Livin\u2019 Large On and Off the Tracks... The photography of Beebe and Clegg

By Caryn B. Davis

Lucius Morris Beebe was a renowned photographer, socialite, railroad historian, and a prominent journalist born in 1902 to a wealthy Boston family. He lived life large in a decadent, hedonistic manner, happily over indulging whenever possible in fine food, cigars, and liquor. But even if Beebe was often the last person to leave El Morocco or The Stork Club which he frequented, he was serious about his profession and was extremely prolific. He had his own column in The New York Herald- Tribune, read each morning by 1.5 million New Yorkers, and by today’s standards was an influencer ofstyle and taste. He also wrote a column for Gourmet about all the best dining hot spots and fashionable restaurants of the day, which he shared

with Holiday and Playboy. He penned many articles for numerous publications on subjects ranging from men’s fashion, to trans-Atlantic travel aboard the Cunard Line, to more somber topics like opposing the Vietnam War.

Beebe was a true dandy. His wardrobe was as outrageous as his lifestyle. He adorned himself in baroque attire consisting of doeskin gloves, custom suits, mink lined overcoats, top hats, walking canes, and gold watch chains. His ensemble earned him the January 16, 1939 cover of Life magazine and the garnered the attention of fellow columnist Walter Winchell who christened him "Luscious Lucius,” a name now immortalized in history.

In 1938 Beebe published High Iron: A Book of Trains. The idea for the book was not his. Rather, it was suggested by his drinking cohort, Elizabeth Haskell, a senior editor at Appleton-Century, who published six of Beebe’s books. Beebe wrote the copy but also took many of the photographs using a 4x5 Graflex camera. The book was an instant success. It was the first of its kind, bringing the art of the train, railroads, and train travel to mainstream America. It reached an audience beyond just train hobbyists and aficionados. And of course moving within all the right social circles and being a celebrity writer of sorts certainly did not hinder sales.

Above: Lucius Beebe (left) and Charles Clegg pose along the tracks of the Southern Pacific narrow gauge in the Owens Valley of California. Clegg made the photo using a self-timer and tripod. Collection of the California State Railroad Museum, BC3411. Facing Page: Charles Clegg, Tremont and Gulf Railroad, Collection of the California State Railroad Museum, BC0612.

“He had already published several books on New York society, so he had a built-in audience and had a good publisher,” said J. David Conrad, Director / Curator of the Oliver Jensen Gallery at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex, Connecticut.

While at a party in Washington, D.C at the home of Evalyn Walsh McLean, a mining heiress who owned the Hope Diamond, Beebe met Charles M. Clegg Jr. who became his lover and business partner. True to his flamboyant nature, Beebe did not hide his homosexuality, but rather boldly and bravely lived openly at a time when social mores dictated otherwise.

“Beebe seemed to be "obvious" about his lifestyle during a time when being gay and having gay relationships wasn't discussed and were taboo,” said Kevin Dodd, President and CEO of Essex Steam Train & Riverboat.

“Their position in society ensured no one said anything, at least not to their faces,” adds Conrad. Clegg was already a photographer, and the pair started taking photographs together traveling across the country. Beebe, with his large format camera, was better at capturing that one iconic shot of a steam locomotive in all its majestic glory barreling down the tracks at 90miles per hour. Clegg, on the other hand, could take many photos in succession with his smaller Kodak medalist, without having to set up,change the film after one exposure, or use a tripod. He concentrated on recording railroad stations and train cars. After the publication of several books, Beebe and Clegg were regarded as experts on the subject.

“The early books were just photographic albums with captions. Lucius was a very florid writer, and the captions were heavily embellished and often inaccurate. He had a reputation for that, but it was well outweighed by the quality of the photographs,” said Conrad. “Later they both wrote the books, but Lucius was the primary writer, and his prose is purple as they say. He took a lot of liberties with the facts, changing things to suit his narrative. Nonetheless, they were well received and sold well.”

Beebe and Clegg rode on nearly every railroad as they traversed the country multiple times, but eventually they purchased their own private Pullman train cars and used those for both business and pleasure with frequent trips to Miami, New York City, Chicago, New Orleans, and Denver, always with Beebe’s 185-pound St. Bernard dog onboard. Robert Hanley, a friend and a Hollywood set designer, opulently decorated the Gold Coast and the Virginia City in antique furnishings. The cars were fully staffed by employees from the Southern Pacific Railroad and included a porter and a personal chef.

In an article written on December 15, 2009 in the New York Society Diary by Michael Grace he noted, “The Virginia City had a 23-foot observation-drawing room, a dining room where 8 guests could dine as if at the Waldorf, a 50-bottle wine cellar, 3 staterooms, a small Turkish bath, and quarters for two staff. When the legendary director Cecil B. DeMille, a friend of Beebe’s, first saw the Virginia City’s baroque interior, he supposedly said, "Tell the Madame I'll have a drink, but I'm too old to go upstairs."” It also included a butane fireplace. Beebe and Clegg published over 30 books together, yielding thousands of images of locomotives, trains, railroads, and railroad travel from the 1930s-1950s. In essence, they were documenting and preserving the end of an historical and a cultural era when train travel met its ultimate demise as automobiles and airplanes became the preferred mode of transport. After Beebe’s death in 1966 and Clegg’s death in 1979, Clegg’s niece donated all of their photographs and negatives to the California State Railroad Museum (CSRM) in Sacramento. In conjunction with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art located in Madison, Wisconsin, the two institutions created a traveling photographic exhibition entitled “Beebe and Clegg, Their Enduring Photographic Legacy”. It includes some never before seen prints by the public and will be on display at the Oliver Jensen Gallery at the Essex Steam Train from May 10, 2019 through October 27, 2019, with an opening reception on May 10 from 5:00pm - 8:00pm. A book by the same title accompanies the show. It was complied by John Gruber, the former executive director for the Center for Railroad Photography & Art and by John Ryan. “When the archive was donated to Cal State, Gruber had the idea of doing a book, and he and Ryan assisted by Mel Patrick, went through the archive. They did a first cut of what images should go in the book. The pictures needed to reflect the story they wanted to tell about Beebe and Clegg. When Scott Lothes, the current executive director for the Center for Railroad Photography & Art chose the photos for the show, I am guessing he chose photos that would complement the narrative for the book,” said Conrad. “Beebe and Clegg represent the confluence of two very different worlds and two very different time periods. And we're lucky to have them here at the Essex Steam Train, and hope everyone will enjoy the exhibit,” said Dodd. For more information, log onto www.essexsteamtrain.com/plan-a-visit/oliver-jensen-gallery.