Raymond Bessone

Raymond Bessone
Raymond Bessone
OBE
Born Raymondo Pietro Carlo Bessone
11 May 1911(1911-05-11)[1]
Brixton, London, England
Died 17 April 1992(1992-04-17) (aged 80)[1]
Berkshire, England
Cause of death Cancer[1]
Nationality British
Other names Mr Teasy-Weasy, Teasie Weasie Raymond, Raymond Raymond, Pierre Raymond Bessone
Occupation Hairdresser
Spouse Rosalie Ashley

Raymond Bessone (11 May 1911–17 April 1992) (known as Mr Teasy-Weasy, Teasie Weasie Raymond and various combinations of these), was a British hairdresser of the 1950s and 1960s.[2]

Contents

Personal life

Bessone was born 'Raymondo Pietro Carlo Bessone' in Brixton, London, England of Italian parentage. He subsequently Anglicised his name to Raymond Pierre Carlo Bessone Raymond.[3][4] His name is commonly, but incorrectly, given as Pierre Raymond Bessone. He was married to the actress Rosalie Ashley. Bessone received the OBE in 1982.[1] He died in Berkshire on 17 April 1992, aged 80.

Career

Bessone began his career making false beards and moustaches in his father's barber shop.[5] He subsequently opened his own salon in Mayfair, where he trained Vidal Sassoon.[6] Sassoon said, about Bessone, in 2010, that "He really taught me how to cut hair ... I'd never have achieved what I have without him."[7] Building on his first salon, Bessone developed a chain of highly fashionable salons in the West End.[8] He later opened outlets in several major cities, including Birmingham.[9]

Bessone was the first hairdresser to appear on television, and had his own show at Saturday teatime.[9] Regarded as Britain's first celebrity hairdresser, he cultivated a faux French accent and a camp manner.[10] Bessone liked to pace around his salon and, if a customer approached him, he would then exclaim with exasperation, "Madam, can you not see that I am meditating!"[6] His Knightsbridge salon was replete with gilt mirrors, chandeliers, and champagne fountains.[11]

Bessone was flown to the United States in 1956, by Diana Dors, for a shampoo and set that caused media controversy.[6] A house could be bought, in those days, for the £2,500 cost.[9]

Hairstyling

Except for girls under 20, Bessone considered that women should avoid having long hair because he considered it ageing. He was also of the opinion that, except for women with very regular features, a central parting should be avoided.[12]

The modern bouffant is considered to be a Bessone invention.[13] He also innovated by dyeing hair with bold colours; pink, orange and purple.[14]

Horse racing

Bessone was the part-owner of 1963 Grand National winner Ayala and owner of 1976 Grand National winner Rag Trade.[5] The horses that he raced always had permed hair.[15]

Cultural references

Sir John 'Teasy-Weasy' Butler, in Monty Python, was based on Bessone.[6]

Bibliography

  • Hair and all that incorporating national service coiffures, 1940.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "RAYMOND, Raymond". British Film Institute. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/392475. Retrieved 4 September 2011. 
  2. ^ Mike Amos (24 November 2010). "Old school". The Northern Echo. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/columnists/mikeamos/gadfly/8685702.Old_school/. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  3. ^ Adrian Room (2010). "Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins". McFarland & Company. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=eSIhzKnNUf4C&pg=PA399&lpg=PA399&dq=Raymondo+Pierre+Carlo+Bessone&source=bl&ots=C5GKE0sdsG&sig=lN7Vxu1y4vB7-E8S2GviUezzQB8&hl=en&ei=ItZiTsCFBpOn8QOP5rGiCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Raymondo%20Pierre%20Carlo%20Bessone&f=false. Retrieved 4 September 2011. 
  4. ^ Adrian Room (1981). "Naming names: stories of pseudonyms and name changes with a who's who". Routledge & Kegan Paul. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=55IsAAAAYAAJ&q=%22%09Raymondo+Pietro+Carlo+Bessone%22&dq=%22%09Raymondo+Pietro+Carlo+Bessone%22&hl=en&ei=haFjToXHBM208QP3qsGACg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ. Retrieved 4 September 2011. 
  5. ^ a b Saj Chowdhury (1 April 2004). "Celebrities enjoy winning ways". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/3569037.stm. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  6. ^ a b c d "Mr Teasy-Weasy". BBC. November 2008. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1960/fashion3.shtml. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  7. ^ Yvonne Swan (22 October 2010). "Vidal Sassoon: 'My father was a playboy who abandoned us all for another woman when I was three'". Daily Mail (UK). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1322905/Vidal-Sassoon-My-father-playboy-abandoned-woman-I-three.html. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  8. ^ Paul Willetts (2010). "Members only: the life and times of Paul Raymond : Soho's billionaire king". Profile Books. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=LfE119G3pi0C&pg=PA58&dq=%22raymond+bessone%22&hl=en&ei=D-peTr2cGtO38QPU2dTJAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22raymond%20bessone%22&f=false. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  9. ^ a b c "Fifties Glamour with "Teasy-Weasy"". Black Country Bugle. 31 May 2007. http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/News/Fifties-Glamour-with-Teasy-Weasy-2.htm. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  10. ^ "Hair to a fortune". High Life. November 2008. http://www.bahighlife.com/Shopping/Hair-to-a-fortune.html. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  11. ^ Jon Henley (9 January 2008). "A cut above". The Guardian (UK). http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jan/09/fashion.shopping. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  12. ^ "Keep It Short, Advises Hair Stylist". Youngstown Vindicator. 15 August 1956. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kY8_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=nlUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=782,4197328&dq=raymond+bessone&hl=en. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  13. ^ Christopher Ross (12 April 2011). "The 15 Greatest Male Hairdressers in History". Details. http://www.details.com/style-advice/grooming-and-health/201104/greatest-male-hairdressers-in-history. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  14. ^ Sally Williams (20 April 2011). "Royal weddings: the souvenir collectors". The Daily Telegraph (UK). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8460927/Royal-weddings-the-souvenir-collectors.html. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  15. ^ "20th Century Hairstyles". Gustavo Briand. http://thehistoryofthehairsworld.com/hair_20th_century.html. Retrieved 4 September 2011. 
  16. ^ Raymond Bessone (1940). "Hair and all that incorporating national service coiffures". http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OON5OwAACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Raymond+Bessone%22&hl=en&ei=K-peTsqJA8Gr8AOhjfmpAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 

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