Ivor Beddoes

Ivor William Gilmour Beddoes (28th April 1909-14th March 1981) was a British matte painter, sketch and storyboard artist, costume and set designer, painter, dancer, composer and poet. He is best known for his film work, spanning more than thirty years, from Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes to Star Wars and Superman.

Early Years

Beddoes was born in Muswell Hill, North London, the eldest child of Rex and Helen (nee Laird) Beddoes. From an early age he performed song and dance with his younger sister Gwen at musical evenings and concert parties.

As a child he attended Tollington School, at fifteen winning a scholarship to the Hampstead School of Art and at its closure after two years he was transferred to Hornsey School of Art. A few months after beginning his art study he was invited by Horace (Hodge) Bryant to join his concert party, eventually performing on every bandstand in London.

Stage Career

In 1927 Beddoes was spotted by Dick Tubb and gave up the idea of a career in art to tour as juvenile lead in The Bird's Nest. Having in his early teens taught himself to play the drums and read music, he also joined the orchestra to play jazz in the interval. In 1929 he became a drummer for the silent films until the talkies put him out of that job.

Although he still wanted to persue an artistic career, with the dire financial crisis of that time it was almost impossible to find commercial art work. In 1930 he was hired for a summer seaside concert party and at the end of the season was taken by his agent to the Cone School of Dance who were looking for a male dancer to partner one of their students. So at the age of 21 he took his place in a class of young girl students to learn the elementary of barre and centre practice.

Beddoes worked as a chorus boy, tap dancer and singer in several revues until he was unexpectedly asked to join the Camargo Society who, at the time, were recruiting male dancers and was sent to Ninette de Valois who he partnered in one of her ballets Les Petits Riens. He was subsequently invited to join the Vic-Wells Ballet, forerunner to the Royal Ballet, but had to decline because he would not have been able to survive on the money offered as he was hoping to get married. He went back to the commercial, musical side of theatre appearing in several shows including The Hour Glass, Helen, Bow Bells and The Golden Toy. During the the tour of the latter show, Beddoes was asked, along with Jack Spurgeon, one of the other dancers, to learn the show's existing tumbling act in 2 weeks, which they did, painfully. At the end of the run they were booked to take the act to the Windmill Theatre for a three week show.

Beddoes stayed at the Windmill for six years as a ballet dancer, character actor in the comedy sketches and singer/dancer in the musical ensemble scenes. Later he became choreographer for the ballets as well as set and costume designer all while performing 5 shows a day. Through Mrs. Laura Henderson Beddoes was introduced to John Ireland who accepted him as apupil in harmony and counterpoint. He then began to compose and orchestrate his own music for the ballets and tableaux.

On the 28th September 1940, at the end six weeks of Production No.136, Beddoes walked off the stage for the last time. He became a streatcher bearer in West Hampstead during the London Blitz and after a few months was called up into the British Army.

References

• http://www.artbiogs.co.uk/2/schools/hornsey-college-art
• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0875615/
• http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=D-cf2ecvqEAC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=camargo+society&source=bl&ots=p8afrXnifP&sig=QCdkj1GKvEPrN0ZOHyXvKjsafqw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3fRuUOS8BOKu0QXU5IBA&ved=0CFUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=camargo%20society&f=false
• http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=bq0yBdA0bicC&pg=PT74&lpg=PT74&dq=ivor+beddoes+camargo&source=bl&ots=XfZmHjz091&sig=_ijcwxnB1U8X4T28_CYcTsyLavg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ml5oULG5Aqmg0QXu9oHoBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ivor%20beddoes%20camargo&f=false
• http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=F7oOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=les+petits+riens+ninette+de+valois&source=bl&ots=lMtNRWJJMV&sig=VXWhXqR9Hsh6U2VZpfQUq-EQloM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ovxuUJf0MMiy0QWiwYGgAQ&ved=0CFYQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=les%20petits%20riens%20ninette%20de%20valois&f=false
• http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/london_shows_chronology/1932.htm
• http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_b/bowbells.htm
• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-jack-spurgeon-1421563.html