The Great Hollywood Photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull

February 16, 2011, 11:52 am

≫ Next: The Legendary Glamour of George Hurrell Photography

What is there to say about the legendary Hollywood photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull that has not already been said?

One of the most well known and--along with George Hurrell--one said to have helped invent the modern idea of Hollywood Glamour in photography. Bull was born in Sun River, Montana (some sources say he was born in Michigan) in 1896. For a time he studied with the great Western painter Charles Marion Russell. But his real interest lie in photography.

He went to Hollywood in 1918 and became an assistant cameraman for Metro Pictures. During breaks from film production, he began taking photographs of the various stars of the time. In 1924, when Metro Pictures became Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Bull became head of MGM stills department. He remained with the studio until the end of his career.

Bull was very well accomplished in everything to do with his specialty from lighting to printing and retouching. He photographed many of the first-rate stars of the day including Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Leslie Howard, Katherine Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Hedy Lamarr, Vivian Leigh, Spencer Tracy, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Jean Harlow, John Gilbert, among many others. Of course, he is extremely well known for his numerous photographs of Greta Garbo.

For a more detailed telling of his wonderful friendship with Garbo and of their artistic photographs created go to this highly recommended site:

http://www.garboforever.com/Garbo_Portraits-06.htm

When you find Bull's vintage photographs for sale at auction, the auction will usually say that his photographs are silver gelatin photographs and that they are 'dodged and burned.'

For a detailed description what is meant by the terms of 'dodged and burned,' here is a link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodging_and_burning

For more on the silver gelatin process go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin_silver_process

His photographs are also blind stamped (embossed) with his name and there is a rubber ink stamp also showing his name on the back of the prints. For some photos there will appear a snipe (a detailed synopsis of the star, film and date). And some photographs even have a ink stamp of the press agency that submitted the photo for publication.

Here are some examples and more of Bull's highly artistic photographs of the stars of yesterday...

Above an example of the rubber ink stamp for Bull's work.

Example of a blind (embossed) stamp above.

Example of a press snipe.

Bull's photographs are highly collectible and can be worth in the thousands of dollars. In addition, Bull's photographs are seen in retrospective photography galleries worldwide.

Here are some examples of the classic style of Bull's photographs:

Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan.

Leila Hyams

Lucille Ball

A color one of a young Elizabeth Taylor.

Katharine Hepburn.

Marlene Dietrich

Ava Gardner

Gloria Swanson

Jean Harlow

Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh with Bull.

Ava Gardner with Bull and below one of the photos that resulted from that setting.

Bull with Nelson Eddie and Jeanette MacDonald.

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The Legendary Glamour of George Hurrell Photography

February 21, 2011, 1:17 pm

≫ Next: A Flair for Portraits: Eugene Robert Richee

≪ Previous: The Great Hollywood Photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull

Along with Clarence Sinclair Bull, George Hurrell helped create the ideal standards of high end Hollywood Glamour in photography.

But while Bull showed an early interest in photography, Hurrell was actually initially more interested in painting. The only reason he got into photography was to make a record of his paintings. Hurrell was born in Covington, Kentucky and eventually moved to Chicago, Illinois. But in 1925 he found, when he relocated to Laguana Beach, California, that there was more of a profitable interest in photography.

In the later 1920s, Hurrell was introduced to actor Ramon Navarro and took a series of photographs of him. Navarro was significantly impressed enough to show the results to actress Norma Shearer who in turn sought to use Hurrell to change her wholesome image to a more provocative one. Shortly after, Shearer showed the finished photos to her husband, MGM production chief, Irving Thalberg. Thalberg signed Hurrell to a contract with MGM as the head of the portrait photography department.

However, in 1932, Hurrell left MGM and opened his own studio on Sunset Boulevard. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Hurrell photographed just about every major star in the industry including Myrna Loy, Robert Montgomery, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Carole Lombard. In the 1940s, he moved to working for Warner Brothers Studios and photographed Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Errol Flynn, Maxine Fife, Humphrey Bogart, and James Cagney. Later in the same decade, he again moved--this time to Columbia Pictures--and photographed Rita Hayworth among others.

While he also photographed Greta Garbo for the film Romance, the two did not hit it off and Garbo preferred to keep Clarence Sinclair Bull as her official photographer. However, Norma Shearer, who adored Hurrell, kept his as her exclusive photographer.

For a time, Hurrell left Hollywood to make training films for the United States Army. But, when he tried to return to Hollywood in mid 1950s, he found that his original style of glamour photography was no longer in vogue. So he decided instead to venture to New York, where he photographed for fashion magazines and did advertisements for various products.

However, his initial style did not fall out of favor for long. In 1965, a revival of his work was exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art in New York and it caused a sensation. He began to work again returning to Hollywood and photographing occasionally but by the 1970s he was in full swing again taking photos of such new stars as Raquel Welch, Farrah Fawcett and John Travolta.

He decided to retire though in 1976. Nevertheless, he sporatically would photograph certain new stars if he found an interest in them. Sharon Stone, Brooke Shields, and Shannon Tweed were among those he felt imparted the same kind of glamour that he was famous for shooting in the Hollywood heydays.

In addition, in 1984, he could not say no when Joan Collins (then hot off Dynasty) said that he would be the only photographer she would allow to photograph her in the nude for a spread that Playboy was proposing. In turn, Hurrell photographed the classy 50 year old star in some page layout shots and the subsequent issue became a best seller.

Lastly, he created publicity photos of Annette Benning and Warren Beatty for the film "Bugsy" and Natalie cole for her album Unforgettable ... with Love.

Around the same time, there was a documentary being made about his life and he did his last legendary style shots of actors Sherilyn Fenn, Sharon Stone, Julian Sands, Raquel Welch, Eric Roberts and Sean Penn.

After the documentary was completed, he fell ill from complications from a reaccuring problem with bladder cancer. He passed away May 17, 1992.

Like C. S. Bull, his photographs have appreciated in value over time. His work is highly sought after by art dealers and collectors.

Here is some discussions on Hurrell's techniques:

http://photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00IDQ3

http://www.hurrellphotography.com/Hurrell/legends3.html

http://www.portraitsecrets.com/Glamour.shtml

http://dynamist.com/articles-speeches/atlantic/hurrell.html

Here are some examples of his work:

Gene Tierney

Jean Harlow

Norma Shearer

Miriam Hopkins

Joan Crawford

Carole Lombard.

A color photograph by Hurrell of Linda Darnell.

One of his later subjects, Sharon Stone.

Here are some photos of Hurrell on the set with some of the stars he photographed.

Hurrell with Jane Russell.

With Olivia De Havilland.

Looking over some of his many great photos.

With Robert Montgomery.

Here is a recent auction from Ebay where this Joan Crawford photograph went for 4, 995.00. Notice the next photo shows the Hurrell ink stamp and the MGM one for star Crawford:

Another example of a Hurrell stamp and a press snipe.

Here are some more examples of Hurrell's work:

http://carole-and-co.livejournal.com/390982.html

And here are some of the male stars he photographed:

http://carole-and-co.livejournal.com/391256.html

Thanks to Vince for these links!

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A Flair for Portraits: Eugene Robert Richee

February 22, 2011, 12:41 pm

≫ Next: The Supreme Hollywood Photography of Elmer Fryer

≪ Previous: The Legendary Glamour of George Hurrell Photography

Eugene (sometimes also just called Gene) Robert Richee was born August 21, 1896 in Denver, Colorado.

Richee began his career in the silent movie era. He took portrait photographs of stars on the sets of some of Paramount Pictures most well known classics. As his talent became more and more prevalent, he was put in charge of the main portrait gallery at Paramount. From 1925 to 1935 took many photographs of Louise Brooks,

Richee later worked for MGM and Warner Brothers. In his role, Richee became the premiere photographer of stars such as Marlene Dietrich, Dorothy Lamour, Clara Bow, Jean Arthur, Mae West, Gary Cooper, and Fay Wray, William Powell, Irene Dunne, Veronica Lake, Fredrick March, Nancy Carroll, Gloria Swanson, and Carole Lombard.

Richee passed away on April 21, 1972 in Orange County, California. He was survived by his wife, Levaughn Larson.

Some examples of his work:

Marlene Dietrich

A classic Louise Brooks.

Veronica Lake

Barbara Stanwyck

Carole Lombard

Mae West

A color photo of Veronica Lake.

Here is a mention of Richee's work and technique:

http://maewest.blogspot.com/2007/03/mae-west-eugene-r-richee.html

Here are some examples of the backs of photos showing the ink stamps. Richee also sometimes had his name embossed on the bottom right hand side of the photo.

Irene Dunne with an array of ink stamps.

Richee with assistant, John Engstead getting ready to shoot photos of Marlene Dietrich

If anyone has any photos of Richee himself or of him photographing more of his subjects, please send me a email and I will post them here.

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The Supreme Hollywood Photography of Elmer Fryer

February 26, 2011, 1:47 pm

≫ Next: The First Great Hollywood Woman Photographer: Ruth Harriet Louise

≪ Previous: A Flair for Portraits: Eugene Robert Richee

Elmer Fryer is another Hollywood great who cannot be missed when mentioning the glamour photography of yesteryear.

Fryer was born January 21, 1898 in Springfield, Missouri. He began working as a photographer in 1924. When Warner Brothers and First National Studios joined operations in 1929, Fryer replaced Fred Archer as head of the new Warner-First National Stills Department. During the 1930s he took portraits of Dolores Del Rio, Kay Francis, Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, James Cagney, Errol Flynn, George Brent among other Warner Brothers stars. Fryer left Warner Brothers in 1941, shortly before his death at age 46 on March 3, 1944.

Fryer is known for his detailed and complex eye for posing his subjects. He had a wonderful sense of modernist style and fashion. He made use of the art deco period's elegant shading and shadowing in black and white photography.

Joan Blondell

Alice White

Polly Walters

Bette Davis

Thelma Todd

Lili Damita

Myrna Loy

Marion Davies

Louise Brooks

Loretta Young

Mary Astor

Dolores Del Rio

Constance Bennett

Bebe Daniels

Here is one of Marion Davies that shows many details of the art deco period.

Olivia De Havilland

Here are some photographs of Fryer with his subjects:

With Bette Davis, who he photographed often.

With Jane Wyman

Here is an example of Fryer's embossed stamp:

This is the back of the photo of Davis and Fryer together listed and shown above.

An official back ink stamp.

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The First Great Hollywood Woman Photographer: Ruth Harriet Louise

February 26, 2011, 4:20 pm

≫ Next: Unit and Publicity Still Hollywood Photographer: Otto Dyar

≪ Previous: The Supreme Hollywood Photography of Elmer Fryer

Born Ruth Goldstein on January 13, 1903 in New York City. She was raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Her father was a rabbi. In the summer of 1925, at the young age of 22 years old, she was hired by Metro Goldwyn Mayer as chief portrait photographer--the only woman doing so for the Hollywood studios at the time.

From 1925 to 1930, she many hopefuls, starlets and major performers including Greta Garbo, Lon Chaney, John Gilbert, Joan Crawford, Marion Davies, Norma Shearer, Lili Damita, Buster Keaton, Myrna Loy, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Bessie Love, Lillian Gish, and Anna Sten.

She decided to retire from her career in 1930 to marry director Leigh Jason. Sadly, after ten years of martial bliss, she died on October 12, 1940 from complications from childbirth in Los Angeles, California.

A couple of her relatives were also notables in Hollywood: her brother was director Mike Sandrich (he directed many Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicials) and her cousin was silent film actress, Carmel Myers.

She took over 100,000 photographs during her stint at MGM and now she is considered on equal turf with other great photographers such as George Hurrell and Clarence Sinclair Bull among others. This also makes her original vintage photographs worth a pretty penny at auction as well.

I highly recommend the book, Ruth Harriet Louise and Hollywood Glamour Photography by Robertson and Dance (2002). Here is a link for the book:

http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520233485

The photos below show why she is on par with Hurrell and other greats:

Anna Sten

She took many spectacular photos of Joan Crawford...

... And of Greta Garbo

Norma Shearer

Dorothy Sebastian

Mary Nolan and Joan Crawford

Mae Murray

Buster Keaton

Marion Davies

Lili Damita

Profile shot of Lillian Gish.

Anita Page

Bessie Love

An example of her embossed stamp.

An example of her ink stamp which is also sometimes in a dark red color.

This is what the great lady Ruth looked like herself, just like one of the many stars she photographed.

Ruth and one of her greatest subjects, Crawford below:

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Unit and Publicity Still Hollywood Photographer: Otto Dyar

March 6, 2011, 2:48 pm

≫ Next: The Great MGM Still Photographer: Virgil Apger

≪ Previous: The First Great Hollywood Woman Photographer: Ruth Harriet Louise

Otto Dyar was born on July 25, 1892 and began his career at Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation (which, of course, was just shortened to Paramount). She shot many unit, publicity and fashion layouts of stars such as Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Shirley Temple, William Powell, Elizabeth Taylor, Anna May Wong, Kay Francis, Madeleine Carroll, Nancy Carroll, Alice Faye, Clara Bow, Loretta Young, Mitzi Green, Gloria Swanson, Cary Grant, Tallulah Bankhead, Louise Brooks, Gary Cooper, and Fay Wray.

He ended up working for other studios and was one of the first photographer's to do an outdoor setting, which was unusual at the time. This was proposed by eventual Paramount photographer John Engstead.

His glamour photographs are as spectacular as any created by the Hollywood photographers of the time, including Hurrell and Bull.

Dyar died at 96 on December 26, 1988 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Recently, one of his unique portaits of Elizabeth Taylor has been shown at the prestigous National Portrait Gallery in New York. And his originals also sell for in the thousands at auction and are worth every penny!

Two great photos of Anna May Wong.

Kay Francis

Claudette Colbert

Gloria Swanson

Clara Bow

Carole Lombard

Claire Trevor

A copy of the back of the above Trevor photo.

Shirley Temple...

... and the stamp on back.

Another example of a back stamp.

Anna Lee in a 'key book' photo; the two hole punches on the left are proof that the photo most likely originated in a book of publicity (and other items) related to the film it represented.

The portait that was shown at the National Portrait Gallery of Elizabeth Taylor.

The photographer and his subject: Anna May Wong.

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The Great MGM Still Photographer: Virgil Apger

April 13, 2011, 3:25 pm

≫ Next: The Iconic Hollywood Photograher: Robert Coburn

≪ Previous: Unit and Publicity Still Hollywood Photographer: Otto Dyar

Virgil Apger was born in Indiana on June 25, 1903.

Apger got his start from his brother-in-law, the studio photographer Eugene Robert Richee. He assisted Richee for a time and then went to work for MGM in 1931 doing the same thing Richee had done for years. He was an assistant to Clarence Sinclair Bull for awhile. Soon Jean Harlow requested him to shoot photos on "China Seas". He is noteworthy in Oscar history as well for being the only photographer to receive an Academy Award for "Mrs. Miniver" in 1942 for Production Stills. Later, he was put in charge of the portrait gallery in 1947 for MGM, superseding C. S. Bull in that department.

He had a long career photographing stars on the set of great classics and as a portrait photographer, photographing many sexy shots of Ava Gardner in fishnet stockings and leotards. Gardner was one of his favorite subjects. Their work together is comparable to that of Hurrell's work with Crawford or that of Bull's work with Garbo but with more sexuality, glamour and a friendly sort of approachability.

Some of the many films he did still photography for are: "Spinout", "Bells Are Ringing", "That Forsyte Woman," "Julia Misbehaves", "A Date with Judy", "Homecoming", "Eyes in the Night," and the all time classic favorite, "The Wizard of Oz."

He also took photos of Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Marlon Brando, Arlene Dahl, Ann Blyth, Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and the Marx Brothers among others.

He retired from MGM in 1969.

He died at the ripe old age of 90 in San Diego, California on May 19, 1994.

Here is a look back at his work:

Debbie Reynolds

Claire Bloom

Elvis Presley

Esther Williams

Ava Gardner

Jean Harlow and Clark Gable

Grace Kelly

Janet Leigh

Elizabeth Taylor

Deborah Kerr

Clark Gable

Jeanette MacDonald

Examples of Apger's official MGM stamp and a press snipe.

Virginia Bruce and the back of the photo below:

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The Iconic Hollywood Photograher: Robert Coburn

April 16, 2011, 2:47 pm

≫ Next: Sorry for being gone too long!

≪ Previous: The Great MGM Still Photographer: Virgil Apger

Coburn was born June 23, 1900. For three decades, he was one of the most important portrait photographers in Hollywood from the 1930s to 60s. He was well known for photographing Joan Crawford, Carole Lombard, Hedy Lamarr, Henry Fonda, Joel McCrea, Lucille Ball, Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Kim Novak. Rita Hayworth said he was her own favorite photographer and he took some of her best known photos including those for her most remembered film, "Gilda."

Beginning in 1940, he started working for Columbia for 20 years and is most associated with that studio for not only his portrait photography but also his set stills for many classic films. Some of the films he worked on include: "Vertigo", "The Birds," "Our Town", "Algiers", and "Cover Girl."

He died on July 3, 1990 in Canoga Park, California. He is burried in Los Angeles at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

Here are some examples of his work:

Tippi Hedren and Alfred Hitchcock share a laugh on the set of "The Birds."

The great Carole Lombard.

A unique Halloween one of Dusty Anderson and the back of the photo below:

Hedy Lamarr in one of her most famous settings.

Loretta Young showing off fine fashion.

Cary Grant, need we say more?

From "Cover Girl."

Rita Hayworth as the title character in "Gilda."

Orson Welles with Hayworth in "The Lady From Shanghai."

Photographer Coburn and subject Hayworth.

Coburn with Joan Crawford and her dog.

With Susan Peters.

Some of his later work in the late 50s of Kim Novak below:

From the film "Bell, Book and Candle."

"That Hamilton Woman" gave Coburn a chance to recreate a painting of the real Emma Hamilton by George Romney below:

Below are some examples of the front and back of photos that include various ink stamps used for Coburn:

Frances Farmer

Gia Scala

Starlet Jean Carmen.

And one more of Rita...

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Sorry for being gone too long!

November 10, 2012, 7:22 pm

≫ Next: Been Away too long!

≪ Previous: The Iconic Hollywood Photograher: Robert Coburn

Hello,

To everyone: Sorry it has been so long since I've been on but a lot have happened. I will be on again soon and I will update more on the photos, ect whenever possible.

Thanks for your support and sorry I didn't get to your email questions and such until now.

Sincerely, Barb

↧

Been Away too long!

January 22, 2013, 5:01 pm

≫ Next: The One and Only Scotty Welborne

≪ Previous: Sorry for being gone too long!

So sorry I've been away so long. I lost my pastword and had a heck of a time getting it back. Soon I will be updating again and I look forward to hearing your comments. So please don't give up on me yet and remember to check back in about a week. Thanks, Barb

↧

The One and Only Scotty Welborne

February 12, 2013, 11:32 am

≫ Next: Silent Era Photographer Walter Frederick Seely

≪ Previous: Been Away too long!

Scotty Welbourne was born on May 14, 1907 in North Carolina and by the end of his career he not only photographed great film stars but also became a wonderfully known cinamatographer and director.

The 'mptv.net' says of Welbourne:

Scotty Welbourne replaced Elmer Fryer as department head at Warner Bros. in 1941, photographing many of the studio's newer stars, including Lana Turner, Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, Humphery Bogart, and Alexis Smith, as well as Marlene Dietrich and Merle Oberon. (During the shooting of "Fools for Scandal" (1938), he took 686 pictures of Carole Lombard in one day.)

Welbourne worked at Warners into the 1940s, taking photos of studio stars such as Jane Wyman and Bette Davis.

However, movie buffs may best know Welbourne for his work in the 1950s horror genre -- he handled photography of the underwater sequences for director Jack Arnold's 1955 3-D gem "Revenge Of The Creature." Recalled Ricou Browning, who was in the gill man's suit when filming took place underwater, "The cameraman, Scotty Welbourne, also did some directing under the water. He built the housings for the two 3-D cameras, which were placed beside each other, and they flooded twice, and had to be overhauled overnight to have them ready to go the next day.”
Welbourne believed that the proper use of light and shadow was the answer to most of the photographer's problems and that "the photograph or the photographer must never overshadow the subject in importance [but] must always be of secondary importance to the star." Welbourne left Warner Bros. in 1945 to set up, with Madison Lacy and former MGM public:ity photographer Bud Graybill, the stills department at Enterprise Productions, a short-lived production company that made three or four films, among them "Arch of Triumph"(1948).

He was often a uncredited still photographer for films such as "Public Enemy," "The Sound and the Fury," and "The Creature From the Black Lagoon."

He passed away on May 25, 1979 shortly after his 72nd birthday in Los Angeles, California. His works are on such prestigious sites as Conde Nast and Artnet.

Here he is with some of the stars he worked with.

This one is with Joan Leslie on the set of "Cinderella Jones":

And here he is with Peggy Diggins:

He photographed many and here are some of the great artistic pieces he created:

June Travis above.

Alexis Smith

Humphrey Bogart

and more of Bogie:

3 of Carole Lombard

2 of Olivia DeHavilland including a cover from Glamour magazine.

Janet Chapman on Halloween.

Ruth Chatterton

Above is DeHavilland again and below are more sultry pics:

He did a few of Bette Davis below:

Ingrid Bergman

James Cagney

Jane Wyman

Lauren Bacall and below a rare color one of same:

Andrea King

Without watermark below:

The great Marlene Dietrich was a subject of a few sessions as suggested above.

Glenda Farrell

2 of Ida Lapino

Rita Hayworth

Barbara Stanwyck

And the beautiful Ann Sheridan:

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Silent Era Photographer Walter Frederick Seely

February 13, 2013, 12:46 pm

≫ Next: Another Silent Photographer Favorite Max Munn Autrey

≪ Previous: The One and Only Scotty Welborne

Walter Frederick Seely was born in 1886 and photographed stars primarily during the 1910s to the 1930s. He worked for the Witzel Studio (of Los Angeles) who were popular for their Ziegfeld girls.
According to David S. Shields:

“Walter F. Seely was one of the most artful of the L.A. performing arts photographers.
Trained as a landscape painter, Seely had co-directed the Redwood Gallery in Eureka with his brother Ed Seely from 1907 to 1911, so knew how to run a studio. Seely stayed with Witzel until setting up an independent gallery under his own name in 1920 and created the most daringly designed images produced under the Witzel brand. His fine arts background inclined him to horizontal formats and reclining figures, a different orientation and disposition of subject than the vertical stock-in-trade of portraitists. A colorist whose eyes had been nourished by the natural tones of his native California, Seely imported into his photography an exquisite sense of tonal modulation and lighting dramatics. He favored the spare ornaments and props of pictorialist portraiture—the fat bellied urns, ewers, and ollas—and embraced pictorialism’s interest in exotic costume. He had a finer sense of pictorial design than Witzel, but not as great an interest in the subtleties of facial expression. That part of Witzel drawn to glitz—to visual sensation for its own sake—found an amplifying eye in Seely. After Seely’s departure, Witzel sought someone who could take his place.”
As for Witzel himself he wanted photos printed a certain way:

His exhibition prints tended to use richly shadowed “Rembrandt lighting,” using single source natural light in a studio, amplified, concentrated, or diffused by mirrors and scrims.
From 1914 to 1924 his studio photographed more motion picture performers than any on the planet.

Seely passed away in the 1960s.

Here are some examples of his work of silent film stars:

Bessie Love

Billie Dove

Clara Bow

Another of Clara Bow

Gloria Swanson

Kathleen Collins

Dorothy Dwan

Greta Nissen

Alla Nazimova

Jane Novak

Kathryn Perry

Laura La Plante

Marion Davies

May Allison

Another of May Allison

Priscilla Dean

Tina Modotti

Pauline Stark

Louise Fazenda

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Another Silent Photographer Favorite Max Munn Autrey

February 15, 2013, 10:52 am

≫ Next: Hollywood Candid Photographer Bud Graybill

≪ Previous: Silent Era Photographer Walter Frederick Seely

Max M. Autrey was born on May 23, 1891 in Dallas, Texas.

He was a still photographer on four films including "Modern Times" with Charlie Chaplin.

According to the Los Angles Times:

Most of the silent-movie stars photographed by a twentysomething Autrey in the 1920s for Fox Studio are forgotten today, with the exception of Clara Bow, the "It" girl. "It," of course, really meant "sex," and, even in the demure bathing suit of the time, Bow's exuberant, upraised-arm stance in swirling surf gave her an air of ready-for-anything sauciness.

Other Autrey shots include an image of Madge Bellamy coyly poised on tiptoe or Lanore De Lara vamping in what appears to be a hastily constructed toga.

He was mainly a portrait photographer for the Witzel Photography Studio in Downtown L.A. between the 1920s and 50s, noted for the glamour styles of the subjects and clientele which graced his work, especially those identified in the realm of motion pictures.

The soft, delicate shadow of a tree in the latter portrait represented a trickle-down effect from the art photography movement known as Pictorialism.

His works have become popular even appearing at museum shows alongside some of the greats like Hurrell.

He died August 5, 1971 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 80.

For more information and photographs you may want to check out this book:

Max Munn Autrey: One Photographer's Hollywood by Constance W. Glenn, David Quinn, Louise Moore, Alma Friedman and Mark Norton.

Here are some of his pictures:

Mary Duncan

Mary Duncan again

Jean Harlow

Jean looking spectacular.

Book showcasing Autrey's Book

Greta Nissen

He did many photographs of Olive Borden.

Both of these are Delores Del Rio.

Fifi Dorsay

Madge Bellamy

Billy Poobah

Marjorie Beebe

Profile of John Wayne

Anna Nilsson

Thelma Todd

Janet Gaynor

Margaret Livingston

Delia Magana

Katie-Louise Ford

Eve Arden

Marguerite Churchill

Here are three of the great Myrna Loy above.

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Hollywood Candid Photographer Bud Graybill

February 16, 2013, 5:32 am

≫ Next: The Diversity of Photographer Phil Burchman

≪ Previous: Another Silent Photographer Favorite Max Munn Autrey

Born Durward Burton Graybill on April 29, 1909 in Los Angeles, California.

Graybill often worked as an uncredited still photographer on some of the greatest films ever made, including: "Body and Soul," "Arch of Triumph," "Joan of Arc" (Ingrid Bergman version), and most notabley, Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train."

His photographs show stars not only on the sets of films but also at premieres and lunchens. As a result he did many fine candid shots of the stars of the golden age.

Died on Halloween, October 31, 1978 at the age of 69.

Here are some examples of his varied work:

Ray Bolger

Rosalind Russell

James Stewart and Claudette Colbert in "It's a Wonderful World."

Eleanor Stewart

Joan Crawford when she made "The Shinning Hour."

Deanna Durbin

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard at a film premiere.

Notable Filmmaker Fritz Lang

Having lunch with stars Freddie Bartholomew, Peggy Ryan and Mickey Rooney.

Rosalind Russell

Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller.

Mickey Rooney with his dog.

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The Diversity of Photographer Phil Burchman

February 18, 2013, 1:39 pm

≫ Next: The Influencial Photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe

≪ Previous: Hollywood Candid Photographer Bud Graybill

Finding information on Phil Bruchman is not easy. What is known of him is his diversity in photography, from photographing great artistic landscapes to taking candid photos of stars and singers and other performers.

It appears that Bruchman must have worked between the 1920s to the 1960s.

Here is a portion of his varied work:

Landscapes like the big apple.

New York at night.

One of the greatest pictures ever taken of the Statue of Liberty.

Ladies in 1928 showing off a classic car.

Gregory Peck shows of his big catches.

A 3 set of Audrey Hepburn.

Director (and husband of Ingrid Bergman) Roberto Rossellini.

Ginger Rogers and friends.

James Dean

Alluring Kim Novak.

Victor Mature

Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles.

Model/Actress Suzy Parker.

Vivien Leigh in one of her greatest roles in "Waterloo Bridge."

Cheesecakes of Marilyn Monroe.

Gina Lollolabrigida

Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly.

Lucy and Desi getting the key to the city of Miami, Florida.

Frank Sinatra

Harry Belafonte

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The Influencial Photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe

February 20, 2013, 8:01 am

≫ Next: Theatre and Film Photographer Marcus Blechman

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Louise Emma Augusta Dahl (November 19, 1895 December 11, 1989) was a noted American photographer. She is known primarily for her work for Harper's Bazaar, in association with fashion editor Diana Vreeland.

Dahl was born in San Francisco, California to Norwegian immigrant parents. In 1914 she began her studies at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute) where she stayed for six years. She studied design, decoration and architecture at Columbia University, New York in 1923. In 1928 she married the sculptor Meyer Wolfe, who constructed the backgrounds of many of her photos.

Dahl-Wolfe was known for taking photographs outdoors, with natural light in distant locations from South America to Africa in what became known as "environmental" fashion photography. She preferred portraiture to fashion photography. Notable portraits include: Mae West, Cecil Beaton, Eudora Welty, W. H. Auden, Christopher Isherwood, Orson Welles, Carson McCullers, Edward Hopper, Colette and Josephine Baker. She is known for her role in the discovery of a teenage Lauren Bacall whom she photographed for the March 1943 cover of Harper's Bazaar. She was a great influence on photographers Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. One of her assistants was fashion and celebrity photographer, Milton H. Greene.

Dahl has said of photography: "I believe that the camera is a medium of light, that one actually paints with light. In using the spotlights with reflecting lights, I could control the quality of the forms revealed to build a composition. Photography, to my mind, is not a fine art. It is splendid for recording a period of time, but it has definite limitations, and the photographer certainly hasn't the freedom of the painter. One can work with taste and emotion and create an exciting arrangement of significant form, a meaningful photograph, but a painter has the advantage of putting something in the picture that isn't there or taking something out that is there. I think this makes painting a more creative medium."

From 1933 to 1960, Dahl-Wolfe operated a New York City photographic studio that was home to the freelance advertising and fashion work she made for stores including Bonwit Teller and Saks Fifth Avenue. From 1936 to 1958 Dahl-Wolfe was a staff fashion photographer at Harpers Bazaar. From 1958 until her retirement in 1960, Dahl-Wolfe worked as a freelance photographer for Vogue, Sports Illustrated, and other periodicals.

Louise Dalhl-Wolfe lived many of her later years in Nashville, Tennessee. She died in New Jersey of pneumonia in 1989. The full archive of Dahl-Wolfe's work is located at the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) at the University of Arizona in Tucson, which also manages the copyright of her work.

In 1999, her work was the subject of a documentary film entitled Louise Dahl-Wolfe: Painting with Light. The film featured the only surviving modern footage of Dahl-Wolfe, including extensive interviews. It was written and directed by Tom Neff, edited by Barry Rubinow and produced by Neff and Madeline Bell.

Here are some examples of her work:

Model wearing exquisite gown.

Charles Boyer and his wife.

Carole Lombard and her dog.

Cecil Beaton photographing Marilyn Monroe.

Coco Chanel

Colette.

Edward G. Robinson.

Gertrude Lawrence and friend.

Greer Garson.

James Cagney

Hedy Lamarr

Orson Welles

Mae West

Suzy Parker

Vivien Leigh

She did many images of Lauren Bacall, even going so far as to help her get a film contract and to eventually meet Humphrey Bogart who became not only her film costar but her husband as well.

Josephine Baker

Diana Vreeland

Kay Kendall

John and Jackie Kennedy

She also did a setting with Marlene Dietrich when she was in "Destry Rides Again."

Dahl-Wolfe photographing subjects and Diana Vreeland helping her with the model:

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Theatre and Film Photographer Marcus Blechman

February 21, 2013, 8:17 am

≫ Next: The Elusive Photographer of the stars Harvey White

≪ Previous: The Influencial Photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe

Not much can be found on this great photographer who mainly photographed theatre stars more than film ones. But here is what I found:

Marcus was born on October 13, 1922 and passed away on Tuesday, June 22, 2010.

Marcus was a resident of Rockville Centre, New York.

Here is what friend CRAIG DUDLEY of JERSEY CITY, NJ.

I met Marcus Blechman when I was a young actor starting out in the theatre professionally and he invited me to his Photo Studio which I found to be rather unique with all those celebrated names from film and theatre and many that I had admired. I was regular there having coffee or tea discussing the theatre and subsequently he took several photo of me, and ones that have become favourites of mine over the years and have used in several write ups on me. One afternoon I was asked to leave because he was going to photograph Dame Judith Anderson whom he had done for her celebrated MEDEA. Later I asked him how it went and his response was: During this shoot, Miss Anderson was on her best behavior , so friendly, amusing and interesting. Marcus was somewhat surprised because on that last shoot for the Medea layout and record cover , she was demanding, intolerable and difficult; why the change now? Her answer was this: "Marcus, then I was Medea!"

Here are some examples of his work:

Helen Hayes

Judith Anderson in Medea.

Gloria Swanson

Another theatre star

Vera Zorina

Tallulah Bankhead

His photographer's stamp.

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The Elusive Photographer of the stars Harvey White

February 21, 2013, 9:01 am

≫ Next: The Well-Known 'James Dean' Photographer Roy Schatt

≪ Previous: Theatre and Film Photographer Marcus Blechman

Again, unfortunately, there is not much I could find on this great photographer either. If anyone has any information please contact me.

It appears that White did some wonderful glamour shots of the stars, many of beauty Jean Harlow, among others.

Here are some examples of his work:

Jean Harlow

Franchot Tone

Johnny Weissmuller

Lillian Harvey

Myrna Loy

Robert Montgomery

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The Well-Known 'James Dean' Photographer Roy Schatt

February 22, 2013, 8:45 am

≫ Next: Photographer Leo Fuchs, Friend to the Stars

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Roy Schatt was born on November 21, 1909 in New York.

Roy Schatt is World Famous for his series of photographs of actor James Dean, most notable being the 'Torn Sweater' photos. The photographs were taken before Dean became a star.

Educated in New York, he started as an illustrator for government agencies in the 1930s, under the presidency of Franklin D Roosevelt.

Schatt took pictures of a wide variety of actors

But he soon turned photography from a hobby into a new career, and was influenced by Eric Saloman's work in 35mm, available-light photography.He also studied acting, and directed shows during World War II, while with the US Army's special forces in India. After the war he went to New York.

In addition, before he became a photographer, Roy Schatt studied painting with N.C. Wyeth and worked as a graphic artist for BBD&O on the Lucky Strike Hit Parade. Living in Greenwich Village in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Schatt met Jose Quintero who was directing Tennessee Williams' Summer & Smoke at the Circle-in-the-Square Playhouse. Roy's portraits of the cast went on display in the lobby and Harpers Bazaar and Vogue featured his portrait of Geraldine Page. During this period, Roy's numerous subjects included the likes of Rod Steiger, Patricia Neal, Budd Schulberg, Elia Kazan, Arthur Penn and Ben Gazzara. Schatt's subjects also include Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Billie Holiday, Steve McQueen, Marilyn Monroe, Tennessee Williams and many others. Although he is famous for photographing actors and other celebrities, Roy Schatt's work is the antithesis of glamour photography. He always sought out the "unguarded moment." Schatt was also an actor and his emotionally exposed style led to him being called the "Method" photographer because of the many parallels with the revolution that was then sweeping the acting world. Famed teacher Lee Strasberg recognized this kinship when he named Schatt theOfficial Photographer of the Actor's Studio.

The James Dean pictures are undoubtedly the crowning achievement of Schatt's career. As he recalled many year's later, Schatt was mesmerized from almost the first moment they met: "He was a squinty schlump of a person all bent over. Then Dean suddenly got up and this ugly person became a dream, an Adonis who started to dance around the room. It was a transition I couldn't believe." Dean studied photography with Schatt and they became close friends.

During the course of their yearlong friendship, Schatt and Dean formed a perfect photographer/subject relationship that resulted in many of the most popular images of Dean. "Dean was a method actor," Schatt explained, "being an actor, I was able to recognize that theatrical instinct. I would direct and provoke and the scenes would become inspiration. But the photograph still must be honest and interesting beyond the performance."

Roy Schatt was Dean's friend and photography teacher during the final year and half of his life. During that time, his camera captured the many facets of Dean's complex personality. The 15 photographs contained in the "JAMES DEAN NEW YORK 1954 - IMAGES BY ROY SCHATT" portfolios, which include 6 of the famous "Torn Sweater" series, some of the most unforgettable portraits of the actor. They present rare glimpses of Dean during photo sessions with Schatt, relaxing at home, on the rehersal set, and on the streets of New York, the city he called his home.

He said of Dean:

"I knew James Dean… as a friend and as a student. He was a disrupter of norms, a bender of rules, a disquieter of calm. Through these photographs I hope to transmit a glimpse of his most insistent, and perhaps eternal, presence."

Besides his famous pictures of Dean, he also took some amazing shots of Steve McQueen. According to Steve McQueen Online:

Back in July, 2005 I contacted Elaine Schatt (Roy's widow), interested in learning the story behind Roy's relationship with Steve and the famous pictures he took of him.

Elaine put me in contact with Roy's close friend Franklin, with the following recommendation:

Franklin is a 20 year plus dear friend to Roy much like Jimmy (Dean) was. He helps me with my computer work and sales and knows every story from the old days as he and Roy spent years together reading, shooting and talking about the old days.

Franklin was kind enough to share his very clear memories of his conversations with Roy on the subject of Steve McQueen, and they can be read below.

Franklin:

Roy did not talk as much about Steve as he did Jimmy (Dean) but Steve was a good pal of Roy's as well. Steve showed up at Roy's door knocking right after Jimmy died, he apparently had a tough time with Jimmy's death and wanted to see Roy's studio as he knew Jimmy and Roy were good friends.

Roy actually did not like Steve when he first met him, he felt like he was trying to be Jimmy and it turned Roy off. To the point that Roy, after reading some lines with Steve (Roy was also a method coach as well as a photographer, Lee Stradburg (Actors Studio) titled Roy the "method photographer"). Roy told Steve he did not think he had a career in acting, WOW was Roy wrong and much like Jimmy, Steve changed Roy's mind, literally a week later Steve came back and blew Roy away with a monologue. Well, that was it and they became friends.

Roy shot all the images of Steve in the studio and in the studio back garden. The ones of Steve in front of the drop cloth were posed for headshots for Steve. But the candid photos of Steve with the sweater on were taken when the 2 of them were just hanging out together. Like the SMOKE shot attached. Steve frequented the studio and read with Roy over the years. He introduced Ali (MacGraw) to Roy when they first started dating. After that Roy and Steve lost touch until many years later, Steve called Roy when he was not well and talked to Roy on the phone for 4 hours. Roy adored Steve as much as he did Jimmy, and Roy does not like actors in general, but obviously these were 2 of the all time greats.

In January 1955, Edward Steichen chose a Roy Schatt photograph as part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. His work has been exhibited at the Staley-Wise Gallery in Soho, Manhattan's ICP, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC and the Chicago Art Institute. Roy’s second book "faces of the 50’s" is in it’s final stages and is currently being reviewed by several major domestic and international publishers.

In 1991, he sued the James Dean Foundation after photos from a 1982 book of his images turned up on posters, calendars and fridge magnets. He received a $200,000 payment.

Jan 10, 2006, The Lowe Gallery in Santa Monica featured some great photographs from Roy Schatt and James Dean in a show called 'The Mirrored Psyche.'

Mr. Schatt died Saturday, May 4, 2002 in his Manhattan home from congestive heart failure. He was 92.
Schatt’s work has been exhibited at Manhattan's International Center for Photography, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, the Chicago Institute of Art and many other museums. In January 1955, Edward Steichen’s choice for the Museum of Modern Art's collection was a Roy Schatt photograph.

WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC is the exclusive representation of the estate of photographer Roy Schatt (1909-2002) in collaboration with Ron Cayen Inc.

Here are photos of Dean and the last one shows Schatt with one of his many photos of him.

Here is Schatt taken by James Dean.

Images of Bille Holiday.

Steve McQueen

William Bast

Patricia Neal.

Shelley Winters and Ben Gazzara

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

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Photographer Leo Fuchs, Friend to the Stars

February 26, 2013, 9:53 am

≫ Next: Ned Scott: Hollywood Film Industry Still Photographer

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From Amazon.com

Leo Fuchs is a Hollywood veteran who spent over 40 years shooting some of the most moving and memorable images ever made of 50s and 60s film icons.

Leo Fuchs was born in Vienna to a family of pastry chefs in 1929 and moved to New York with his family at the age of ten. He sold his first picture (of Eleanor Roosevelt) for $5 when he was barely a teenager, then quit school at 14 to apprentice at Globe Photos in New York. He struck out on his own two years later, working in Broadway nightclubs and as a glamour photographer for newspapers and magazines. After serving as a Signal Corps cameraman in Germany in the early 50s, Fuchs stayed in Europe and was hired as a still photographer on his first film, Magic Fire, directed by William Dieterle.

Fuchs’ introduction to moviemaking came as one of the world’s leading “special photographers” on movie sets in Europe and North America. Starting as a freelance magazine photographer, he was one of the rare outsiders invited onto movie sets, where he often befriended actors, actresses, and filmmakers and captured candid shots both during shooting and after hours while socializing with the stars. With the support of his dear friend Cary Grant, Fuchs gave up photography in 1964 and spent the next 20 years as a motion picture producer.

Fuchs' photographs of Hollywood’s undisputed heyday are collected for the first time in Leo Fuchs: Special Photographer from the Golden Age of Hollywood, along with a rare essay by photography great, Bruce Weber. Film icons Rock Hudson, Audrey Hepburn, Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, Sean Connery, Shirley MacLaine, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, and never-before-published photographs of To Kill a Mockingbird’s Harper Lee as well as such legendary directors as Billy Wilder, Otto Preminger, Fred Zinnemann, and Alfred Hitchcock all appear unguarded—unlike any other photographs of the era. These images are complemented by pages of insider details taken from the recorded remembrances of Leo Fuchs himself.

He came out with book recently. Leo Fuchs: Special Photographer offers never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes photographs of the glamorous world of post-war Hollywood. It serves as a valuable piece of history and a reference for the style, attitudes, and personalities of the dream factory’s elite that define modern-day celebrity. With a career spent steadily rising through the ranks of production, from outsider to boss, Leo Fuchs saw it all. Now his personal vision has been captured for the world to enjoy in Leo Fuchs: Special Photographer.

Here are multiple images of the young Paul Newman on the set of 'Cool Hand Luke', extended images of Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Rock Hudson with Doris Day and alone, Gregory Peck in his stills for 'To Kill A Mockingbird', Shirley MacLaine as 'Irma la Douce' and as Shirley alone, director Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Sinatra among others. The manner in which he was able to make his actors relax and be comical for the camera is unmatched. These are both serious and entertaining images that will rescue memories of the days when Hollywood represented entertainment!