Louise Heims Beck | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Louise Payton Heims (1889-02-23)February 23, 1889 |
| Died | March 16, 1978(1978-03-16) (aged 89) |
| Other names | Mrs. Martin Beck |
| Alma mater | Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry |
| Occupations |
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| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Morris Meyerfeld Jr. (uncle) |
| Awards | Special Tony Award (1958) Actors Fund Medal of Honor (1977) |
Louise Payton Heims Beck (February 23, 1889[1] – March 16, 1978[2]), sometimes referred to asMrs. Martin Beck, was an Americanlibrarian who became avaudeville performer and the wife of theatre impresarioMartin Beck. She assisted her husband in his theatrical enterprises until his death in 1940, after which she took over the management of hiseponymous Broadway theatre. Along withAntoinette Perry and several other women, she co-founded theAmerican Theater Wing (ATW) in its revived and revised version in 1940. She served as one of the directors of the ATW in its early years, and played a critical role in establishing both theStage Door Canteen duringWorld War II and theTony Awards in 1947. She was chairperson of the governing board of theActors' Fund of America from 1960 until her death in 1978.
Born Louise Payton Heims inOsceola, Pennsylvania, she graduated in 1911 from the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry (nowDrexel University) with a degree inLibrary Science.[1][3] While a student at Drexel she worked as an assistant librarian.[1] In 1911 she became the first librarian atWake Forest College; a post she held for four years.[3] In 1915 she relocated to New York City and assumed a position as a librarian with theNew York Public Library.[3] She left that post after successfully auditioning as a singer forMarcus Loew; who booked her for three performances a day in his vaudeville circuit.[3]
Her uncle wasMorris Meyerfeld Jr., a theatre entrepreneur who was the financial backer of the famousOrpheum Circuit.[4] He employed impresarioMartin Beck to hire the talent for his theaters.[4] In 1920 she married Beck after meeting him while touring in vaudeville.[2] They had two daughters together.[5] Prior to their marriage, her husband had founded Broadway'sPalace Theatre inTimes Square in 1912.[3] In 1924 he established a second theatre, theMartin Beck Theatre. Heims Beck became a close partner to her husband in his theatrical endeavors, advising him on productions and reviewing potential scripts for use in his theatres.[2] After his death in 1940, she continued to manage the Martin Beck Theatre with Louis A. Lotito.[3]
In 1940 Heims Beck co-founded theAmerican Theatre Wing (ATW) withAntoinette Perry, the organization responsible for theTony Awards.[3][2] Initially the organization was established to raise funds and supplies, such as clothing and medical items, to aid American and British military personnel in need duringWorld War II (WWII).[6] She was one of the ATW's directors from 1940 until 1946 when Perry died; serving as the organization's first Vice President.[3][7] She played an integral role in the establishment of both theStage Door Canteen during WWII and the Tony Awards in 1947.[3] She was responsible for overseeing the organization of the1st Tony Awards.[2] In her role as chairman of the ATW in 1950–1951, she served as one of the main presenters at the4th and5th Tony Awards.[8][9]
In addition to her work with the ATW, Heims Beck was dedicated to theActors Fund of America; serving first as a trustee of the organization and then chairman of its governing executive committee from 1960 until her death eighteen years later.[2] She concurrently served as the director of thePercy G. Williams Home; a retirement home for impoverished elderly actors.[2] In 1958 she was the recipient of aSpecial Tony Award for her service to the theatre community.[2] She was also the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Drexel University in 1977.[2] In 1977 she was given theActors Fund Medal of Honor on the occasion of her 88th birthday.[2]
Louise Heims Beck died atLenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan on March 16, 1978, at the age of 89.[2]