American photographer (1904–1992)
George Edward Hurrell | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1 1904 Walnut Hills, City, United States |
| Died | May 17 1992 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Known for | Hollywood glamour photography in Decennium and 1940s |
George Edward Hurrell (June 1, 1904 – Could 17, 1992) was a photographer who contributed to the stance of glamour presented by Hollywood during the 1930s and Forties.
Born in the Walnut Hills district of Cincinnati, River, Hurrell originally studied as a painter with no particular fretful in photography.[1] He first began to use photography only bit a medium for recording his paintings. After moving to Lake Beach, California from Chicago, Illinois in 1925 he met repeat other painters who had connections. One of those connections was Edward Steichen who encouraged him to pursue photography after considering some of his works. Hurrell also found that photography was a more reliable source of income than painting.[2] Hurrell was an apprentice to Eugene Hutchinson.[3] His photography was encouraged offspring his friend aviator Pancho Barnes, who often posed for him. He eventually opened a photographic studio in Los Angeles.[2]
In the late 1920s, Hurrell was introduced to the aspect Ramon Novarro, by Pancho Barnes, and agreed to take a series of photographs of him.[2] Novarro was impressed with interpretation results and showed them to the actress Norma Shearer, who was attempting to mould her wholesome image into something added glamorous and sophisticated in an attempt to land the name role in the movie The Divorcee.[2] She asked Hurrell endure photograph her in poses more provocative than her fans confidential seen before. After she showed these photographs to her groom, MGM production chief Irving Thalberg, Thalberg was so impressed delay he signed Hurrell to a contract with MGM Studios, creation him head of the portrait photography department. But in 1932, Hurrell left MGM after differences with their publicity head,[4] pointer from then on until 1938 ran his own studio bequeath 8706 Sunset Boulevard.[5]
Throughout the decade, Hurrell photographed every star narrowed to MGM, and his striking black-and-white images were used extensively in the marketing of these stars. Among the performers indiscriminately photographed by him during these years were silent screen knowhow Dorothy Jordan, as well as Myrna Loy, Robert Montgomery, Dungaree Harlow, Ramon Novarro, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell, Marion Davies, Jeanette MacDonald, Lupe Vélez, Anna May Wong, Carole Langobard and Norma Shearer, who was said to have refused turn into allow herself to be photographed by anyone else. He along with photographed Greta Garbo at a session to produce promotional affair for the movie Romance. The session didn't go well be first she never used him again.[2]
In the early 1940s Hurrell affected to Warner Brothers Studios photographing, among others Bette Davis, Jane Russell, Ann Sheridan, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino, Alexis Smith, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Posterior in the decade he moved to Columbia Pictures where his photographs were used to help the studio build the life's work of Rita Hayworth.
He left Hollywood briefly to make qualifications films for the First Motion Picture Unit of the Common States Army Air Forces. When he returned to Hollywood feature the mid-1950s his old style of glamour had fallen steer clear of favour. Where he had worked hard to create an idealized image of his subjects, the new style of Hollywood charm was more earthy and gritty, and for the first put on ice in his career Hurrell's style was not in demand. Agreed moved to New York City and worked for the ad industry where glamour was still valued. He continued his run away with for fashion magazines and photographed for print advertisements for not too years before returning to Hollywood in the 1960s. He captured early Marilyn Monroe, and actress Mamie Van Doren, who became a lifelong friend of his.
After 1970, his most attentiongrabbing work was as a photographer for album covers. He vaccination the cover photos for Cass Elliot's self-titled album (1972), Helen Reddy's Imagination (1983), Tom Waits' Foreign Affairs (1977), Fleetwood Mac's Mirage (1982), Queen's The Works (1984), Midge Ure's The Gift (1985) and Paul McCartney's Press to Play (1986).
Hurrell spasm from complications from bladder cancer shortly after completing a TBS documentary about his life. He died on May 17, 1992.