Douglas Kirkland, a celebrity photographer who was best known for his pictures of Marilyn Monroe, and other stars, passed away Sunday at his Los Angeles home. He was 88.
The 1961 Monroe portraits featured the star reclining on a white satin sheet-covered bed.
Apart from his portraits Hollywood stars, he was also a special camera for films such as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “The Sound of Music,” “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Out of Africa,” “Titanic” “Moulin Rouge!”
His photos appeared in hundreds of magazines, and among the celebrities he photographed were Brigitte Bardot, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Ann-Margret, Natalie Wood, Catherine Deneuve, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Charlie Chaplin, Peter O’Toole, Paul Newman, Marcello Mastroianni, Michael Caine, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Frank Sinatra, Mick Jagger, Bjork and Michael Jackson.
“Douglas Kirkland has left an impossible void to fill in both his personal and professional lives, and his boundless joie de vivre, warmth and passion will be missed by a long life of wonderful and meaningful friendships,”Jeff Dunas (director of Palm Springs Photo Festival), released a statement.
Kirkland’s work was collected in 10 monographs, and his photographs are included in collections including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, The Smithsonian and the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles.
Among the honors he received were the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Operating Cameramen and the president’s award from the American Society of Cinematographers.
Kirkland was born in Toronto and became a staff photographer at Look magazine at 26. His photos appeared in Life magazine, People and Sports Illustrated.
He is survived by his wife Francoise; son Mark, an animation director; daughters Karen and Lisa; grandchildren Jamie, Chad, Ryan, Patrick, Anna Sophia and great grandchild Madison.