Charles C. Ebbets
Encyclopedia
Charles Clyde Ebbets was an American
photographer, most famous for his photograph Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper
(1932)
. He bought his first camera at the age of eight by charging it to his mother's account at a local drugstore.
Ebbets started his career during the 1920s in St. Petersburg, Florida
, as a still photographer. He eventually became involved in early motion picture work, both in front of and behind the camera.
In 1924, he had a brief stint as an actor, playing the role of an adventuresome African hunter known as "Wally Renny" in several motion pictures. In addition to his photographic endeavors, throughout the 20s he had many adventurous jobs including being a pilot, a wing-walker, an auto racer, a wrestler, and a hunter. He was also prizefighter Jack Dempsey
's official staff photographer, a staff photographer for the Miami Daily News and a freelance photographer.
In 1927, the first attempt was made to traverse the entirety of the dirt road from Miami to Tampa
, called the "Tamiami Trail
". Ebbets was chosen to be one of the three men making the trip by virtue of his extensive knowledge of the region and wildlife and his ability with a camera to document the adventure for newspapers and the Essex Motor Company who sponsored the trip and car. The photos of their success were carried in newspapers across the country.
By the 1930s Ebbets was a well known photographer and had work published in the major newspapers across the nation including the New York Times. In 1932, he was appointed photographic director for the Rockefeller Center
, which was under construction in New York. In September of that year, he would take the photo which would later define his work, Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper
. In 1933 Ebbets moved back to Florida where he was to live and work for the rest of his life. His interests were now focused on the exciting growth of tourism in the state, the unique Seminole Indians and the vast expanse of untouched nature in the Everglades
. In 1935, Ebbets became the first official Associated Press photographer in the state. That same year, his photos of the infamous 1935 Labor Day hurricane that devastated the Florida Keys were circulated worldwide. During this era, he also founded the Miami Press Photographers Association and was its first President.
His extensive knowledge of the Everglades and closeness to the people of the region led to a unique friendship with many of the members of the Seminole Indian tribe. Over time, he counted many of the tribal leaders among his personal friends and was allowed unprecedented access to the villages and camps to document their lives in pictures. In 1938, he was the first white man ever allowed to witness their sacred Green Corn Dance and was permitted to photograph the entire week-long event. Many of these images were seen in the pages of newspapers throughout the country, and this extensive collection remains one of the finest of its kind in the world.
For the next decade, Ebbets continued his travel and adventures both on and off assignment, and broke his back while shooting photos in the Everglades, an injury which kept him out of the military during World War II
. However, because he was a licensed pilot and a photographer, he served as an attaché to the Army Air Corps Special Services and would later be assigned to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute
, which was training the American and British Royal Air Forces. During the war, he documented all phases of base development and personnel training in Florida and spent time in South America working under General "Hap" Arnold
, who oversaw the training of American and British pilots at bases in Brazil
.
Ebbets returned to his Miami home at the end of World War II and would be one of the three founders of the City of Miami Publicity Bureau. For the next 17 years he was the Chief Photographer of the City of Miami. During this period Ebbets would expand his collection of Everglades birds and wildlife images and would document the growth of Miami as a mecca of the tourist industry. He was a pioneer in creating some of the first cheesecake photographs
that touted Miami as a winter respite for adventure and warm weather among beautiful scenery and people. His photographs were featured in the Miami Daily News, The New York Times, National Geographic, Outdoors Unlimited, Field & Stream
, Popular Boating, U.S. Camera, Outdoor Life
, Look Magazine
, Popular Photography (the June 1938 issue featured a full spread about Ebbets and his work), and others.
Throughout the 1970s Ebbets continued to photograph life in the South Florida region. On July 14, 1978, at the age of 72, Ebbets died of cancer. At the time of his death he had more than 300 nationally published images.
In 2003, he was honored at the Photo East Expo held at the Javits Center in New York
by Corbis
, which has at least 21 of Ebbets' pictures in its collection. Currently, his daughter has established a website of some of his images which can be seen at EbbetsPhoto-Graphics.com and is archiving and restoring his vast collection of pictures to be included in a book about his life and work.
in New York in 1932. Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper
depicts eleven men sitting on a girder eating lunch, their feet dangling from the beams hundreds of feet above the New York streets below was snapped on September 29, 1932, and appeared in the New York Herald Tribune
shortly after. The photo was taken on the 69th floor in the last several months of construction. Men asleep on a Girder is a picture of the same workers lying down on the beam taking a nap. Not until October 2003 was Charles C. Ebbets officially recognized by the Bettman Archive as the photographer of Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper and dozens of other famous Bettman Archive photos which had previously been mis-marked or were marked as "photographer unknown".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
photographer, most famous for his photograph Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper
Lunchtime Atop a Skyscraper
Lunch atop a Skyscraper is a famous black-and-white photograph taken by Charles C. Ebbets during construction of the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center in New York City, United States.The photograph depicts eleven men eating lunch, seated on a girder with their feet dangling hundreds of...
(1932)
Biography
Ebbets was born in 1905 Gadsden, AlabamaGadsden, Alabama
The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
. He bought his first camera at the age of eight by charging it to his mother's account at a local drugstore.
Ebbets started his career during the 1920s in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, as a still photographer. He eventually became involved in early motion picture work, both in front of and behind the camera.
In 1924, he had a brief stint as an actor, playing the role of an adventuresome African hunter known as "Wally Renny" in several motion pictures. In addition to his photographic endeavors, throughout the 20s he had many adventurous jobs including being a pilot, a wing-walker, an auto racer, a wrestler, and a hunter. He was also prizefighter Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
's official staff photographer, a staff photographer for the Miami Daily News and a freelance photographer.
In 1927, the first attempt was made to traverse the entirety of the dirt road from Miami to Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, called the "Tamiami Trail
Tamiami Trail
The Tamiami Trail is the southernmost of U.S. Highway 41 from State Road 60 in Tampa to U.S. Route 1 in Miami. The road also has the hidden designation of State Road 90....
". Ebbets was chosen to be one of the three men making the trip by virtue of his extensive knowledge of the region and wildlife and his ability with a camera to document the adventure for newspapers and the Essex Motor Company who sponsored the trip and car. The photos of their success were carried in newspapers across the country.
By the 1930s Ebbets was a well known photographer and had work published in the major newspapers across the nation including the New York Times. In 1932, he was appointed photographic director for the Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
, which was under construction in New York. In September of that year, he would take the photo which would later define his work, Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper
Lunchtime Atop a Skyscraper
Lunch atop a Skyscraper is a famous black-and-white photograph taken by Charles C. Ebbets during construction of the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center in New York City, United States.The photograph depicts eleven men eating lunch, seated on a girder with their feet dangling hundreds of...
. In 1933 Ebbets moved back to Florida where he was to live and work for the rest of his life. His interests were now focused on the exciting growth of tourism in the state, the unique Seminole Indians and the vast expanse of untouched nature in the Everglades
Everglades
The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
. In 1935, Ebbets became the first official Associated Press photographer in the state. That same year, his photos of the infamous 1935 Labor Day hurricane that devastated the Florida Keys were circulated worldwide. During this era, he also founded the Miami Press Photographers Association and was its first President.
His extensive knowledge of the Everglades and closeness to the people of the region led to a unique friendship with many of the members of the Seminole Indian tribe. Over time, he counted many of the tribal leaders among his personal friends and was allowed unprecedented access to the villages and camps to document their lives in pictures. In 1938, he was the first white man ever allowed to witness their sacred Green Corn Dance and was permitted to photograph the entire week-long event. Many of these images were seen in the pages of newspapers throughout the country, and this extensive collection remains one of the finest of its kind in the world.
For the next decade, Ebbets continued his travel and adventures both on and off assignment, and broke his back while shooting photos in the Everglades, an injury which kept him out of the military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However, because he was a licensed pilot and a photographer, he served as an attaché to the Army Air Corps Special Services and would later be assigned to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university in the US specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. Called "The Harvard of the Sky" by Time Magazine in 1979, Embry-Riddle has a history dating back to...
, which was training the American and British Royal Air Forces. During the war, he documented all phases of base development and personnel training in Florida and spent time in South America working under General "Hap" Arnold
Henry H. Arnold
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
, who oversaw the training of American and British pilots at bases in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Ebbets returned to his Miami home at the end of World War II and would be one of the three founders of the City of Miami Publicity Bureau. For the next 17 years he was the Chief Photographer of the City of Miami. During this period Ebbets would expand his collection of Everglades birds and wildlife images and would document the growth of Miami as a mecca of the tourist industry. He was a pioneer in creating some of the first cheesecake photographs
Pin-up girl
A pin-up girl, also known as a pin-up model, is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as popular culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display, e.g. meant to be "pinned-up" on a wall...
that touted Miami as a winter respite for adventure and warm weather among beautiful scenery and people. His photographs were featured in the Miami Daily News, The New York Times, National Geographic, Outdoors Unlimited, Field & Stream
Field & Stream
Field & Stream is a magazine featuring hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities in the United States. Together with Sports Afield and Outdoor Life, it is considered one of the Big Three of American outdoor publishing....
, Popular Boating, U.S. Camera, Outdoor Life
Outdoor Life
Outdoor Life is an outdoors magazine about hunting, fishing, survival and camping. It is a sister magazine of Field & Stream. Together with Sports Afield, they are considered the Big Three of American outdoor publishing. Outdoor Life launched in Denver, Colorado in January 1898. Founder and...
, Look Magazine
Look (American magazine)
Look was a bi-weekly, general-interest magazine published in Des Moines, Iowa from 1937 to 1971, with more of an emphasis on photographs than articles...
, Popular Photography (the June 1938 issue featured a full spread about Ebbets and his work), and others.
Throughout the 1970s Ebbets continued to photograph life in the South Florida region. On July 14, 1978, at the age of 72, Ebbets died of cancer. At the time of his death he had more than 300 nationally published images.
In 2003, he was honored at the Photo East Expo held at the Javits Center in New York
by Corbis
Corbis
Corbis Corporation is an American company, based in Seattle, Washington, that licenses the rights to photographs, footage and other visual media...
, which has at least 21 of Ebbets' pictures in its collection. Currently, his daughter has established a website of some of his images which can be seen at EbbetsPhoto-Graphics.com and is archiving and restoring his vast collection of pictures to be included in a book about his life and work.
Photographs
Ebbets' two most famous photos were taken during the construction of the Rockefeller CenterRockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
in New York in 1932. Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper
Lunchtime Atop a Skyscraper
Lunch atop a Skyscraper is a famous black-and-white photograph taken by Charles C. Ebbets during construction of the RCA Building at Rockefeller Center in New York City, United States.The photograph depicts eleven men eating lunch, seated on a girder with their feet dangling hundreds of...
depicts eleven men sitting on a girder eating lunch, their feet dangling from the beams hundreds of feet above the New York streets below was snapped on September 29, 1932, and appeared in the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
shortly after. The photo was taken on the 69th floor in the last several months of construction. Men asleep on a Girder is a picture of the same workers lying down on the beam taking a nap. Not until October 2003 was Charles C. Ebbets officially recognized by the Bettman Archive as the photographer of Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper and dozens of other famous Bettman Archive photos which had previously been mis-marked or were marked as "photographer unknown".