Merle Armitage
Merle Armitage (1893 - March 15, 1975) was an American set designer, tour manager, theater and opera producer, author, and book designer.
Merle Armitage | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1893 Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 1975 Yucca Valley, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, book designer |
| Spouse(s) | 4 |
| Children | 1 daughter |
Life
Armitage was born in 1893 in Iowa.[1]
Armitage became a theater set designer in New York City.[1] He was the tour manager for the Scotti Grand Opera Company, the Russian Grand Opera Company,[2] and The Beggars Opera.[3] He co-founded the Los Angeles Grand Opera Association in 1924, and he was its manager until 1930.[3][2] He managed the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium from 1933 to 1939.[1]
Armitage was the editorial and art director of Look magazine,[4] and he was the president of the American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1951.[1] He designed and authored many books, including Saints and Saint Makers, Operatic Masterpieces, Operations Santa Fe, and Burro Alley.[3] He authored two books about Igor Stravinsky and a book about George Gershwin, two men whose tours he managed.[2]
Armitage was married four times, and he had a daughter, Chama.[2] He died on March 15, 1975 in Yucca Valley, California, at age 82.[3][2][4]
Selected works
- Armitage, Merle (1958). George Gershwin: Man and Legend. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearco. OCLC 642004144.
References
- "Finding Aid for the Merle Armitage Collection 1919-1971". Online Archive of California. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
- "Armitage Services Held; Art and Music Figure". The Los Angeles Times. March 20, 1975. p. 83. Retrieved July 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Merle Armitage, author dies in Yucca Valley". The San Bernardino County Sun. March 17, 1975. p. 19. Retrieved July 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Author Dies At 82". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. March 17, 1975. p. 14. Retrieved July 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.