Happy Birthday, Greer Garson!

Posted by Nick Martinez in Performing Arts

College of Santa Fe and Santa Fe University of Art and Design have many luxuries, thanks to Greer Garson, whose 110th birthday was celebrated by the Performing Arts Department Sept. 26 in the Greer Garson Theatre lobby.

Garson began her career in 1932 on the stage of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, transitioning to film in 1938 with Goodbye Mr. Chips. Garson’s charmed career lasted until 1978, during which time she was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning one for Mrs. Miniver. Garson spent her later years in New Mexico at the “Forked Lightning Ranch.” She donated millions of dollars to CSF for the construction of the Greer Garson Theatre.

“It all began for me in 1975,” former longtime PAD Chair John Weckesser recalled. “Oh God. When I think about it, I was the happiest man in the world for a long time working with her. She was enormously important in developing the program.”

Garson spent a lot of money on the PAD and Film School, including paying musical theater teacher Gail Springer’s salary for her first two years, when the department didn’t have the money.

“She was very special to me,” said Springer, who wrote and received letters from her until Garson’s death in 1996.

“She was a star in the general sense of the word,” said current PAD Chair Laura Fine Hawkes.

To go along with the birthday celebration, a scene from PAD’s upcoming show Cave Dwellers was shown, as well as a staircase performance, emulating Garson’s beauty and grace, from the Dance Department.

Most of the people in attendance—mostly current students—never had a chance to meet Greer Garson. To them, she’s merely a name on the building. A generous benefactor who has long since passed. A reason to get free cake.

But to Becca Spencer, and a team of theater students, she means more. They helped gather some of the historical information and artifacts around the lobby of Greer Garson Theatre Center.

“We did a lot of research,” said PAD student Bianca De La Garza. “We went to the library archive to look at [Garson’s] clothes.”

The lobby was filled with two costumes that Garson wore, as well as video of her time on “Laugh-In.” Spencer never knew Garson, but after all the work in bringing the party together, she felt like she had.

“I feel like I know her now, I couldn’t have started the year off any better,” said Spencer.

Weckesser knew Garson longer than anyone in attendance. As he spoke about her, his voice would trail off, as if he could see her.

“She was just a grand and lovely person,” he said. “Who cared a lot about a lot of things.”

Garson’s birthday celebration continued over the weekend. Charlotte Martinez has the scoop.