Isherwood (Christopher) Letters to Paul Taylor, 1955-1962

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Title:
Christopher Isherwood letters to Paul Taylor
Dates:
1955-1962
Creators:
Isherwood, Christopher, 1904-1986
Abstract:
Contains five letters written by Christopher Isherwood to his friend and fan Paul Taylor.
Extent:
0.02 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Christopher Isherwood letters to Paul Taylor, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains five letters written by Christopher Isherwood to his friend and fan Paul Taylor. Isherwood writes about his work, travel, and observations of daily life as well as offering brief insights into the early years of his relationship with Don Bachardy. He mentions friends and celebrities that he has seen including Julie Harris, Siobhán McKenna, and Gladys Cooper as well as various plays and movies he has recently seen. The letters were sent from different addresses in Santa Monica, California before Isherwood and Bachardy settled into their home. There are also two photographs of Paul Taylor.

Biographical / historical:

Christopher Isherwood (1904-1986) was born on August 26, 1904, in Cheshire, England, the son of Frank and Kathleen Bradshaw-Isherwood. He went to Berlin in 1929 to visit W. H. Auden and remained, intermittently, for the next four years. In 1939 he immigrated to the United States, settling in Santa Monica, California.

Isherwood was the author of books such as The Berlin Stories (1945), based on the years he lived in Berlin and adapted as the play I Am a Camera (1951) and as the musical Cabaret (1966), A Single Man (1964), Journey to War (with W. H. Auden, 1939), and Kathleen and Frank (1971). He also wrote for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc (MGM) and was a guest lecturer at California State University, Los Angeles, at University of California, Santa Barbara, and other colleges.

Isherwood met artist Don Bachardy in 1952, and they remained together until Isherwood's death in 1986.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Julian Machin, December 2025.
Processing information:

Processed at the time of accessioning by Kahlee Leingang in June 2026.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Kahlee Leingang
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-07-02 09:10:09 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Christopher Isherwood letters to Paul Taylor, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Website