Clarence Sinclair Bull (May 22, 1896 – June 8, 1979) was a portrait photographer who worked for movie studios during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was head of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer stills department for nearly 40 years.
Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana, in 1896.[1] His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio's stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo, taken between 1926 and 1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the silent romantic drama film Flesh and the Devil in September 1926.[2]
Bull was able to study with the great Western painter, Charles Marion Russell. He also served as an assistant cameraman in 1918.[3] Bull was skilled in the areas of lighting, retouching and printing.[4] He was most commonly credited as "C.S. Bull."[5]
Bull died on June 8, 1979, in Los Angeles, California, aged 83.[1]