Allan Grant
Encyclopedia
For the former Scottish footballer, see Allan Grant (footballer)
Allan Grant (October 23, 1919 — February 1, 2008) was an American
photojournalist for Life
magazine. He had the last photo shoot with actress Marilyn Monroe
and took the first photos of Marina Oswald, Lee Harvey Oswald
's wife, following U.S. President John F. Kennedy
's assassination.
. He was introduced to photography
as a teenager, when he traded a model airplane for a camera.
One of his early jobs was in a photo laboratory, where he printed photos by noted photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt
and Robert Capa
.
Grant began working for Life in 1945 on a freelance basis. The magazine hired him full-time in 1946, after a photo he took at a Connecticut sailing school made the cover of an issue.
flight in the "Spruce Goose," and he filmed the atom bomb tests in Nevada during the 1950s.
At the 1955 Academy Awards
, he photographed Grace Kelly
and Audrey Hepburn
as they awaited the "Best Actress" announcement backstage.
During the fire that swept through Bel Air, California in 1961, Grant photographed then-former Vice President Richard Nixon
standing on top of the roof of his rented house with a water hose, wearing a tie and slacks.
Photographs Grant took of Marilyn Monroe during a photo shoot in her home were used to illustrate a profile of the actress in Life's August 3, 1962 issue. Monroe died the week the issue appeared on newsstands.
When President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Grant accompanied Life reporter Thomas Thompson to Texas. The two began a search for Oswald's family and located Marina Oswald, her two children, Oswald's mother Marguerite and his brother Robert in Irving, Texas
at the home of Ruth Hyde Paine.
Paine, who spoke Russian, served as interpreter for Grant and Thompson. As Thompson persuaded Oswald's family to accompany them to Dallas in exchange for help in obtaining the right to visit Oswald in jail, Grant took photos for what they thought would be a Life exclusive. The next issue contained several photos of Kennedy's family but only one small photo of Marina.
What Color is the Wind?, a film Grant made for television that was based on a Life magazine article about two boys, one born blind, received three Emmy nominations.
Grant died at his Brentwood, California
home of Parkinson's-related
pneumonia
.
Allan Grant (footballer)
Allan Grant is a Scottish former professional footballer.-Career:Grant began his career with junior side Maryhill. In the summer of 1998, he was part of the Junior revolution which swept through Clyde, being one of eleven players coming from the junior ranks to join the Bully Wee...
Allan Grant (October 23, 1919 — February 1, 2008) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
photojournalist for Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine. He had the last photo shoot with actress Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
and took the first photos of Marina Oswald, Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald was, according to four government investigations,These were investigations by: the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Warren Commission , the House Select Committee on Assassinations , and the Dallas Police Department. the sniper who assassinated John F...
's wife, following U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's assassination.
Early career
Grant was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was introduced to photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
as a teenager, when he traded a model airplane for a camera.
One of his early jobs was in a photo laboratory, where he printed photos by noted photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt
Alfred Eisenstaedt
Alfred Eisenstaedt was a German-American photographer and photojournalist. He is renowned for his candid photographs, frequently made using various models of a 35mm Leica rangefinder camera...
and Robert Capa
Robert Capa
Robert Capa was a Hungarian combat photographer and photojournalist who covered five different wars: the Spanish Civil War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II across Europe, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the First Indochina War...
.
Grant began working for Life in 1945 on a freelance basis. The magazine hired him full-time in 1946, after a photo he took at a Connecticut sailing school made the cover of an issue.
Life assignments
In 1947, Grant photographed Howard HughesHoward Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
flight in the "Spruce Goose," and he filmed the atom bomb tests in Nevada during the 1950s.
At the 1955 Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, he photographed Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
and Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian. Although modest about her acting ability, Hepburn remains one of the world's most famous actresses of all time, remembered as a film and fashion icon of the twentieth century...
as they awaited the "Best Actress" announcement backstage.
During the fire that swept through Bel Air, California in 1961, Grant photographed then-former Vice President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
standing on top of the roof of his rented house with a water hose, wearing a tie and slacks.
Photographs Grant took of Marilyn Monroe during a photo shoot in her home were used to illustrate a profile of the actress in Life's August 3, 1962 issue. Monroe died the week the issue appeared on newsstands.
When President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Grant accompanied Life reporter Thomas Thompson to Texas. The two began a search for Oswald's family and located Marina Oswald, her two children, Oswald's mother Marguerite and his brother Robert in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
at the home of Ruth Hyde Paine.
Paine, who spoke Russian, served as interpreter for Grant and Thompson. As Thompson persuaded Oswald's family to accompany them to Dallas in exchange for help in obtaining the right to visit Oswald in jail, Grant took photos for what they thought would be a Life exclusive. The next issue contained several photos of Kennedy's family but only one small photo of Marina.
Post-Life career
Grant left Life magazine in the late 1960s and began producing educational documentaries.What Color is the Wind?, a film Grant made for television that was based on a Life magazine article about two boys, one born blind, received three Emmy nominations.
Grant died at his Brentwood, California
Brentwood, California
Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 51,481 as of 2010....
home of Parkinson's-related
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.