Monday, 28 April 2014

Hollywood"s golden era photos by British photographer George Douglas


  • Thousands of images were unearthed at the Brighton home of photographer George Douglas, who died in 2010

  • Pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Roger Moore, Peter Sellers and former U.S. president Harry Truman among collection

  • The images span three decades of Hollywood glamour from 1940s to 1060s, with social and historical photographs

  • Neighbour and friend Roger Bamber found the collection and 30 images are set to go on display in Brighton in May


By

Lizzie Parry



Published:


10:40, 28 April 2014




|
Updated:


12:43, 28 April 2014




Glamorous images of Hollywood stars and U.S. presidents found in the dusty filing cabinet of a British photographer are set to be exhibited for the first time.


Thousands of images, many in black and white, were unearthed at the Brighton home of George Douglas, after the photographer passed away.


The unique collection includes images of Breakfast At Tiffany’s actress Audrey Hepburn, English actor Sir Dirk Bogarde as well as former U.S. president Harry Truman, James Bond star Roger Moore and Peter Sellers.


The images, which span three decades

from the 1940s to 1960s, were discovered by fellow photographer and Mr

Douglas’s neighbour Roger Bamber, who inherited his friend’s home

following his death.


Thousands of images - including this of Breakfast At Tiffany


Thousands of images – including this of Breakfast At Tiffany’s actress Audrey Hepburn – were discovered at the Brighton home of photographer George Douglas after his death


Thirty of the images are set to go on display for the first time in May as part of Brighton


Thirty of the images are set to go on display for the first time in May as part of Brighton’s Artists Open Houses event. This photograph of Angela Lansbury is part of the collection found in a dusty filing cabinet by Mr Douglas’s friend and neighbour Roger Bamber




The negatives, which had lain buried for years, include social and historical images from the period, including the Queen’s rat-catcher and Britain’s first female chimney sweep, Mr Bamber said.


Thirty images from the archive will go on display at Mr Douglas’s former home as part of Brighton’s Artists Open Houses festival in May.


Photographer Nigel Swallow, who is now living in the property, said he is expecting it to take him at least a year for himself and Mr Bamber to sort through the photographs, and that he has taken advice as to how it can be properly archived.


Mr Swallow said: ‘It’s something that should be taken very good care of and I am chuffed that I have been asked to look after the archive.


‘The first priority is making sure we preserve George’s work.’


Mr Douglas, whose nickname was Speedy George due to his fast-paced work ethic, worked for many years at Picture Post magazine.


He spent much of his time in California, but would spend his summers in Brighton, Mr Bamber said.


He retired to live in his house full-time in 2007 until his death in December 2010 at the age of 88, he continued.


George Douglas, whose nickname was Speedy George due to his fast-paced work ethic, worked for many years at Picture Post magazine


George Douglas, whose nickname was Speedy George due to his fast-paced work ethic, worked for many years at Picture Post magazine



The images span three decades from the 1940s to 1960s, and include pictures of former U.S. president Harry Truman and James Bond star Roger Moore. This photograph shows a performers on Santa Monica beach


The images span three decades from the 1940s to 1960s, and include pictures of former U.S. president Harry Truman and James Bond star Roger Moore. This photograph shows a performers on Santa Monica beach


English actor and comedian Tony Hancock, captured by George Douglas with a group of penguins. Mr Douglas worked for Picture Post for a large part of his career


English actor and comedian Tony Hancock, captured by George Douglas with a group of penguins. Mr Douglas worked for Picture Post for a large part of his career


The collection includes this series of pictures of actor Peter Sellers


The collection includes this series of pictures of actor Peter Sellers


Mr Bamber

said Mr Douglas, who was born in Rottingdean, East Sussex, but moved to

Dallas, Texas, in 1939, trained in aeronautical design engineering but

his heart was not in it.


He

said: ‘The Leica camera he bought from a pawnshop consumed his spare

time and once he had sold his first picture, for 30 US dollars, he

handed in his notice.


‘He

sold his first photographs to the Los Angeles Times in the 1940s and

moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, in 1948, where he was in charge of

photography for the Sun Valley News Bureau, taking pictures of famous

visitors including Gary Cooper and President Harry Truman.


‘In 1949 he moved back to LA and began his career as a celebrity photographer with a picture of Angela Lansbury for Life magazine.


‘But it was an English magazine that intrigued him. He noticed that Life photographers he admired had trained in London on the Picture Post, which specialised in 35mm photography and a documentary style.


‘He set off for England in 1950. A set of pictures of two children with their pet boa constrictor got him through the door and became the first of many assignments he undertook for Picture Post.


‘He fell “more than a little in love” with Audrey Hepburn when he spent a fortnight photographing her in New York as she prepared for the Broadway production of Gigi, and became friends with the novelist Paul Gallico and the actor Peter Sellers.’


Picture Post closed in 1957 and George turned to women’s magazines and the TV Mirror, Mr Bamber said.


He went on: ‘In 1964, the Beatles asked him to become their photographer on the set of A Hard Day’s Night.


‘Paul McCartney had been impressed by George’s portraits of his then girlfriend Jane Asher; but two weeks at the Twickenham Studios besieged by screaming teenagers was enough to persuade George that he was not cut out for pop photography.’








Comments (28)


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The comments below have not been moderated.





rickyo,


Charleston,


1 hour ago


I would love to know what Tony Hancock was saying to those penguins. Whatever it was, I am sure that it was funny. He was a great comedian and a wonderful man.





Anjuli,


Perth WA au,


2 hours ago


Don’t have stars like that any more.





goodwood69,


Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory,


2 hours ago


I wish someone would round up all the hollywood agents, producers, publicists and financiers, herd them into a rocket, and aim it at the sun. Like that scene from the Hitch-Hiker’s Guide by Douglas Adams.






Bernard V,


Widnes, United Kingdom,


3 hours ago


Marvellous photographs I’m sure. I can’t quite get over the bit where he ran away from England in 1939 though.






Pinky,


Sheffield, United Kingdom,


6 hours ago


Wow how, awesome that we can get a glimpse of such beauty. That was way before my time.. Thank you






Arminius,


Raleigh, United States,


7 hours ago


Discovered for the first time ever and poorly scanned and shared with the public in low resolution because, while we were documenting priceless and irreplaceable documents, our hard drive was, I dunno, full or fragmented or something. Ask Ken down in the Tech Department; leave us alone.





norfolk n good,


bath,


9 hours ago


Lovely to see Angela Lansbury so young, so pretty.






Canadianraptor,


Jurrasic Park West, Canada,


9 hours ago


What a gorgeous, stunning lady Ms. Hepburn was. I love the one of British comic legend Tony Hancock, a fantastic comedian who died way too young! A great recotd of a golden era at the movies, theatre and the fledging TV!





Almost retired,


brighton, United Kingdom,


11 hours ago


Looking forward to seeing these as part of the Brighton Festival.





Daisy Fay,


Twin Cities, United States,


11 hours ago


Audrey Hepburn was stunningly beautiful. I love watching her films.





udenihc,


London, United Kingdom,


10 hours ago


I cant ever get tired of watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s



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