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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Gabrielle Fitzpatrick to Christopher Fulford
Margot Fonteyn Biography (1919-1991)
Full name, Margot Fonteyn de Arias; born Margaret Hookham, May 18, 1919, in Reigate, Surrey, England; died of cancer, February 21, 1991, in Panama City, Panama; daughter of Felix John (an engineer) and Hilda (Fontes) Hookham; married Roberto E. Arias (an attorney, politician, and diplomat), February 6, 1955(died, 1989). Addresses: Office: c/o Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House,Covent Garden, London WC2, England.; Agent: David Higham Associates Ltd., 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Sq., London W1R 4HA, England.
- Nationality
- English
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- ballerina, author
- Birth Details
- May 18, 1919
- Reigate, England
- Death Details
- February 21, 1991
- Panama City, Panama
Famous Works
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Credits; Stage Appearances
- Snowflake, The Nutcracker Suite, Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, 1934.
- Soloist, The Haunted Ballroom, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1934.
- Princess Aurora, The Sleeping Beauty, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, 1949.
- Guest artist, The Sleeping Beauty, La Scala Theatre, Milan, Italy,1950.
- Title role, The Sleeping Beauty, Opera Theatre, Paris, 1954.
- Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Royal Ballet Company, Covent Garden, London, 1965.
- Guest artist, "Romeo and Juliet," The Royal Ballet, Metropolitan Opera House, 1967.
- Lady Capulet, Romeo and Juliet, Milan, then Metropolitan Opera House, both 1981.
- Also appeared in principal roles of numerous productions, including Rio Grande, 1934; Le Baiser de la fee, 1935; Giselle and Apparitions, both 1936; Les Patineurs and A Wedding Bouquet,both 1937; Horoscope and The Sleeping Beauty, both 1938; Swan Lake, 1939; The Wise Virgins, and The Sleeping Beauty, both 1940; Hamlet and Comus, both 1942; The Quest, 1943;Les Sirenes and, as Spirit of the Air, The Fairy Queen, both 1946; The Three-Cornered Hat and Mam'zelle Angot, both 1947; Scenes de ballet, Les Demoiselles de la nuit, and, as Death, Don Juan, all 1948; Cinderella, Giselle, Les Sylphides, Le Lac des Cygnes, The Sleeping Beauty, Dante Sonata, and Symphonic Variations, all 1949;Ballet Imperial, 1950; Daphnis and Chloe and Tiresias, both 1951; Sylvia, 1952; Homage to the Queen, 1953; The Firebird and, as soloist, The Entry of Madame Butterfly, Madrid, Spain,both 1954; Ondine, 1958; Marguerite and Armand, 1963; The Corsair, La Bayadere, and Raymonda, all 1966; Paradise Lost,1967; Pelleas et Melisande and Poeme de l'extase, both 1970; Coppelia; and also performed, with Frederick Ashton, in Metropolitan Opera House centennial gala, 1984.
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Credits; Major Tours
- Toured English cities during 1940s and U.S. cities during early 1950s.
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Credits; Film Appearances
- Herself, The Little Ballerina, Universal, 1951.
- Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Embassy, 1966.
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The Swan Lake, United Productions of America-Seven Arts, 1967.
- Ballet dancer, I Am a Dancer, Anglo-EMI, 1972.
- Also appeared in The Royal Ballet, 1960.
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Credits; Television Appearances; Series
- Host and narrator, The Magic of Dance, BBC, 1979, PBS, 1982.
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Credits; Television Appearances; Specials
- Princess Aurora, "Sleeping Beauty," Producers' Showcase, NBC, 1955.
- Title role, "Cinderella," Producers' Showcase, NBC, 1957.
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The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1986.
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The Margot Fonteyn Story, PBS, 1990.
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Writings
- (Contributor to commentary) Keith Money, The Art of Margot Fonteyn(photographic study), M. Joseph, 1965.
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Margot Fonteyn: Autobiography, W. H. Allen, 1975, Knopf, 1976.
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A Dancer's World: An Introduction, W. H. Allen, 1978, published asA Dancer's World: An Introduction for Parents and Students, Knopf, 1979.
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The Magic of Dance, Knopf, 1979.
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Pavlova: Portrait of a Dancer, Viking, 1984, published in Englandas Pavlova: Impressions, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1984.
Further Reference
Obituaries and Other Sources: Periodicals
- Chicago Tribune, February 22, 1991; February 24, 1991.
- Detroit Free Press, February 23, 1991.
- Hollywood Reporter, February 22, 1991.
- Los Angeles Times, February 22, 1991.
- New York Times, March 6, 1980; February 22, 1991.
- Times (London), February 22, 1991.
- Washington Post, February 22, 1991.
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