Born 1925 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Burt Glinn served in the United States Army between 1943 and 1946 before studying literature at Harvard University where he edited and photographed for the Harvard Crimson college newspaper. From 1949 to 1950, he worked for Life magazine before becoming a freelancer.
Glinn became an associate member of Magnum in 1951 along with Eve Arnold and Dennis Stock – the first Americans to join the young photo agency – and a full member in 1954. He made his mark with spectacular color series on the South Seas, Japan, Russia, Mexico and California.
In 1959, Glinn received the Mathew Brady Award for Magazine Photographer of the Year from the University of Missouri.
Glinn covered the Sinai War, the US Marine invasion of Lebanon and Fidel Castro’s takeover of Cuba. In the 1990s, he completed an extensive photo essay on the topic of medical science.
Versatile and technically brilliant, Glinn was one of Magnum’s great corporate and advertising photographers. He received numerous awards for his editorial and commercial photography, including the Best Book of Photographic Reporting from Abroad from the Overseas Press Club and the Best Print Ad of the Year from the Art Directors Club of New York.
Glinn served as president of ASMP from 1980-1981. Between 1972 and 1975, he was president of Magnum, and was re-elected to the post in 1987.
Burt Glinn died in 2008 in Southampton, New York, aged 82, because of kidney failure and pneumonia.
These glamorous photos of classic beauties are part of his work that Glinn shot in the 1950s and 1960s.
Maria Callas in the role of ‘Lady of the Camelias’, 1955Neile Adams (wife of actor Steve McQueen), 1956Suzy Parker in Klosters, Switzerland, 1957Suzy Parker in Klosters, Switzerland, 1957Brigitte Bardot and boyfriend Sacha Distel behind her with guitar, St. Tropez, France, 1958Brigitte Bardot, St. Tropez, France, 1958Fashion photo by Burt Glinn, Paris, 1958Elizabeth Taylor checks her hair on the set of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, London, June 1959Elizabeth Taylor during a break while filming “Suddenly, Last Summer”, June 1959Elizabeth Taylor ignores the begging of beach urchins in a scene from “Suddenly, Last Summer”, Spain, 1959Elizabeth Taylor in scene from “Suddenly, Last Summer”, Spain, 1959Elizabeth Taylor on the set of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, Sagaro, Spain, 1959Elizabeth Taylor on the set of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, Sagaro, Spain, 1959Elizabeth Taylor on the set of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, Sagaro, Spain, 1959Elizabeth Taylor with sons Christopher and Michael (Wilding) on the set of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, Sagaro, Spain, 1959Katharine Hepburn during filming of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, 1959Katharine Hepburn during filming of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, 1959Katharine Hepburn during filming of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, 1959Marilyn Monroe listens to Khrushchev during the Soviet premier’s 1959 visit to HollywoodModel wearing orange bikini lies on a hotel rooftop in Havana, Cuba, 1959Twenty-five-year-old Elizabeth Taylor on the set of “Suddenly, Last Summer”, London, June 1959Fashion model in dressing room, photo by Burt Glinn for feature in LIFE, Paris, 1960Fashion models (Audrey Sedor in front) from feature story in LIFE, Paris, 1960Model in casino in Havana, Cuba, 1960Cardin’s model Hiroko wearing his creation, 1961Jane Fonda at the Actor’s Studio Benefit Ball, 1961Model in colorful silk dress by Pucci, 1963Model on runway during haute couture show of Guy Laroche, Paris, 1963Sophia Loren (with milliner Jean Barthet), 1963Sophia Loren at home, 1963Sophia Loren during filming of “The Fall of the Roman Empire”, Spain, 1963Sophia Loren during filming of “The Fall of the Roman Empire”, Spain, 1963Sophia Loren sits in front of cabinet displaying all her awards, 1963Sophia Loren, 1963Sophia Loren, 1963Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick and Chuck Wein, New York City, 1965Gloria Swanson (1899-1983), 1966Reflection of Twiggy applying mascara, London, 1966Richard Avedon in his studio with model, Veruschka, New York, 1966Richard Avedon working with Veruschka in his studio, New York City, 1966Twiggy and her mum (Mrs. Nellie Hornby), 1966Twiggy during a photo-shoot in London, 1966Twiggy during a photo-shoot in London, 1966Twiggy during a photo-shoot in London, 1966Twiggy during a photo-shoot in London, 1966Twiggy with boyfriend-manager Justin de Villeneuve at a party, London, 1966Twiggy with boyfriend-manager Justin de Villeneuve, London, 1966Twiggy with boyfriend-manager Justin de Villeneuve, London, 1966Twiggy with Justin de Villeneuve pose for a photo shoot, London, 1966Twiggy, goofing off, during a photo shoot, 1966Twiggy, London, 1966Four bikini-clad sunbathers lie on tiger-striped rafts at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1968
(Photos by Burt Glinn)
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