Clarence Bull

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 forty years.

Biography

Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana in 1896.^[1] His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in the 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the MGM stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo taken during the years of 1926-1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the 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]

Gallery

• Photographs taken by Clarence Bull
• 
  Charles Boyer, 1931
• 
  Publicity photo for film The Barretts of Wimpole Street, 1934
• 
  Una Merkel - publicity, 1934
• 
  Publicity still of Madge Evans, circa 1935
• 
  Original studio publicity photo of Greta Garbo for film Ninotchka, 1939
• 
  Hedy Lamarr, 1940
• 
  American actress Lynne Carver - publicity still, 1940
• 
  Van Heflin - publicity, 1941
• 
  Conrad Veidt, 1941
• 
  Judy Garland, publicity still, 1943
• 
  June Allyson - publicity, 1944

References

1. "Clarence Bull". Hollywood Grave Hunter. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
2. "Clarence Sinclair Bull - The man who shot Garbo". Garbo Forever. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
3. "Clarence Sinclair Bull (American, 1895-1979)". ArtNet. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
4. "The Great Hollywood MGM Photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull". Vintage Movie Star Photos. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
5. "About Clarence Sinclair Bull's Life". Andrew Weiss Gallery. Retrieved July 25, 2013.