Terry O'Neill (photographer)
Encyclopedia
Terry O'Neill is an English
photographer, who achieved his greatest success documenting the fashion style, and celebrities of the 1960s. He attracted attention for photographing his subjects in unconventional or candid settings.
He began his photographic career working for a photographic unit for an airline at London's Heathrow Airport. By chance he photographed a sleeping figure in a waiting room; when the person was revealed to be the Home Secretary
, O'Neill found further employment on Fleet Street
with The Daily Sketch
in 1959.
His reputation grew during the 1960s, and in addition to photographing the elite the decade's showbusiness icons, such as Judy Garland
, Laurence Olivier
, the Beatles
and the Rolling Stones
, he also photographed members of the British Royal Family, and several prominent politicians, showing a more natural and human side to these subjects than had usually been portrayed before.
He had a longtime relationship with the American
actress Faye Dunaway
. His son with Dunaway, Liam Dunaway O'Neill, was born in 1980. O'Neill was married to Dunaway from 1983 until 1986. In 2003, he was quoted in the U.S. tabloid magazine, Star
, as saying Liam was adopted and not their biological son, contrary to Dunaway's public assertions. O'Neill is currently married to the former model agency head Laraine Ashton.
Terry is particularly well-known for his many iconic photographs of Elton John
. A selection of them appeared in his 2008 book, Eltonography. Also among his most famous images were the now-famous colour and black and white shots of then-girlfriend Dunaway at dawn on March 29, 1977, lounging next to the swimming pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel
the morning after winning the Academy Award for Best Actress
for Network
, with several newspapers scattered around her and her Oscar statuette prominently shown on a table beside her breakfast tray. A black and white shot from the series hangs in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London.
O'Neill was also credited (as Terrence O'Neill) as an executive producer of the 1981 film Mommie Dearest
. His only other film credit was for still photography for the 1987 film, Aria.
In July, 2009, a collection of his work spanning his whole career was the subject of an exhibition at the Getty Image Gallery in the Village, Westfield Shopping Centre, London.
An exhibition featuring his photography of Elton John
and Frank Sinatra
was also featured at the San Francisco Art Exchange
in San Francisco from July to August in 2009.
Leeds Gallery, an independent commercial art gallery in Leeds
, West Yorkshire
held a retrospective exhibition of Terry O'Neill's photographs during September and October 2011.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
photographer, who achieved his greatest success documenting the fashion style, and celebrities of the 1960s. He attracted attention for photographing his subjects in unconventional or candid settings.
He began his photographic career working for a photographic unit for an airline at London's Heathrow Airport. By chance he photographed a sleeping figure in a waiting room; when the person was revealed to be the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, O'Neill found further employment on Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
with The Daily Sketch
Daily Sketch
The Daily Sketch was a British national tabloid newspaper, founded in Manchester in 1909 by Sir Edward Hulton.It was bought in 1920 by Lord Rothermere's Daily Mirror Newspapers but in 1925 Rothermere offloaded it to William and Gomer Berry The Daily Sketch was a British national tabloid newspaper,...
in 1959.
His reputation grew during the 1960s, and in addition to photographing the elite the decade's showbusiness icons, such as Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
, Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
, the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, he also photographed members of the British Royal Family, and several prominent politicians, showing a more natural and human side to these subjects than had usually been portrayed before.
He had a longtime relationship with the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
. His son with Dunaway, Liam Dunaway O'Neill, was born in 1980. O'Neill was married to Dunaway from 1983 until 1986. In 2003, he was quoted in the U.S. tabloid magazine, Star
Star (magazine)
Star is an American celebrity tabloid magazine.-History:Star was founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1974 as competition to the tabloid National Enquirer with its headquarters in New York City. In the late 1980s it moved its offices to Tarrytown, NY and in 1990 Murdoch sold the magazine to The Enquirers...
, as saying Liam was adopted and not their biological son, contrary to Dunaway's public assertions. O'Neill is currently married to the former model agency head Laraine Ashton.
Terry is particularly well-known for his many iconic photographs of Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. A selection of them appeared in his 2008 book, Eltonography. Also among his most famous images were the now-famous colour and black and white shots of then-girlfriend Dunaway at dawn on March 29, 1977, lounging next to the swimming pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. It was opened on May 12, 1912 by Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel. The original main building of The Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by Pasadena...
the morning after winning the Academy Award for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for Network
Network (film)
Network is a 1976 American satirical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about a fictional television network, Union Broadcasting System , and its struggle with poor ratings. The film was written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet...
, with several newspapers scattered around her and her Oscar statuette prominently shown on a table beside her breakfast tray. A black and white shot from the series hangs in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London.
O'Neill was also credited (as Terrence O'Neill) as an executive producer of the 1981 film Mommie Dearest
Mommie Dearest (film)
Mommie Dearest is a 1981 American biographical drama film about Joan Crawford, starring Faye Dunaway. The film was directed by Frank Perry. The story was adapted for the screen by Robert Getchell, Tracy Hotchner, Frank Perry, and Frank Yablans, based on the 1978 autobiography of the same name by...
. His only other film credit was for still photography for the 1987 film, Aria.
Exhibits
Terry O'Neill has held three large, retrospective exhibitions of his photographs at Chris Beetles Fine Photographs in London - first in 2006, then in 2010 and 2011. They continue to be the main representatives of his work.In July, 2009, a collection of his work spanning his whole career was the subject of an exhibition at the Getty Image Gallery in the Village, Westfield Shopping Centre, London.
An exhibition featuring his photography of Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
was also featured at the San Francisco Art Exchange
San Francisco Art Exchange
The San Francisco Art Exchange is a gallery in San Francisco, California, United States, founded in 1983.The gallery first rose to prominence through its role in establishing the work of pinup artist Alberto Vargas as fine art. Less than a year after the San Francisco Art Exchange's 1985 display of...
in San Francisco from July to August in 2009.
Leeds Gallery, an independent commercial art gallery in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
held a retrospective exhibition of Terry O'Neill's photographs during September and October 2011.
External links
- Terry O'Neill gallery and bio
- Interview with Terry - Gallery Rouge, St. Albans - Legende Celebrity Art
- National Portrait Gallery, article about Celebrity exhibition.
- National Museums Liverpool, article
- Millenia Fine Art, article and photographs
- O'Neill Award
- Photo of Terry O'Neill, courtesy of George Bladon/gbpix.co.uk