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The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People, was a group of bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in London during the 1920s. The name was given to them by the tabloid press.Philip Hoare, 'Tennant, Stephen James Napier (1906–1987)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 They threw flamboyant fancy dress parties, went on elaborate treasure hunts through nighttime London, and some drank heavily or used illicit drugs — all of which was enthusiastically covered by journalists such as Charles Graves and Tom Driberg.
They inspired a number of writers, including Nancy Mitford (Highland Fling), Anthony Powell (A Dance to the Music of Time), Henry Green (Party Going), Dorothy L. Sayers (Murder Must Advertise), and the poet John Betjeman. Evelyn Waugh's 1930 novel Vile Bodies, adapted as the 2003 film Bright Young Things, is a satirical look at this scene. Cecil Beaton began his career in photography by documenting this set, of which he was a member.
Prominent members of the group included:
Harold Acton Patrick Balfour, Baron Kinross Cecil Beaton John Betjeman Edward Burra Robert Byron Sheila Chisholm Daphne Fielding Edward Gathorne-Hardy Terence Greenidge Bryan Guinness Gavin Henderson Brian Howard Arthur Jeffress Teresa Jungman Zita Jungman Barbara Ker-Seymer Oliver Messel Diana Mitford Nancy Mitford Beverley Nichols Brenda Dean Paul Babe Plunket Greene David Plunket Greene Olivia Plunket Greene Richard Plunket Greene Elizabeth Ponsonby Loelia Ponsonby Anthony Powell Elizabeth Russell Edith Sitwell Osbert Sitwell Sacheverell Sitwell Eleanor Smith David Tennant Stephen Tennant Henry Thynne William Walton Sylvia Townsend Warner Evelyn Waugh Rex Whistler Sunday Wilshin Olivia Wyndham Henry Yorke
List of 'Bright Young Things', their associates, and those who documented them The following is a list of the Bright Young Things, their friends, acquaintances and associates of the period, many of whom were the basis for characters in the novels written by members of the group such as Evelyn Waugh, Anthony Powell and Nancy Mitford.