Playbill

Edith Lutyens (Designer) Obituary
Edith Lutyens Bel Geddes, a designer and producer who was the widow of designer and architect Norman Bel Geddes, died Aug. 16, 2002, in her home in Hudson, NY, according to The New York Times. Edith Lutyens Bel Geddes, a designer and producer who was the widow of designer and architect Norman Bel Geddes, died Aug. 16 in her home in Hudson, NY, according to The New York Times.

Ms. Bel Geddes was 95 and leaves behind many ballet, opera and theatre design credits, including designing or executing the designs of others for such productions as South Pacific, Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Anne of the Thousand Days, The Liar, Ring Round the Moon, The Crucible and more. She received the George Jean Nathan Award for the Crucible costumes.

In association with Chandler Cowles and Efrem Zimbalist Jr., she produced The Medium and The Telephone on Broadway in 1947. In 1954, she "supervised, executed and co-designed" costumes for Ondine, according to her bio in "Who's Who of the American Stage." For the job, she shared the Tony Award with designer Richard Whorf, her bio said.

The former dressmaker ran a costume shop in New York City and designed or executed costumes for the ballet, Fancy Free, the Barnum and Bailey circus, The Hollywood Ice Revue and the Alfred Hitchcock film, "The Trouble With Harry."

Ms. Bel Geddes was born Edith Addams de Habbelinck, in Brussels, and studied in England and Germany and the University of Brussels in Belgium. Her marriage to Archibald Lutyens ended in divorce, and husbands Moseley Taylor and Norman Bel Geddes predeceased her.

Her colorful past included being a member of the Belgian women's fencing team in the Olympics, and publisher of Theatre Arts magazine, 1958-60.

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