Fagan, Ted

Biography / Administrative History

Theodore Fagan, of Jewish-English background was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Feb. 21, 1921. His early education included five years at a boarding school in England. Back in Argentina he completed a degree in Civil Engineering (1943). Two years later he came to New York, and within months was hired as a United Nations Spanish, French and English interpreter. One of his earlier assignments included the Nuremberg War Trials (1946), and through his thirty-year long involvement with the UN he interpreted speeches from leaders such as Prime Minister Fidel Castro and President L?opold S. Senghor of Senegal. Fagan was an indefatigable writer, his many writings include two historical novels --on Evita Per?n, and on the famous 19th century Parisian lawsuit of La Ronci?re-- a historical drama, Elizabeth Rex, produced in Los Angeles (1963), and his memoirs on his long association with the United Nations. Fagan had a life-long passion for music and collected music memorabilia and recordings. After retiring form his work at the UN, at age 55, he collaborated with William R. Moran on The encyclopedic discography of Victor recordings. Matrix series 1 through 4999: the Victor Talking Machine Company, 24 April 1903 to 7 January 1908, published by Greenwood Press in 1986. Fagan died in New York in 1987.

From the guide to the Ted Fagan Collection, 1920-1990, (Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound)