Dorothy Buffum Chandler
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Buffum Chandler was a Los Angeles
cultural leader.
, she moved to Long Beach, California
in 1904 with her family. Her father, Charles Abel Buffum
(later mayor 1921-1924), and her uncle, Edwin, opened the first of what would become the 16-store chain of Buffum's
department stores.
She attended Stanford University
, where at a school dance she met Norman Chandler
, eldest son of the family that had published the Los Angeles Times
since 1883 and was a significant social and political force
in the area. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi Women's Fraternity. The two married in 1922, and had two children, Camilla and Otis
(1927). At the time of her death in 1997, she had eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
In 1945, her husband became publisher of the Times, a position he held until he was succeeded by their son, Otis, in 1960. Norman Chandler died in 1973, and Dorothy Chandler never remarried.
She initiated the Times Woman of the Year award, which was given to 243 women from 1950 through 1976
In 1950, a financial crisis closed the Hollywood Bowl
during its summer season. Chandler chaired a committee that organized a series of fundraising concerts that was able to reopen it, and she later served as president of its parent organization, the Southern California Symphony Association.
From this early success, she started a longer effort to build a performing arts center for Los Angeles
. In 1955 she raised $400,000 at a benefit concert
at the Ambassador Hotel featuring Dinah Shore
, Danny Kaye
and Jack Benny
. This fundraiser began a nine-year crusade that raised some $20 million of the estimated $35 million total cost; the remainder was paid through private bond sales. She was featured on the cover of the December 18, 1964, issue of Time
magazine, which praised her fundraising efforts as "perhaps the most impressive display of virtuoso money-raising and civic citizenship in the history of U.S. womanhood."
The Los Angeles Music Center
held its first performance on December 6, 1964. The complex was completed in 1967, consisting of three venues: the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
, named in honor of Dorothy Buffum Chandler, the Mark Taper Forum
and the Ahmanson Theatre
. The Chandler Pavilion served as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
from 1964 until 2003, when the Music Center opened its fourth hall, the Walt Disney Concert Hall
.
On September 17, 2005 the Walt Disney Concert Hall held a Dorothy Chandler memorial concert.
from 1954 to 1968, during its period of most rapid growth, when the system grew from five to nine campuses. She also served as a trustee of Occidental College
from 1952 to 1967.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
cultural leader.
Personal life
Born Dorothy Mae Buffum in 1901 in La Fayette, IllinoisLa Fayette, Illinois
La Fayette is a village in Stark County, Illinois, United States. The population was 227 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:La Fayette is located at ....
, she moved to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1904 with her family. Her father, Charles Abel Buffum
Charles Abel Buffum
Charles Abel Buffum was an American businessman and politician. With his brother, Edwin E. Buffum, he founded the Buffum's Department Stores chain. He served as mayor of Long Beach, California from 1921 to 1924...
(later mayor 1921-1924), and her uncle, Edwin, opened the first of what would become the 16-store chain of Buffum's
Buffum's
Buffum's was a chain of Long Beach, California-based department stores. Founded by brothers Charles Abel Buffum and Edwin E. Buffum in 1904, it grew slowly over the years to a total of 16 stores in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties at the time of its closure in 1990.Over the years, the...
department stores.
She attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where at a school dance she met Norman Chandler
Norman Chandler
Norman Chandler was the publisher of the Los Angeles Times from 1945 to 1960, and largely responsible for the success of the newspaper.-Education:...
, eldest son of the family that had published the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
since 1883 and was a significant social and political force
Harrison Gray Otis
Harrison Gray Otis was the president and general manager of the Times-Mirror Company, publisher of the Los Angeles Times.-Early life:...
in the area. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi Women's Fraternity. The two married in 1922, and had two children, Camilla and Otis
Otis Chandler
Otis Chandler was the publisher of the Los Angeles Times between 1960 and 1980, leading a large expansion of the newspaper and its ambitions...
(1927). At the time of her death in 1997, she had eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
In 1945, her husband became publisher of the Times, a position he held until he was succeeded by their son, Otis, in 1960. Norman Chandler died in 1973, and Dorothy Chandler never remarried.
Times Mirror Company
Chandler (nicknamed "Buff" or "Buffie") worked at the Times or its parent, the Times Mirror Company, from 1948 to 1976. She was a director of Times Mirror from 1955 until 1973, when she was named director emeritus.She initiated the Times Woman of the Year award, which was given to 243 women from 1950 through 1976
Fundraising for the Arts
As the wife of the publisher of the city's leading newspaper, Dorothy Chandler became active in Los Angeles cultural circles.In 1950, a financial crisis closed the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
during its summer season. Chandler chaired a committee that organized a series of fundraising concerts that was able to reopen it, and she later served as president of its parent organization, the Southern California Symphony Association.
From this early success, she started a longer effort to build a performing arts center for Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. In 1955 she raised $400,000 at a benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
at the Ambassador Hotel featuring Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
, Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
and Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
. This fundraiser began a nine-year crusade that raised some $20 million of the estimated $35 million total cost; the remainder was paid through private bond sales. She was featured on the cover of the December 18, 1964, issue of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine, which praised her fundraising efforts as "perhaps the most impressive display of virtuoso money-raising and civic citizenship in the history of U.S. womanhood."
The Los Angeles Music Center
Los Angeles Music Center
The Music Center is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the nation. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Music Center is home to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall...
held its first performance on December 6, 1964. The complex was completed in 1967, consisting of three venues: the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center . The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.The Pavilion has 3,197 seats spread over four tiers, with chandeliers, wide curving stairways and rich décor...
, named in honor of Dorothy Buffum Chandler, the Mark Taper Forum
Mark Taper Forum
The Mark Taper Forum is a 739 seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center built by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of downtown Los Angeles...
and the Ahmanson Theatre
Ahmanson Theatre
The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that comprise the Los Angeles Music Center.Through the generosity of philanthropist Robert H. Ahmanson, construction began on March 9, 1962. The theatre opened on April 12, 1967 with a production of More Stately Mansions starring Ingrid Bergman,...
. The Chandler Pavilion served as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
from 1964 until 2003, when the Music Center opened its fourth hall, the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
.
On September 17, 2005 the Walt Disney Concert Hall held a Dorothy Chandler memorial concert.
Higher Education
Chandler served as a regent of the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
from 1954 to 1968, during its period of most rapid growth, when the system grew from five to nine campuses. She also served as a trustee of Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
from 1952 to 1967.
Awards
- 1974: Humanitarian Award from Variety Clubs International
- 1982: UCLA Medal from the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los AngelesThe University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
- 1985: National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the ArtsThe National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
External links
- Los Angeles Music Center, biography
- Historical Society of Southern California, biography by Albert Greenstein, 1999