CursumPerficio

My journey ends here...

GRANT Allan

Date of birth: October 23rd 1919, New York City.

Date of death : February 1st 2008, Brentwood, California.

Practise: photographer for Life magazine.

Portrait :

He turned to photography since his adolescence after having exchanged with another boy a plane model for a camera.
He first worked in a laboratory where he printed the pictures of famous photographers, among them Robert Capa and Alfred Eisenstaedt.
He worked for Life magazine as a free-lancer in 1945 and his assignment was about a sailing school for children in Connecticut.
His picture was on the cover of the magazine and 18 months later, he was hired by Life, in 1946 and remained there until the end of the 60's.
He took pictres of the nuclear tests in the Nevada desert at the beginning of the 50's and also the memorable flight of Howard Hughes in an H64 plane in 1947, which became famous under the name of "Spruce Goose"
He was photographer for the Academy Award Ceremony, taking pictures of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, poised backstage for the announcement of the Best Actress Award during the ceremony in 1955.

The main task of his career took place on November 22nd 1963, the day of the assassination of Kennedy in Dallas.
Arrived in Dallas with other reporters of Life magazine, he found Lee Harvey Oswald's family and took pictures of Oswald's wife, Marina, and also spent the afternoon with her.

After having left Life, he produced some educational documentaries. He received 3 nominations to the Emmy Awards for his TV film "What color is the Wind?", based on the story of 2 boys, one born blind, who had been published in Life magazine.

Shirley MacLaine and her daughter, 1959 :