2005). .
* '' Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway'', a documentary by Albert Maysles about the making of the musical ''Grey Gardens''.
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beale, Edith Bouvier
1917 births
2002 deaths
American cabaret performers
American debutantes
American female dancers
American Roman Catholics
American socialites
Beale family
Bouvier family
Burials at Locust Valley Cemetery
Dancers from New York (state)
Female models from New York (state)
Miss Porter's School alumni
People from East Hampton (town), New York
People from Miami-Dade County, Florida
People from the Upper East Side
People with alopecia universalis
Spence School alumni