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George Hurrell's Hollywood #2
George Hurrell's Hollywood: Glamour Portraits 1925-1992
George Hurrell (1904–1992) was the creator of the Hollywood glamour portrait, the maverick artist who captured movie stars of the most exalted era in Hollywood history with bold contrast and seductive poses. This lavishly illustrated book spans Hurrell's entire career, from his beginnings as a society photographer to his finale as the celebrity photographer who was himself a celebrity, and a living legend.
From 1929 to 1944 Hurrell was the “Rembrandt of Hollywood,” creating portraits of Marlene Dietrich, Norma Shearer, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, and Joan Crawford that were a blend of the ethereal and the erotic. His photos of Jane Russell sulking in a haystack made the unknown girl a star—without a film credit to her name. He immortalized leading males stars of the day from the Barrymores to Clark Gable and Gary Cooper. Latter photo shoots magnified the glamour of the likes of Warren Beatty and Sharon Stone.
Through newly acquired photos and in-depth research, photographer and historian Mark A. Vieira, author of Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits, offers not only a wealth of new images but a compelling sequel to the story presented in his earlier book on Hurrell. Hurrell was himself a star—rich, famous, successful. Then, at the height of his career, he suffered a vertiginous fall from grace. George Hurrell's Hollywood recounts, for the first time anywhere, Hurrell's rise from the ashes—how movie-still collectors and art dealers pulled the elderly artist into a nefarious world of theft and fraud; how his undiminished powers gave him a second career; and how his mercurial nature nearly destroyed it.
The photographs that motivate this tale are luminous, powerful, and timeless. This book showcases more than four hundred, most of which have not been published since they were created. George Hurrell's Hollywood is the ultimate work on this trailblazing artist, a fabulous montage of fact and anecdote, light and shadow.
From 1929 to 1944 Hurrell was the “Rembrandt of Hollywood,” creating portraits of Marlene Dietrich, Norma Shearer, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, and Joan Crawford that were a blend of the ethereal and the erotic. His photos of Jane Russell sulking in a haystack made the unknown girl a star—without a film credit to her name. He immortalized leading males stars of the day from the Barrymores to Clark Gable and Gary Cooper. Latter photo shoots magnified the glamour of the likes of Warren Beatty and Sharon Stone.
Through newly acquired photos and in-depth research, photographer and historian Mark A. Vieira, author of Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits, offers not only a wealth of new images but a compelling sequel to the story presented in his earlier book on Hurrell. Hurrell was himself a star—rich, famous, successful. Then, at the height of his career, he suffered a vertiginous fall from grace. George Hurrell's Hollywood recounts, for the first time anywhere, Hurrell's rise from the ashes—how movie-still collectors and art dealers pulled the elderly artist into a nefarious world of theft and fraud; how his undiminished powers gave him a second career; and how his mercurial nature nearly destroyed it.
The photographs that motivate this tale are luminous, powerful, and timeless. This book showcases more than four hundred, most of which have not been published since they were created. George Hurrell's Hollywood is the ultimate work on this trailblazing artist, a fabulous montage of fact and anecdote, light and shadow.
416 pages, Hardcover
Published November 12, 2013
21 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Mark A. Vieira
22 books43 followersMark A. Vieira is a photographer and writer. He makes glamour portraits in the classic Hollywood mode, working in the historic Granada Buildings, where George Hurrell had his first Los Angeles studio. He writes books about the artists, genres, and photographic technique of Hollywood’s Golden Era.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 28, 2019
HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR AT ITS COLOSSAL BEST.
Even if you have previous George Hurrell collections in your library don't hesitate to consider adding this Mark Vierra colossus to it.
This has to be the ultimate Hurrell book; a stupendous collection of the famed photographer's work during the golden years of Hollywood. The golden age photos speak for themselves: to quote "They had faces then" and Hurrell certainly knew how to immortalize them with true Hollywood mystique.
Many of these portraits you may have seen countless times before but there are a substantial number of unseen stills well worth the purchase price alone.
Also included are some more contemporary photos of musicians and actors from the 80's and early 90's. And the author (an expert on Hollywood history) has provided an excellent and informative biography of the photographer with all the ups and downs of his personal life and career and the dramas associated with the reproduction of his photo negatives. Enough material for a 'movie of the week' in itself!
Thank goodness they still publish gorgeous books like this!
Even if you have previous George Hurrell collections in your library don't hesitate to consider adding this Mark Vierra colossus to it.
This has to be the ultimate Hurrell book; a stupendous collection of the famed photographer's work during the golden years of Hollywood. The golden age photos speak for themselves: to quote "They had faces then" and Hurrell certainly knew how to immortalize them with true Hollywood mystique.
Many of these portraits you may have seen countless times before but there are a substantial number of unseen stills well worth the purchase price alone.
Also included are some more contemporary photos of musicians and actors from the 80's and early 90's. And the author (an expert on Hollywood history) has provided an excellent and informative biography of the photographer with all the ups and downs of his personal life and career and the dramas associated with the reproduction of his photo negatives. Enough material for a 'movie of the week' in itself!
Thank goodness they still publish gorgeous books like this!
November 18, 2017
I have always loved the glamorous black and white photos taken by George Hurrell during the Golden Age of Hollywood so this coffee table book was such a feast in the eyes. And if you loved women, as much as I do, you would be taken by each shot in this collection especially those of Joan Crawford, Carole Lombard, Norma Shearer, and Marlene Dietrich. Moreover, you get to read his creative process, where each photo was use, and how he used music to help his subjects get in the mood. It is such a shame though that Hurrell did not have another chance to take a series of shots featuring the legendary, mysterious, and aloof Greta Garbo.
May 18, 2022
Expressive, elegant books. That’s why I can finish this at one-sitting.
What I want to learn about those photographs is the techniques, about how photos at black-and-white era is that smooth, beautiful looking but without Photoshop.
What I want to learn about those photographs is the techniques, about how photos at black-and-white era is that smooth, beautiful looking but without Photoshop.
May 6, 2025
I don’t know what else to say except…fucking gorgeous. I’m stunned at the quality of photographs and the history behind the man. I love me some Joan Crawford, and his photos of her and other classic Hollywood stars just blow me away!
August 4, 2014
If you like looking through old photos of the Hollywood glamour days, this is for you. I found the side-by-side photo of Joan Crawford before and after retouching to be particularly interesting, and I wish there had been a few more samples of that. The book gives a lot of information about Hurrell. My only quibble is that sometimes it seemed the writing jumped from one thing to another. There were a couple of times I had to go back a page to make sure I had not skipped one in between.
Book description:
George Hurrell (1904–1992) was the creator of the Hollywood glamour portrait, the maverick artist who captured movie stars of the most exalted era in Hollywood history with bold contrast and seductive poses. This lavishly illustrated book spans Hurrell’s entire career, from his beginnings as a society photographer to his finale as the celebrity photographer who was himself a celebrity, and a living legend.
From 1929 to 1944 Hurrell was the “Rembrandt of Hollywood,” creating portraits of Marlene Dietrich, Norma Shearer, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, and Joan Crawford that were a blend of the ethereal and the erotic. His photos of Jane Russell sulking in a haystack made the unknown girl a star—without a film credit to her name. He immortalized leading males stars of the day from the Barrymores to Clark Gable and Gary Cooper. Latter photo shoots magnified the glamour of the likes of Warren Beatty and Sharon Stone.
Through newly acquired photos and in-depth research, photographer and historian Mark A. Vieira, author of Hurrell’s Hollywood Portraits, offers not only a wealth of new images but a compelling sequel to the story presented in his earlier book on Hurrell. Hurrell was himself a star—rich, famous, successful. Then, at the height of his career, he suffered a vertiginous fall from grace. George Hurrell’s Hollywood recounts, for the first time anywhere, Hurrell’s rise from the ashes—how movie-still collectors and art dealers pulled the elderly artist into a nefarious world of theft and fraud; how his undiminished powers gave him a second career; and how his mercurial nature nearly destroyed it.
The photographs that motivate this tale are luminous, powerful, and timeless. This book showcases more than four hundred, most of which have not been published since they were created. George Hurrell’s Hollywood is the ultimate work on this trailblazing artist, a fabulous montage of fact and anecdote, light and shadow.
Book description:
George Hurrell (1904–1992) was the creator of the Hollywood glamour portrait, the maverick artist who captured movie stars of the most exalted era in Hollywood history with bold contrast and seductive poses. This lavishly illustrated book spans Hurrell’s entire career, from his beginnings as a society photographer to his finale as the celebrity photographer who was himself a celebrity, and a living legend.
From 1929 to 1944 Hurrell was the “Rembrandt of Hollywood,” creating portraits of Marlene Dietrich, Norma Shearer, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, and Joan Crawford that were a blend of the ethereal and the erotic. His photos of Jane Russell sulking in a haystack made the unknown girl a star—without a film credit to her name. He immortalized leading males stars of the day from the Barrymores to Clark Gable and Gary Cooper. Latter photo shoots magnified the glamour of the likes of Warren Beatty and Sharon Stone.
Through newly acquired photos and in-depth research, photographer and historian Mark A. Vieira, author of Hurrell’s Hollywood Portraits, offers not only a wealth of new images but a compelling sequel to the story presented in his earlier book on Hurrell. Hurrell was himself a star—rich, famous, successful. Then, at the height of his career, he suffered a vertiginous fall from grace. George Hurrell’s Hollywood recounts, for the first time anywhere, Hurrell’s rise from the ashes—how movie-still collectors and art dealers pulled the elderly artist into a nefarious world of theft and fraud; how his undiminished powers gave him a second career; and how his mercurial nature nearly destroyed it.
The photographs that motivate this tale are luminous, powerful, and timeless. This book showcases more than four hundred, most of which have not been published since they were created. George Hurrell’s Hollywood is the ultimate work on this trailblazing artist, a fabulous montage of fact and anecdote, light and shadow.
January 29, 2014
Five stars for the large photos alone. I knew many of these images (or similar poses) from movie books and blogs, but it's nice to see so many together. Hurrell's story is also an interesting one; the way creative people "fell into" prominence in early Hollywood is fascinating to me.
I do wish there was a little more depth on the middle part of GH's life, and less minutiae about photo collectors. I suppose their story is part of his story, but those last chapters felt overly long and not enough of Hurrell's story. (Incidentally, it didn't paint collectors in the most flattering light, either.)
All in all, a very nice coffee-table book, or classic Hollywood eye candy. I would read more about portrait photographers, if only every book could be so attractive.
I do wish there was a little more depth on the middle part of GH's life, and less minutiae about photo collectors. I suppose their story is part of his story, but those last chapters felt overly long and not enough of Hurrell's story. (Incidentally, it didn't paint collectors in the most flattering light, either.)
All in all, a very nice coffee-table book, or classic Hollywood eye candy. I would read more about portrait photographers, if only every book could be so attractive.
September 3, 2016
This book came highly recommended by Hollywood history aficionados I've befriended over the past 1/2 dozen years. It's informative, artistic, entertaining and beautifully done. There isn't one thing about it that I'd change. I recommend it to everyone who likes old movies, the film business, design, lighting, American film history, the stars, and all entertainment emanating from the studios out west.
It's valuable to learn about Kobal and others who saved, and continue to save, the artistic ephemera that would otherwise be left in a dust bin.
The 'Selected Chronology' of Hurrell's subjects can't be matched by another photographer in the business.
This book is well done!
It's valuable to learn about Kobal and others who saved, and continue to save, the artistic ephemera that would otherwise be left in a dust bin.
The 'Selected Chronology' of Hurrell's subjects can't be matched by another photographer in the business.
This book is well done!
March 16, 2024
This book was on both the Esquire Magazine list of “The 125 Best Books About Hollywood” (it’s number 11) and the Hollywood Reporter’s “List of the 100 Greatest Film Books of All Time” (It’s tied for 69 with a Pauline Kael collection and TCM's Robert Osborne's Oscars book) and it is indeed one fine book of Hollywood history, biography, and photography. This is the paperback version, published in 2023 10 years after the hardcover, and adds some new material.
George Hurrell was a portrait photographer in Hollywood whose career photographing movie stars stretched from a 1929 portrait of Ramon Novarro up to Sharon Stone in 1992 (the book features a chronology of the stars he photographed-it’s 4 pages long). He worked for and with MGM, Paramount, Warner Brothers, and independently, and he cultivated a style of seductively smooth, carefully posed, and strikingly lit portraits that projected and came to embody the glamour of high-Studio Era Hollywood.
The story of Hurrell’s life isn’t the story of a movie star, movie mogul, or great director. Hurrell was one of the hard working craftsmen behind the scenes who contributed so much to the Hollywood world of cinema but often do not receive due recognition. Mark Vieira, a photographer himself and diligent researcher (and someone who crossed paths more than once with Hurrell when he was alive) is just the author to tell Hurrell’s story and he does a superb job. Included in this volume are lengthy descriptions of Hurrell’s methods of posing and prodding his subjects to get just the picture he wanted. His lighting is gone into in excruciating detail, and Vieira splits his art into five distinct periods and each is described in Hurrell’s personal development as a hard-working craftsman who helped to shape the star's reputations and public images using his sophisticated artistic taste developed over many decades.
Some of the highlights of the book are pictures showing Hurrell’s subjects before retouching and behind the scenes pictures showing the studio layout, lighting equipment, and props and sets. His pictures of stars posed on polar bear rugs would become among his most famous images. There’s one bravura description of a photography session with Marlene Dietrich in April 1937 that lasted 6 hours that goes on for pages and shows 6 photos from the session which gives you a very good idea what Hurrell was up to for all those years.
The end of the book has a lot of interesting material about some of the strange businesses dealings Hurrell got involved in later in his life, after the golden age of Hollywood, when his early work was taken up by a small but dedicated (and in some cases kind of shady) community of collectors and fans. He also was brought out of obscurity to photograph a few more stars throughout the 80s and made a documentary showing him at work. Vieira’s career overlapped with Hurrell and the collectors and he has many interesting stories to tell first hand about this late period in the photographer's life.
This is one of the truly great Hollywood biographies. So many Hollywood books focus on the stars and the directors, leaving aside the hard-working craftsmen apart from a telling anecdote here or there, mostly to reveal some character trait of the stars. That Vieira put so much careful attention into Hurrell’s life and art is something that we can all appreciate and be thankful for as we read and flip through this gorgeous, informative Hollywood history.
George Hurrell was a portrait photographer in Hollywood whose career photographing movie stars stretched from a 1929 portrait of Ramon Novarro up to Sharon Stone in 1992 (the book features a chronology of the stars he photographed-it’s 4 pages long). He worked for and with MGM, Paramount, Warner Brothers, and independently, and he cultivated a style of seductively smooth, carefully posed, and strikingly lit portraits that projected and came to embody the glamour of high-Studio Era Hollywood.
The story of Hurrell’s life isn’t the story of a movie star, movie mogul, or great director. Hurrell was one of the hard working craftsmen behind the scenes who contributed so much to the Hollywood world of cinema but often do not receive due recognition. Mark Vieira, a photographer himself and diligent researcher (and someone who crossed paths more than once with Hurrell when he was alive) is just the author to tell Hurrell’s story and he does a superb job. Included in this volume are lengthy descriptions of Hurrell’s methods of posing and prodding his subjects to get just the picture he wanted. His lighting is gone into in excruciating detail, and Vieira splits his art into five distinct periods and each is described in Hurrell’s personal development as a hard-working craftsman who helped to shape the star's reputations and public images using his sophisticated artistic taste developed over many decades.
Some of the highlights of the book are pictures showing Hurrell’s subjects before retouching and behind the scenes pictures showing the studio layout, lighting equipment, and props and sets. His pictures of stars posed on polar bear rugs would become among his most famous images. There’s one bravura description of a photography session with Marlene Dietrich in April 1937 that lasted 6 hours that goes on for pages and shows 6 photos from the session which gives you a very good idea what Hurrell was up to for all those years.
The end of the book has a lot of interesting material about some of the strange businesses dealings Hurrell got involved in later in his life, after the golden age of Hollywood, when his early work was taken up by a small but dedicated (and in some cases kind of shady) community of collectors and fans. He also was brought out of obscurity to photograph a few more stars throughout the 80s and made a documentary showing him at work. Vieira’s career overlapped with Hurrell and the collectors and he has many interesting stories to tell first hand about this late period in the photographer's life.
This is one of the truly great Hollywood biographies. So many Hollywood books focus on the stars and the directors, leaving aside the hard-working craftsmen apart from a telling anecdote here or there, mostly to reveal some character trait of the stars. That Vieira put so much careful attention into Hurrell’s life and art is something that we can all appreciate and be thankful for as we read and flip through this gorgeous, informative Hollywood history.
May 24, 2019
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Up to about three fourths its engaging and informative with just a little dramatization added from time to time. The images are gorgeous and presented with taste, the progression of Hurrell's style is very vividly demonstrated. The book overall feels prepared quite rigorously, with many sources, timeline, and even Hurrell's quotes referenced and indexed. The included overview of the other books on the subject feels objective and is indeed welcome and informative.
The final part of the book is quite different though, starting with the description of the collectors world, their interactions, and the personal place of the author in all that. This although adds some important perspective and is necessary for the timeline, is abound with irrelevant details and rather shameless plugs. Debate of whether certain images were made by Hurrell unnecessarily gets quite extensive as well.
The period since seventies to nineties is not represented well enough in the images. The description of that time is accompanied in equal part with the images made much earlier. This period feels rushed in the text as well with the main focus being on collectors and business activities. While many subjects of the earlier career were given comprehensive attention, none from the later part of the career received similar treatment.
Nevertheless, overall the book is a very pleasant read and I'm grateful to the author for the tremendous effort in creating it.
The final part of the book is quite different though, starting with the description of the collectors world, their interactions, and the personal place of the author in all that. This although adds some important perspective and is necessary for the timeline, is abound with irrelevant details and rather shameless plugs. Debate of whether certain images were made by Hurrell unnecessarily gets quite extensive as well.
The period since seventies to nineties is not represented well enough in the images. The description of that time is accompanied in equal part with the images made much earlier. This period feels rushed in the text as well with the main focus being on collectors and business activities. While many subjects of the earlier career were given comprehensive attention, none from the later part of the career received similar treatment.
Nevertheless, overall the book is a very pleasant read and I'm grateful to the author for the tremendous effort in creating it.
September 27, 2022
The first half was fantastic...
...the second half of the book gets bogged down with the saga of the ups and downs of various people trying publish or sell Hurrell's photos. The best thing in the book are the reproductions of the photos. They are glorious! If you like classic Hollywood film and the actors and actresses of the period, you will enjoy this book. Also, it is for anyone really interested in photography as the author writes very technically about how the various effects were achieved.
...the second half of the book gets bogged down with the saga of the ups and downs of various people trying publish or sell Hurrell's photos. The best thing in the book are the reproductions of the photos. They are glorious! If you like classic Hollywood film and the actors and actresses of the period, you will enjoy this book. Also, it is for anyone really interested in photography as the author writes very technically about how the various effects were achieved.
June 12, 2025
Published with some revisions in 2023 following an earlier edition in 2013, 'George Hurrell's Hollywood - Glamour Portraits 1925-1992' is a biography of a top Hollywood photographer who was mainly active in the 1930s-1950s. The text is supported by some superb images, and the text makes some attempt to explain details of the photographic equipment and techniques used. For those interested in the early days of Hollywood, this is just superb and nostalgic.
November 9, 2023
This newly expanded and restored edition showcases acclaimed portrait photographer George Hurrell's work at its best while also painting its own portrait of a troubled genius.
Full review: https://www.outofthepastblog.com/2023...
Full review: https://www.outofthepastblog.com/2023...
December 22, 2019
It is a specialised book for the Art students and for those who seek perfection in artistic way.
January 20, 2020
Beautifully produced reproductions and fun personal anecdotes.
February 9, 2020
Wonderfully presented, extensive collection of Hurrell's dreamy photographs coupled with a top-notch, not-to-be-missed narrative. Superb work.
January 2, 2021
Gorgeous, gorgeous book.
August 5, 2022
Photos were wonderful, but Lord.. Hurrell sure was moody. Not sure I’d have put up with all that.
November 12, 2022
Review-ku:
Lovely wax faces
Each freckle and line erased
Beauty that saddens
Lovely wax faces
Each freckle and line erased
Beauty that saddens
October 5, 2015
I hadn't heard of George Hurrell before I decided to borrow this book from the library, I just wanted to find a book with lots of lovely photos of the Hollywood Golden Age. This book gets a good rating from me because I enjoy reading about creatives lives and work- especially those in fashion and photography. Although this is a large sized coffee table book it's got loads of information, not just a page or two like most photographer retrospectives. It was good to read a book that combined information on his life, character and creative process, it was also interesting that the authors life had been so entwined in George's. I think Hurrell's photos are amazing and it's amazing that so much can be achieved through lighting and retouching all those decades ago.
February 7, 2014
The photographs get 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews