- June 28, 2008
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We Lift Our Glass To Murray Garrett!!
Are you ready for the bombshell? Paris and Nicky Hilton were in an art gallery last night! Actually a photo gallery. The Photographers Gallery on La Brea. Yes it is true and we were there first hand to witness the rare phenomenon. Incredible, but this post is not about a couple of philistines and their quest for some free PR. This is all about Murray Garrett.
Murray was one of the original press photographers working in Hollywood in the 1940’s. 50’s and 60’s. Murray ruled Hollywood with his camera and his keen eye for iconic photographs. His subjects had real talent, style and grace. Monroe, Grace Kelly, Liz Tayor, Murray knew them all and had the best possible access.
We personally did not come on the seen until the mid ’70’s so we did not have the pleasure to meet or work with Murray until last night. We chatted about some of the other photographer greats like Galella, Darlene Hamond and the charming Nate Cutler from Globe Photos. These were all brilliant and prolific photographers and were incredibly important to the press machine of Hollywood.
Now Hollywood is all corporate and ruled by sponsors and power hungry publicists. Good luck trying to get MoMa in New York to hang an event photo from our era. Will there be books and exhibitions of Lindsay, Britney, Paris and Nicole from red carpet events in a a decade or two.? No way! Just too boring and way too over produced. It is all about the elegance of paparazzi these days.
As we left the event last night, we ran into a couple of old friends on the press line. Dave Keeler who is famous for his Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra coverage of twenty years ago and Phil Roach who has been in the industry for about five decades. Phil, always the consummate gentleman, was the photographer who made the iconic first photos of Elvis with his girlfriend Liinda Thompson ( the mother of Brody Jenner ).
Dave and Phil, behind a velvet rope just isn’t fair. Would you make Matisse stand behind a velvet rope in front of his beloved Villa le Reve?
Guess we have to be fair to Paris and Niki, they actually did purchase some of Murray’s lovely Monre photographs and the Hilton’s are big fans of Murray’s. Guess this is their entry to the arts! Look forward to seeing them at LACMA soon.
