Ron Galella

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Ron Galella in 1988

Ronald E. Galella (b. 1931) is an American photographer, known as a pioneer paparazzo.

1 Photography career
2 Bibliography
3 Exhibits
4 Sources
5 External links

[edit] Photography career

Galella is most widely known for his photographs of celebrities and his technique, which was innovative in the mid-1950s, of catching the subjects of his photos in everyday settings or surprising them to capture their reactions. This technique, however, resulted in a lawsuit by Jackie Onassis and an injunction against Galella in 1972 after a very public trial (Onassis v. Galella). He was restricted from coming within 100 yards of her home and 50 yards from her or her children. The distance was later reduced to 25 yards.

Galella served in the United States Air Force and appeared on the TV game show "To Tell The Truth" in 1969. [1]

In June 1973, Marlon Brando broke Galella's jaw and knocked out four of his teeth. Brando's hand became infected as a result. Galella later took to wearing a football helmet when photographing Brando. Brigitte Bardot once enlisted some friends to soak Galella with a hose.

After attempting to take hidden camera photos of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor poolside in Mexico, Burton bodyguards kicked Galella in the jaw and roughed him up after discovering his hiding place. These injuries resulted in Galella's hospitalization. Sean Penn also once spat on Galella while being photographed.

[edit] Bibliography

Off-guard: Beautiful People Unveiled Before the Camera Lens, 1976 ISBN 0-517-41368-X
Ron Galella: Exclusive Diary ISBN 88-88359-13-3
The Photographs of Ron Galella 1960-1990 (2002) Greybull Press ISBN 0-9727788-1-0
Jacqueline (1974) ISBN 0-8362-0573-1
Jackie Oh! (1978) - Kitty Kelley, Photographs by Ron Galella ISBN 0-8184-0265-2
Disco Years (2006) - Anthony Haden-Guest and Michael Musto, Photographs by Ron Galella ISBN-10: 1576873250