Theo von Roth
Photograph Albums, 1924-1967; bulk, 1947-1967

SC23357

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Biographical Note:

Theo von Roth was born August 28, 1924, in Austria, most likely in Vienna. His parentage is unknown, though his mother may have been called Gerta, or Gerts.  It is also unclear whether "von Roth" was his actual full surname at birth. He used several variations on the name: Theodor A. de Roth, Theo Roth, Theodor Roth, and Theo Baron Roth before settling on Baron Theo von Roth.  He reportedly was a "member of an old Austrian family" and was educated in Austria, Switzerland, France and England.  He claimed to have been a student at Oxford University and there is evidence of his being there in 1945-1946. 

Toward the end of World War II, Theo began to get involved in charitable social events.  As the Honorable Secretary of the Duke of Gloucester's Red Cross and St. John's Fund Prisoner of War Appeal, he organized a ball at an Oxford hotel on March 2, 1945.  Following the war, he spent time in London and continued his involvement with charitable organizations and worked at planning and hosting events, such as the "Empire Day Ball" at the Dorchester Hotel on May 24, 1946, in aid of the Victor Chetwynd Tuberculosis Fund for Allied Ex-Servicemen.

In 1947, he traveled to South Africa where he lived for the next three-and-a-half years.  While there he traveled extensively around the country, apparently staying often with friends.  It was there that he began to develop his reputation as an expert organizer of parties and events. In 1950 von Roth returned to London, where he soon became known as "The Marshall of Mayfair," hosting his 100th party on May 8, 1953.  This glittering event was a fancy dress ball recreating the Imperial Court Ball at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna given by Emperor Franz Josef I and Empress Elizabeth of Austria in May 1853.

During this time von Roth lived in a house at 22 Minera Mews in the Belgravia section of London, where he gave several large parties.  He became the general director of Ciro's Club in London, billed as "the famous London rendezvous of Smart Society." Following that he moved to Surrey, where he was the resident managing director and secretary of Wanborough Manor, an ancient and historic home.

There is some evidence that von Roth also wrote for The Sketch, a British illustrated newspaper weekly, which focused on high society and the aristocracy. None of his writings appear in this collection, however.

In 1955, Theo von Roth returned to South Africa for a time, and then visited Canada in late 1956.  In both places, he continued to plan and host parties and benefits.  In 1958, he was hired by the Sheraton-East Hotel in New York City to re-open the Embassy Club and Knight Box.  Many large events took place there under his patronage, such as the "Trinidad Carnival Ball" to benefit the Variety Club of New York's Cancer Foundation, on March 1, 1960 and the "Jamaica and Antigua Carnival Ball" the next year for the same charity. 

In the late 1950s and early 1960s von Roth also became involved with a number of African-American organizations, helping to organize gala events and fundraisers. Two examples are the "International Cotillion," sponsored by the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., on September 22, 1961, and "Carnival in Rio, the 22 Annual Beaux Arts Ball," for the benefit of the National Urban League on February 16, 1962.  Eleanor Roosevelt was an honorary chairman of the 1961 event.

By 1964, von Roth was working for Fugazy Travel Bureau, Inc. in New York City.  In that capacity, he hosted tours around Europe, billed by Fugazy as: "Baron Theo von Roth, renowned host, international traveler and society columnist, whose receptions, parties and cultural events have been featured by newspapers and magazines around the world."

On February 15 1965, Theo von Roth was granted United States citizenship in New York City. He was actively participating in social events in New York through 1967, after which there is little news of his activities. He died of cardiorespiratory failure in Acapulco, Mexico, on March 26, 1973; he was 48 years old.  His burial place is unknown.

Scope and Content Note:

These sixteen photo albums were created by Theo von Roth himself. He carefully dated and captioned almost every page and photo, giving the names of the people and places he chronicled. In his capacity as director and host of hundreds of parties, gala benefits and charitable events, he frequently came into association with minor royalty, persons of nobility, wealthy acquaintances, the yachting set, and Hollywood stars.

A few of those pictured in this collection are: Mary Ann Mobley (Miss America, 1959), Franklin Roosevelt, Jr., Carol Channing, Dorothy Dandridge, Hermione Gingold, Salvador Dali, Florence Desmond, James Garner, and Paul Newman.

These albums have been organized chronologically and by topic. The first one is a selection of personal portraits of Theo von Roth.  Volumes 2-9 chronicle his frequent and wide-ranging travels with scenes of the places he visited, the people with whom he was acquainted, the homes where he lived or stayed, and the landmarks he saw.  Volumes 10-15 document many of the important events he organized or hosted and the people who sponsored and attended them. Volume 16 is a scrapbook that contains examples of the invitations, programs and announcements of these events.  Within each volume, there is not a consistent order of dates, and some events are covered in more than one volume.  Finally, there are several folders of loose materials and photographs.

Box and Volume List: