Fonds GB 0210 MSMCBEAN - Angus McBean manuscripts

Angus McBean (1904-1990), photographer, was born in Newbridge, Monmouthshire, on 8 June 1904, the son of Clem and Irene McBean. The family moved regularly due to his father's work as a mine surveyor. He attended Monmouth Grammar School, 1915-1921, and Newport Technical College, 1921, then worked as a bank clerk, 1921-1924. Following his father's death in 1924 he moved to London with his mother and sister and worked in a department store for several years. He had been interested in photography, the theatre and mask making since his teenage years and in 1934 he became assistant to photographer Hugh Cecil (1889-1974). The following year he opened his own portrait studio. A commission from Ivor Novello to make masks for the play 'The Happy Hypocrite' in 1936 eventually led to him becoming one of the foremost theatrical photographers of his time. He also became famous for his surrealist portraits of the stars of theatre and film, comedians and pop stars. Work for record company EMI included the famous photograph of the Beatles for the cover of their first album 'Please Please Me' (1963). From 1945 McBean was based at a studio in Endell Street, Covent Garden, employing up to ten people; he relocated to Islington in the late 1960s. He retired in 1970 and went to live at Fleming's Hall, Suffolk. He came out of retirement in 1983, taking fashion photos and portraits until his death in June 1990.