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Liz Reitell (1921 – 2001)

Liz Reitell, Dylan Thomas' American mistress, from the Dylan Thomas Collection

An alumna of the liberal and exclusive Bennington College in America, Elizabeth Reitell worked in the arts after she graduated, at first as a costume designer, painter and actress.  She was close to her family; her father was a professor of economics who had also written a popular fishing manual.  She had been married twice by the time she met Dylan Thomas in 1953, the first time to the musicals writer Adolph Green and the second time to Green’s friend Leonard Bernstien.

She worked at the Poetry Center, New York,  for John Malcolm Brinnin, Dylan’s American agent, from early 1953.  Dylan first met her on 21 April 1953, the day he arrived on his third American lecture tour.  Weary of Dylan’s endless promises about the completion of Under Milk Wood, Brinnin passed on to Liz the responsibility of getting the play on to the stage and finding a cast.

For Liz, her first meeting with Dylan was a disappointment.  Since he had disembarked from the SS United States earlier that day, he had spent his first hours in New York reaquainting himself with friends in the local bars, including his favourite, the White Horse Tavern.  By the time of Liz’s arrival he was somewhat the worse for wear.  The tall and striking Liz made a more favourable impression on Dylan, however, though he was less taken by her demand for the manuscript of Milk Wood: the first performance of which was scheduled for 14 May.  Thomas was busy with several reading engagements before this date, so the ending of Under Milk Wood was finally drafted just before the actors went on stage, with the help of Liz, John Malcolm Brinnin and two typists.

Another performance was scheduled for the end of May, and in the intervening fortnight Dylan and Liz worked intensely on Milk Wood together, becoming much closer and appreciative of each other’s talents. At some point during this time it turned into a love affair, and Dylan spent as much time as possible with her before returning to the UK at the beginning of June. She was waiting for him at the airport when he returned to the States on 20 October, and was with him when he collapsed on the evening of 4 November. She remained with him at St Vincent’s hospital for as much time as possible over the next five days, but was taking a short break when he died at 1pm on Monday, 9 November.

Liz later married Herb Hannum, a friend and architect who had also known Dylan, and worked for a time in New York for Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe. She later moved onto environmental work, and lived in the wilderness in Montana where she married her fourth husband. She was involved in the making of Bill Read’s documentary, The Days of Dylan Thomas, in which she was interviewed, extracts of which are shown in the Dylan Thomas Centre’s Exhibition. She died in February 2001.