Photographers

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Portrait planned

Slim Aarons

  • Birth Year
    1916
  • Death Year
    2006

Biography

Photojournalist with a focus on people, notably portraits of countless personalities for prominent magazines in the USA. Chronicles of an upmarket lifestyle in America during the 1950s and 60s.

At 18 joins the US Army. Works as photographer at West Point. Active service in WWII. Awarded the Purple Heart. After 1945 moves to California, where he specializes in photographs of prominent people for illustrated magazines with the motto:

“Photographing attractive people who were doing attractive things in attractive places.”

Numerous publications in magazines such as Life, Town & Country, Holiday Magazine, Travel and Leisure, and other lifestyle magazines.

His best-known work is the group photograph from New Year’s Eve 1957, Kings of Hollywood, featuring Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Van Heflin, and James Stewart in formal dress in the relaxed atmosphere of Romanoff’s restaurant in Los Angeles.

His apartment has a place in film history as it inspired the set design for Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (with James Stewart in the leading role).

In 1974 he published the retrospective book A Wonderful Time: An Intimate Portrait of the Good Life, looking back at his career.

In 2005 he participated in the major group exhibition Kriegsende und Neuanfang at the Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte in Münster.