Marcus was born on October 13, 1922 and passed away on Tuesday, June 22, 2010.
Marcus was a resident of Rockville Centre, New York.
Here is what friend CRAIG DUDLEY of JERSEY CITY, NJ.
I met Marcus Blechman when I was a young actor starting out in the theatre professionally and he invited me to his Photo Studio which I found to be rather unique with all those celebrated names from film and theatre and many that I had admired. I was regular there having coffee or tea discussing the theatre and subsequently he took several photo of me, and ones that have become favourites of mine over the years and have used in several write ups on me. One afternoon I was asked to leave because he was going to photograph Dame Judith Anderson whom he had done for her celebrated MEDEA. Later I asked him how it went and his response was: During this shoot, Miss Anderson was on her best behavior , so friendly, amusing and interesting. Marcus was somewhat surprised because on that last shoot for the Medea layout and record cover , she was demanding, intolerable and difficult; why the change now? Her answer was this: "Marcus, then I was Medea!"
Here are some examples of his work:
Helen Hayes
Judith Anderson in Medea.
Gloria Swanson
Another theatre star
Vera Zorina
Tallulah Bankhead
His photographer's stamp.
To whom should a request for permission to use a Blechman photo in a book be requested?
ReplyDeleteTry this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://contentdm.adelphi.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=exact&CISOBOX1=Marcus+Blechman&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOOP2=all&CISOBOX2=marcus+blechman&CISOFIELD2=subjec&CISOROOT=/RSD&t=s
Ask them if they know who to contact. I'm sorry but I'm really not sure. The only other thing is to look into press agencies. You might try typing that into google or such words as press agency and see what comes up. Sorry I couldn't do more to help.
Sincerely, Barb
In 1959 I was in New York for a month, straight from Ireland. I was taken to see Marcus Blechman, in his black-painted Manhattan apartment, and then I went back and he photographed me ("Swing the body round" was the kind of instructions I remember). He sent me four of them. I am scanning my archives, and they have turned up, which sent me to the Internet to find if anyone had ever heard of him there! Yes. I look at myself fifty-four years later. He made me look very becoming. With the indifference of youth, I never contacted him again. He seemed very old, but I realise he was thirty-seven.
ReplyDeleteI believe you have two Marcus Blechmans confused. The photographer passed away in the 40's r 50's. He was never married and was Gay.
ReplyDeleteMarcus "Mickey" Blechman, while related was a teacher , I believe at Fordham University and lived, with his wife in Rockville center, NY. I believe Mickey was a Mathmatics Teacher.
My Mother was a Blechman and was close to Marcus. I have many photos taken by Marcus of my Mother. She Passed away in 1965 and Marcus had died many years prior to then.
Blechman was still alive in 1969-70, when I served as a model for him to practice drawing for a life drawing class he was taking at the Art Students League in NYC. In exchange for my modeling, he offered me a set of photos of myself that I could use for a modeling and acting portfolio I was planning to put together, to help launch my career in the theater. Unfortunately, Blechman and I parted company because he made advances toward me that I was uncomfortable with. I subsequently scuttled plans for a life in the theater, but still have these wonderfully dreamy romantic photos as a mostly pleasant memory of him and that time.
ReplyDeleteMarcus Blechman the famous photographer of the 1930s-50s was born in the Bronx on 9 June 1908 and died in October 1975, leaving his collection of negatives to the Museum of the City of New York.
ReplyDelete