Don Ornitz Explained
Don Ornitz (February 29, 1920 – January 14, 1972) was an American photographer.
Life and career
Ornitz was born in New York City, to parents Sadie (née Lesser) and screenwriter Samuel Ornitz, one of the Hollywood Ten accused of Communism. As were many members of the entertainment community including Don's father, Samuel Ornitz was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee, but refused to testify and was fined $1,000. Don's brother was a cinematographer Arthur J. Ornitz. In 1928, the family moved to California, where he spent most of his life.[1]
Career
Ornitz photographed many celebrities,[2] including Raquel Welch, Frank Sinatra, Walt Disney, and Audrey Hepburn.[3] His obituary in Popular Photography magazine called him "the Titan of the Hollywood photographers".[4]
He was also a photographer for several magazines, including Playboy, Travel and Camera,[5] The Saturday Evening Post, Look, Pageant, Globe, Sports Illustrated[6] and Life.[7] [8] [9]
His photograph of boys catching insects on a windowpane was selected by Edward Steichen for the 1955 Museum of Modern Art world-touring exhibition The Family of Man that was seen by 9 million visitors.[10]
Ornitz died January 14, 1972, in Los Angeles County, California.
Books by Don Ornitz
- Ornitz, D. (1962) Living Photography, Maco.
- Basch, P., Gowland, P., & Ornitz, D. (1958). Candid Photography. Fawcett Publications: Greenwich, Conn.
Notes and References
- Ornitz, D. (1962). Living photography. New York: Maco.
- Paglia, Camille. (1995). The Lives They Lived: Elizabeth Montgomery;The Good Witch.(Magazine Desk). The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Dec 31, 1995.
- https://books.google.com/books?id=RkkEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ornitz&pg=PA3 Don Ornitz (photographs) Oh What Sights-Water Sprites! In Life, 26 Apr 1963, Vol. 54, No. 17, ISSN 0024-3019, Published by Time Inc.
- 'Tribute to Don Ornitz 1920-1972'. In Popular Photography, Volume 71, page 4
- Travel and Camera, Volume 29, p.10, 42, 61, U.S. Camera Publishing Corporation, 1966
- The Photographers: The best shooters are as competitive as the athletes they cover, so SI helps them keep score (and, yes, this list includes Joe DiMaggio, but, no, it's not the Yankee Clipper).(50th Anniversary/The Covers)Sports Illustrated, Nov 10, 2003, Vol.99(18), p.153
- 'Elements of a New Trend'. In Life, 27 Jan 1958, Vol. 44, No. 4, p.61-64, ISSN 0024-3019
- https://books.google.com/books?id=g1UEAAAAMBAJ&q=Ornitz&pg=PA3 'Everything's on the block'. In Life, 22 May 1970, Vol. 68, No. 19, p.46, 47, ISSN 0024-3019
- 'Mirage-style Lingerie'. In Life, Volume 63, Issues 1-4, p.44-51, Time Incorporated, 1967
- Book: Steichen, Edward . Norman, Dorothy . Mason, Jerry . Sandburg, Carl, (writer of foreword), Lionni, Leo, (book designer), Stoller, Ezra, (photographer) . New York, N.Y. . The family of man : the photographic exhibition . 1955 . Museum of Modern Art / Maco Magazine Corporation .
