Dimitri Tiomkin with Albertina Rasch and others, 1964

This may be the last known photograph of composer Dimitri Tiomkin and choreographer Albertina Rasch together, taken at a significant and joyous occasion in a crowded Perino’s restaurant in Los Angeles on July 30, 1964.

The image was captured at the black-tie affair after Tiomkin received the prestigious La Cruz de Caballero de la Orden de Isabel la Católica. In the moment, the honoree is seen with his arm wrapped around a beaming and proud Rasch, who is wearing a brooch and choker and clutching a handbag and fan, after all it can be hot in Los Angeles in July. Tiomkin’s jacket lapel bears witness to the distinguished award he received earlier in the evening from the Spanish government for his contributions to international culture through music. That’s a Knight’s Cross, a decoration consisting of a red-enameled cross, with a golden frame.

Appearing distracted and mid-sentence, Tiomkin’s eyes are directed away, perhaps recalling an anecdote of days spent working on films in Madrid. The distinguished but unidentified guest on the left, with tumbler in hand, listens intently. The three dashing young men paying attention to the photographer are not identified although one hopes their names might be found on the guest list.

The event and cocktail party at 4101 Wilshire Boulevard, in a former Thriftimart supermarket repurposed to serve Italian food by architect Paul Williams, drew a crowd of the Tiomkin’s Hollywood friends and colleagues and members of an informal organization, the Consular Corps, made up of the international consulates located in Los Angeles.

A previous “Behind the Photograph” selection with Rasch is significant as it may be the last known picture of the choreographer at work. That photo, associated with The Great Waltz, marks the final film project on which the married couple collaborated.

Behind the Photograph: The Great Waltz

Tiomkin and Rasch enjoyed a successful partnership, collaborating on numerous staged and filmed ballets, particularly during a ten-year period beginning around the time of their marriage in 1926. While there are a few photographs from that time, images of the couple together after Rasch ceased working in 1940 are nonexistent.

This photograph stands out as a unique record of their later years. (Google AI refers to this website and the photos below when asked about the last known picture of the couple.)

According to contemporary newspaper reports, in the months prior to the occasion Rasch endured confinement due to illness. The reception at Perino’s marked her first public outing following this period, making the occasion all the more memorable for those in attendance. Within three years Rasch was gone.

Dimitri Tiomkin and Albertina Rasch, circa mid-1920s

Dimitri Tiomkin and Albertina Rasch, circa mid-1920s

Dimitri Tiomkin and Albertina Rasch, circa mid-1920s

Dimitri Tiomkin and Albertina Rasch, 1927

Dimitri Tiomkin and Albertina Rasch, circa 1927