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Who Was Edith Bouvier Beale?
Edith Bouvier Beale, affectionately known as “Little Edie,” was a socialite and model, notable for her unique place in American cultural history as a cousin of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Beale’s life was marked by dramatic family challenges, including financial difficulties that led her and her mother to retreat to their once-grand estate, Grey Gardens, which fell into significant disrepair. The 1975 documentary Grey Gardens catapulted both women into the public eye, transforming them into cult figures and fashion icons.
Early Life
Edith Bouvier Beale was born on November 7, 1917, in New York City, as the eldest child of Phelan and Edith Ewing Beale. As a first cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Little Edie was raised in affluence, with her family’s wealth derived from successful ventures in Wall Street and law. This privileged background allowed her to experience a childhood that oscillated between the vibrant life of Manhattan and the serene landscapes of the Hamptons. In the early 1920s, the Beale family moved to Grey Gardens, a magnificent 28-room mansion with stunning water views.
Inspired by her artistic mother, who aspired to be a singer, Beale developed her own creative inclinations early on. By the age of nine, her poem was published in a local magazine, igniting her passion for writing. However, her true aspiration lay in performance, a pursuit that faced opposition from her father. At age 11, Beale was withdrawn from school for two years due to what was described as a respiratory illness. Instead of formal education, she spent her days accompanying her mother to movies and theaters.
Described as a beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes, Beale garnered attention for her striking appearance. In 1934, she attended Miss Porter’s finishing school in Connecticut while simultaneously modeling for Macy’s. Her debutante ball in New York City two years later was prominently featured in The New York Times, further establishing her social standing. By her early twenties, Beale had earned the moniker “Body Beautiful” and had notable romantic involvements, including a relationship with Howard Hughes and marriage proposals from prominent figures such as Joe Kennedy Jr. and millionaire J. Paul Getty. As a young adult, she resided at the Barbizon Hotel, a haven for aspiring actresses and models, where she anticipated more opportunities in the modeling and film industries.
Family Problems
However, the bright future she envisioned soon dimmed. By the mid-1930s, Phelan Beale had left Edith Ewing Beale for a younger woman, and their eventual divorce left Little Edie’s mother with the Grey Gardens estate and child support but little else. Struggling financially, Edith Ewing Beale resorted to selling family heirlooms and seeking assistance from her father, Major John Vernou Bouvier, Jr.
Despite the challenges, Big Edie’s ambitions in music remained strong, leading her to frequent clubs and record songs. In a notable incident in 1942, she arrived late to her son’s wedding, dressed as an opera singer, which further strained her relationship with her father, ultimately resulting in his decision to exclude her from his will.
As financial pressures mounted, Big Edie and Little Edie’s life at Grey Gardens deteriorated. In 1952, at her mother’s request, Little Edie returned to take care of her, remaining there until Big Edie’s death in 1977.
Reclusive Lifestyle
Over the following two decades, both women became increasingly reclusive, rarely leaving their property as it fell deeper into disrepair. Grey Gardens became overrun with stray cats—estimates suggest the number reached as high as 300—and raccoons, which Little Edie cared for. The estate was marked by unpaid bills and a decline in living conditions, with Beale sometimes relying on cat food for sustenance. Photographs from this period reveal a poignant contrast between their former lifestyle and their current state, as Beale stood amid heaps of discarded cat food cans.
In 1971, county officials, armed with a search warrant, deemed Grey Gardens “unfit for human habitation,” threatening eviction. The connection between the two women and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis drew media attention, with headlines such as “Jackie’s Aunt Told: Clean Up Mansion” appearing in The New York Post.
In response, Big Edie and Little Edie decried the officials’ actions as a “raid” and claimed to be artists misunderstood by bureaucrats. Eventually, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis intervened, providing financial assistance to clean the estate, ensuring her aunt and cousin could continue living in their home.
Grey Gardens
In the autumn of 1973, filmmakers David and Albert Maysles commenced production on their documentary focusing on Edie Beale and her mother, known as “Big Edie.” Released in 1975 to widespread acclaim, Grey Gardens depicted a home that had largely reverted to a state of squalor reminiscent of its earlier years. However, both audiences and critics were captivated by the unique personas of the Beales. Amidst the clutter and numerous cats, Little Edie captivated viewers with her flamboyant presence, often dancing in high heels as she expressed her feelings of missed opportunities for true fame.
Little Edie’s distinctive style played a significant role in the film’s appeal, particularly her improvised head wraps, which included towels, shirts, and scarves. These coverings were not merely fashionable; they served as a means to conceal the hair loss caused by alopecia, which she had developed in her early twenties. Nevertheless, this unconventional look garnered admiration. Notably, designer Calvin Klein acknowledged that Little Edie’s aesthetic influenced some of his designs. In 1997, Harper’s Bazaar even featured a photo spread inspired by her unique clothing creations.
Later Years and Death
After the passing of her mother in February 1977, Edie Beale departed Grey Gardens for New York City, where she briefly pursued a career as a cabaret singer in a Greenwich Village club. Performing songs and engaging with the audience, she dismissed any notions of exploitation, asserting, “This is something I’ve been planning since I was 19. I don’t care what they say about me—I’m just going to have a ball.”
In 1979, Edie sold Grey Gardens to Washington Post editors Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn for slightly over $220,000, alongside a commitment from the couple to restore the property. Eventually, she relocated to Florida, renting an apartment in Bal Harbour. Edie Beale passed away there on January 14, 2002, at the age of 84.
The legacy of Grey Gardens and the lives of Edie Beale and her mother have continued to resonate in popular culture. In recent years, a wealth of new material has emerged, including the 2006 DVD release of The Beales of Grey Gardens, which features over 90 minutes of previously unseen footage from the original Maysles documentary.
Moreover, the intriguing lives of Edie and Big Edie inspired a Broadway musical that garnered three Tony Awards in 2007, as well as a 2009 HBO film starring Drew Barrymore as Little Edie and Jessica Lange as Big Edie. Ultimately, the 1975 documentary, which Entertainment Weekly ranked as one of the top 50 cult films of all time in 2003, provided Edie Beale and her mother with the fame they had always sought.