We have our Mr. Ray and the British had Raymond, aka Mr. Teazie Weazie! You can see him here in action doing a "Spring." Mavis just found out about Mr. T-W and, like our Mr. Ray obsession, is off to the ray-ces. She just got his signed autobiography and sent me the following info:
"Raymond Bessone, aka Mr Teasy-Weasy, was the Nicky Clarke of his day. He had a salon in Mayfair and a list of celebrity clients that made his competitors drool.
Like a true maestro Raymond would pace up and down the salon waiting for a customer to attract his attention. He would then throw his hands in the air, exclaiming, "Madam, can you not see that I am meditating!"
...And they loved it.
Vidal Sassoon began his career as one of Teasy-Weasy's staff and obviously aimed to outstrip his master. In 1956 Diana Dors had caused press hysteria by flying Teasy-Weasy to the USA for a £2,500 shampoo and set. Twelve years later Sassoon flew to the US to give a $5,000 cut to Rosemary's Baby star Mia Farrow. Teasy-Weasy's fame has endured, and there are references to him in both Monty Python (Sir John 'Teasy-Weasy' Butler conquors K2) and Red Dwarf*.
(*Krizanovich - is this your doing?)
Mr. T-W also owned racehorses!
Teasie Weasie Raymond
Owner of 1976 winner Rag Trade, part owner of 1963 winner Ayala and celebrity hairdresser
Teasie Weasie, christened Pierre Raymond Bessone, was a celebrated hairdresser during the Swinging Sixties.
He was famous for his flamboyant suits, which irriated officials at Royal Ascot.
After winning the Grand National with Ayala in 1963, Mr PB Raymond, as he was known in the racing world, put some of his money into another Aintree contender, Rag Trade.
And much to Teasie Weasie's pleasure he struck gold once more, as Rag Trade, who beat Red Rum into second, won the 1976 race.
Teasie Weasie, who learned his trade making false beards and moustaches in his father's barber shop, was also famous for describing the Duchess of Windsor's hair as "dogmatic".
Update 3/2010: A reader writes: "Sorry to correct but Teazie Weazie was part owner of Rag Trade, if you read his book it says this at end..."
27 comments:
Mr. Weazie (do his friends call him "Teazie?" looks preoccupied and vaguely dissapproving.
Oh, I am so infatuated!! I can't wait until I get his book! It will make up for losing "The Total Filmmaker" by Jerry Lewis!
~Raymond sort of reminds me a a poofier Floyd the Barber!
Eve, you can tell he'd be very disapproving of any other style you had before you found his salon. Can't you just imagine the condescension you'd suffer at his hands before he transformed you into a Teazie-Weazie creature?
I long to be transformed into a Teazie Weazie Girl! I am in a "I hate my hair" mood.
This is a fantastic find, Mavis..THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eve, please make your way to Nashville...we can take complete care of that "hating your hair mood".
We ALL need to go and visit you, Gene!
There's another amazing Mr. Teasie Weasie film at that site. Of course I made more screengrabs for a future blog on "Creamsicle" hair!
Freakin' fantastic find, ladies!
Yes! There are some incredible shorts on that British Pathe' site! The two-tone hair clip is PHENOMINAL!
He looks like one of those guys you WANT to hair your hair. You want him to tell you everything wrong about it. Then let him work his magic - letting him use you the way an artist uses a canvas.
Want to HATE your hair, not "hair your hair."
Oy vey. *sighs*
Oh, he can hair my hair, too.
Gene, you must move to NYC so you can open the Creamsicle Hair Salon, and bring back that wonderful ca. 1960 pale pinkish-orange color we all crave so much.
Gene, forget the Big Apple and instead come to the Big Orange of Orange County, CA! Think of the mitzvah you'll be doing, helping out poor hair and fashion challenged me! Gals like Eve are already fabulous. But I, Gene dearest, really NEED you. Be my hair knight in shining armor! Save me from the evil dragon known as split ends!
I think Gene is away all weekend! Wait until he comes back to all of these comments!
Indeed, this is such a WONDERFUL way to start a new week- THANK YOU all for the flattering comments!! What a pleasant dilemma to face, but I think I would gladly have you flown out to the West Coast, Eve and Mavis since Jami and Donna already occupy that area. You can bet that the place would have "retro" just screaming out. And, I want to be sure none of you have sensitive scalps- my shampoos do include VIGOROUS scrubbings along with the ultra-stimulating massages.
Far as I know, Gene, my scalp was only sensitive when I was a kid and my hair was so long it went a little bit past the top of my butt. All that weight pulling on it and the tangles I'd get. But except when mom puts a bobby pin in the wrong way I really don't have that much pain up there now.
I'm resisting with all my might not to turn this into a Star Wars reference, making you the Obi Wan Kenobi of hair.... (Partly because I'm more of a Trekkie then a Star Wars fan. LOL)
Sorry to correct but Teazie Weazie was part owner of Rag Trade, if you read his book it says this at end...
No, that is great to know, Mavis NEVER sent me the Mr. Teasie book, so I am still spotty on info. He was never famous here. Thank you!
It is not common knowledge about the other two owners as even on the Grand National website it only mentions Teazie Weazie as the owner.
I think he liked the celebrity so took the attention but I think made some attempt at putting it right in his book. Naturally this helped prove that there were two other owners to Rag Trade and that they had not been telling porkies to people :).
I also have a signed copy of his autobiography as my grand father was one of the other owners and a good friend to Teazie Weazie.
That naughty Mr. T-W taking all of the credit! Did your grandmother or any other relatives get their hair done by him?
Yes - I think so, not 100% about my grand mother but my gand father did. The last time he did his hair he clipped his ear with the scissors and he decided not to have it done again after that :).
Aaagh! TW was probably too busy looking at himself in the mirror to bother looking at hair.
HI. i used to work for Teasie Weasie in London. Its lovely to see people are still talking about him. I would love to get his biography. Can somebody tell me where i can find it?
I used to work in his Richmond salon. Whenever he came in i had to go upstairs and get him a glass of whisky.I was just a trainee at the time.He was quite old when i knew him. He used to die his hair brown with a silver streak through the top.His wife was gorgeous and was always with him. He died in 1992 from cancer. I still have a video of him giving us a staff meeting.
Lovely to work with him.
OH my god! Can you upload it to youtube so we can all see it?!
My friend found his autobio on a used bookstore site, I believe, or on ebay UK. We love him! Please tell us more stories! I'm so glad you found us!
Thanks for the nice welcome! At the time i didnt realise what an honour it was to work for him. Its only looking back now that im getting interested.Im afraid that when i worked for him he was old and already had cancer .The left side of his jaw bone had been removed. He had to suck on a tissue as he couldnt swallow.
Sorry to bring this page down a bit!
He was still lovely though and wore amazing suits in the salon. One of his favorites was a green one. I was his official hair washer (washing his hair). Thats when i would get time on my own with him. I asked him once if he had ever trained anyone famous and thats when he told me about Vidal sassoon.I got the feeling from him they werent on speaking terms.
I have the video on 8mm. i need to convert it to put on the pc.
Thanks for the nice welcome! At the time i didnt realise what an honour it was to work for him. Its only looking back now that im getting interested.Im afraid that when i worked for him he was old and already had cancer .The left side of his jaw bone had been removed. He had to suck on a tissue as he couldnt swallow.
Sorry to bring this page down a bit!
He was still lovely though and wore amazing suits in the salon. One of his favorites was a green one. I was his official hair washer (washing his hair). Thats when i would get time on my own with him. I asked him once if he had ever trained anyone famous and thats when he told me about Vidal sassoon.I got the feeling from him they werent on speaking terms.
I have the video on 8mm. i need to convert it to put on the pc.
By the way. What is this website about? It just came up when i put Raymonds name in.
I love that he was married, especially when the quote "I am homosexuality!" was attributed to him.
Oh, gee, what is this blog about? That's hard to answer! Take a look around - mostly beauty, old fashion, things that me and now, my co-blogger, Lily, fancy. I started it mainly to cut down on endless emails to my pals that read, "Look at THIS!"
Oh my, I just found this post, what a lovely man. In the first "cube cut" one can discern the origins of the mullet...A true stylemaker!
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