The Churchill Archive Centre has created a wide-ranging archive of the Churchill era and after. Its collection policy is to bring together the private papers of the politicians, service-chiefs, diplomats, civil servants, scientists and technologists who have shaped the history of our recent past.
However as two collections within our archives show this can be misleading as not all of material we hold relates to political, military, scientific or diplomatic matters. A selection of material on display at the Centre shows some gems from the world of show business hidden within our collections.
The Papers of Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos (1893-1972) are an example of the wide ranging items in the Churchill Archives Centre. Lord Chandos’ papers are part of our collection because he was a contemporary of Churchill (and a member of his War Cabinet), a businessman and public servant. However in later life he served as the first Chairman of the Board of the National Theatre from 1962-71, and was its President until his death. His mother, Dame Edith Lyttelton, had lobbied for the foundation of a national theatre in London and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Shakespeare Memorial National Theatre.
His papers contain material relating to the founding of the National and include correspondence with stars from the theatre. One of my particular favourites is a copy of a letter that the actor Sir Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) sent to Prime Minister Harold Wilson in 1967 explaining his reasons for declining an offer of a peerage. The distinguished actor was the National Theatre’s first artistic director. The letter was sent to Lord Chandos along with a handwritten note from Olivier. Despite this refusal he later accepted another offer of a peerage, in 1970, and became Lord Olivier of Brighton.
The Lord Chandos collection demonstrates how in a lifetime these important figures cover all fields of public life and can amass a variety of items in their archive.
Another collection which highlights the wide ranging material at the Archives Centre is the Papers of Jack Le Vien (1918-1999). As a film producer Le Vien’s collection is quite different from the other collections in the archive, but still holds its importance as material relating to the ‘Churchill era and beyond’.
Le Vien’s company, Le Vien International Productions, made many films based on Sir Winston Churchill’s life including The Other World of Winston Churchill (1966), Walk with Destiny (also called The Gathering Storm) (1974), and Churchill and the Generals (1979).
The collection includes correspondence, papers and photographs relating to the films on Churchill’s war memoirs. As a film producer Jack Le Vien corresponded with film stars to arrange meetings or offer them parts in his productions. His papers include replies and telegrams from film stars including David Niven, Peter Sellars, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich and Noel Coward.
Le Vien’s papers also include material relating to the production of his films on Churchill’s life including papers and production photographs. My particular favourite in the collection is a medical certificate required for the insurance on actor Richard Burton (1925-1984) who played Churchill in The Gathering Storm. Burton was as famous for his turbulent personal life and heavy drinking as he was for his acting and the medical certificate records this with the examiner noting the actor’s ‘slight liver damage’.
Philip Cosgrove
Tags: Jack Le Vien, Oliver Lyttelton