George Edward Hurrell (June 1, 1904 – May 17, 1992) was a photographer who contributed to the image of glamour presented by Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s.

Early life

Born in the Walnut Hills district of Cincinnati, Ohio, and studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and American Academy of Art College. Hurrell originally studied as a painter with no particular interest in photography. He first began to use photography only as a medium for recording his paintings. After moving to Laguna Beach, California from Chicago, Illinois in 1925 he met many other painters who had connections. One of those connections was Edward Steichen who encouraged him to pursue photography after seeing some of his works. Hurrell also found that photography was a more reliable source of income than painting. Hurrell was an apprentice to Eugene Hutchinson. His photography was encouraged by his friend aviator Pancho Barnes, who often posed for him. He eventually opened a photographic studio in Los Angeles. and from then on until 1938 ran his own studio at 8706 Sunset Boulevard.

thumb|right|[[Jane Russell (pictured in 1943) by Hurrell, in a publicity image for The Outlaw]]

left|thumb|Olivia de Havilland by George Hurrell, 1938

Throughout the decade, Hurrell photographed every star contracted to MGM, and his striking black-and-white images were used extensively in the marketing of these stars. Among the performers regularly photographed by him during these years were silent screen star Dorothy Jordan, as well as Myrna Loy, Robert Montgomery, Jean Harlow, Ramon Novarro, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell, Marion Davies, Jeanette MacDonald, Lupe Vélez, Anna May Wong, Carole Lombard and Norma Shearer, who was said to have refused to allow herself to be photographed by anyone else. He also photographed Greta Garbo at a session to produce promotional material for the movie Romance. The session didn't go well and she never used him again. He decided to expand beyond commercials was began negotiating a deal with Mitchell Gertz to produce a Zorro television series starring Gilbert Roland. Walt, however, intervened and put a stop to the plans in favor of his own show. Hurrell began clashing with Walt and decided to move back to New York following his divorce from Bounds but retained the production company until its closure in 1959.

Relocating to Beverly Hills, Hurrell reopened his photography studio and began as stills photographer for various TV shows and films.

After 1970, his most prominent work was as a photographer for album covers. He shot 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).

Personal life

In 1939, he married his first wife, Katherine Cuddy, who was a beauty contest winner from Seattle. During the marriage, he had an affair with Phyllis Bounds, niece of Walt Disney. Cuddy and Hurrell divorced in 1942 before he married Bounds one year later. This marriage resulted in the birth of their children; Victoria (b. 1945), Clancy (b. 1946) and Alexandria (b. 1948). They divorced in 1954.

In 1955, he met and married, Betty Willis. They had three children, George Jr., Daphne, and Michael.

Death

Hurrell died from complications from bladder cancer shortly after completing a TBS documentary about his life. He died on May 17, 1992.

References

  • Official Website for George Hurrell Photography, History, Blog and Licensing Information
  • George Hurrell Gallery
  • The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has 69 thumbnails of their collection.
  • Pancho Barnes and George Hurrell
  • George Hurrell Timeline
  • "Starlight and Shadow," The Atlantic, article on George Hurrell by Virginia Postrel Dead link