Raymond Bessone

Early life and career Bessone was born Raimondo Pietro Carlo Bessone at 61 Wardour Street, Soho, London, England of Italian and French parentage and descent. He subsequently Anglicised his name, and legally changed it by deed poll, to Peter Carlo Bessone Raymond. His name is sometimes, but incorrectly, given as Pierre Raymond Bessone.

Bessone began his career making false beards and moustaches in his father's barber shop. He subsequently opened his own salon in Mayfair, where he trained Vidal Sassoon. Building on his first salon, Bessone developed a chain of highly fashionable salons in the West End. He later opened outlets in several major cities, including Birmingham. Regarded as Britain's first celebrity hairdresser, he cultivated a faux French accent and a camp manner. Bessone liked to pace around his salon and, if a customer approached him, he would then exclaim with exasperation, "Madam, can you not see that I am meditating!"

In 1956 Bessone was flown to the United States by Diana Dors, for a shampoo and set, at a cost of £2,500 (equivalent to £).

In the early 1970s Bessone made a cameo appearance in the television soap opera Crossroads.

The modern bouffant is considered to be a Bessone invention. He also innovated by dyeing hair with bold colours, including pink, orange and purple.

Horse racing Bessone was the part-owner of 1963 Grand National winner Ayala.

He was also part-owner of 1976 Grand National winner Rag Trade.

In 1979 his 28-year-old daughter Amber, who was pregnant, was killed when returning from a family wedding. Her car crossed a damaged section of the M4 motorway crash barrier and hit an oncoming Porsche. The two people in the Porsche, as well as Bessone's daughter, her husband and two children, were all killed instantly. Several weeks after the accident it was discovered that the male passenger killed in the Porsche was Brian Field, one of the organizers of the 1963 Great Train Robbery, who had changed his name to Brian Carleton.

Bessone received the OBE in 1982, for services to hairdressing. He died in Windsor, Berkshire, on 17 April 1992, aged 80.

Cultural references James Dreyfus starred as Mr. Teasy-Weasy in the 2004 comedy film Churchill: The Hollywood Years. Sir John 'Teasy-Weasy' Butler, in Monty Python, was based on Bessone. In one episode of the 1950s BBC radio program Hancock's Half Hour titled Hancock's Hair. Sid James calls himself "Raymond" and Bill Kerr's response includes the nickname "Mr. Teasy-Weasy".

In November 2013 the BBC documentary series Timeshift broadcast "Bouffants, beehives and bobs: the hairstyles that shaped Britain", which featured the work of Bessone.

Two photographic portraits of Bessone are held by the National Portrait Gallery, London.