Ronald Edward Galella (1931) is an American photographer, known as a pioneer paparazzo. He immortalized many celebrities out of the public eye and gained notoriety for his feuds with some of them, most notably Jacqueline Onassis and Marlon Brando. Despite the numerous controversies, Galella's work has been praised and exhibited in art galleries worldwide and he was cited by Andy Warhol as his favourite photographer.
During his career, Galella has taken more than three million photographs of public figures.
After graduating high school, he won a 2-year scholarship at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn but refused due to his lacks in mathematics. Galella served as a United States Air Force photographer (1951-1955) during the Korean War and later attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California, graduating with a degree in photojournalism in 1958. In his free time Galella took pictures of the stars arriving at film premieres, selling them to magazines like National Enquirer and Photoplay. He soon became known for his photographic approach, portraying famous people out of the spotlight.
In his in-home darkroom, Galella makes his own prints which have been exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the world. In 2009, his father's hometown Muro Lucano made him an honorary citizen. Galella is the subject of a 2010 documentary film by Leon Gast entitled Smash His Camera. The film's title is a quote from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis directed to her security agent after Galella pursued her and her children through Central Park, New York. The documentary premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, receiving the Grand Jury Award for Directing in the U.S. Documentary category.
Galella was widely known for his obsessive treatment of Jacqueline Onassis and the subsequent legal battles associated with it. The New York Post called it "the most co-dependent celeb-pap[arazzi] relationship ever". The famous 1972 free-speech trial Galella v. Onassis resulted in a restraining order to keep Galella 50 yards (later changed to 25 feet) away from Mrs. Onassis. He was found guilty of breaking this order four times and faced seven years in jail and a $120,000 USD fine; later settling for a $10,000 USD fine and surrendering his rights to photograph Jackie and her children.
On June 12, 1973, actor Marlon Brando punched Galella in the face outside a restaurant in Chinatown in New York City, breaking the photographer's jaw and knocking out five of his teeth on the left side of his mouth. Galella had been following Brando, who was accompanied by Dick Cavett, to the restaurant after a taping of The Dick Cavett Show earlier that day.
Galella once lost a tooth when he was beaten by Richard Burton's security guards. He unsuccessfully sued the actor. Elizabeth Taylor, who tended to be tolerant towards photographers, was often heard to mutter, "I'm going to kill Ron Galella!", although the actress would later use his photographs in her biography. Famous targets included Elvis Presley, whose bodyguards slashed his tires, Brigitte Bardot, whose security staff hosed him down, and Sean Penn, who spat at him and reportedly punched him while being photographed with his then-wife Madonna.
In spite of these controversies, art galleries across the world have acclaimed his work for its artistic and sociohistorical value. He was praised by Andy Warhol, who said: "My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person doing something unfamous. It's being in the right place at the wrong time. That's why my favorite photographer is Ron Galella". Art writer Glenn O'Brien defined him a "brilliant realist able to represent the world faithfully"
© 2019. All images are copyrighted © by Ron Galella. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only.
During his career, Galella has taken more than three million photographs of public figures.
After graduating high school, he won a 2-year scholarship at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn but refused due to his lacks in mathematics. Galella served as a United States Air Force photographer (1951-1955) during the Korean War and later attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California, graduating with a degree in photojournalism in 1958. In his free time Galella took pictures of the stars arriving at film premieres, selling them to magazines like National Enquirer and Photoplay. He soon became known for his photographic approach, portraying famous people out of the spotlight.
In his in-home darkroom, Galella makes his own prints which have been exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the world. In 2009, his father's hometown Muro Lucano made him an honorary citizen. Galella is the subject of a 2010 documentary film by Leon Gast entitled Smash His Camera. The film's title is a quote from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis directed to her security agent after Galella pursued her and her children through Central Park, New York. The documentary premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, receiving the Grand Jury Award for Directing in the U.S. Documentary category.
Galella was widely known for his obsessive treatment of Jacqueline Onassis and the subsequent legal battles associated with it. The New York Post called it "the most co-dependent celeb-pap[arazzi] relationship ever". The famous 1972 free-speech trial Galella v. Onassis resulted in a restraining order to keep Galella 50 yards (later changed to 25 feet) away from Mrs. Onassis. He was found guilty of breaking this order four times and faced seven years in jail and a $120,000 USD fine; later settling for a $10,000 USD fine and surrendering his rights to photograph Jackie and her children.
On June 12, 1973, actor Marlon Brando punched Galella in the face outside a restaurant in Chinatown in New York City, breaking the photographer's jaw and knocking out five of his teeth on the left side of his mouth. Galella had been following Brando, who was accompanied by Dick Cavett, to the restaurant after a taping of The Dick Cavett Show earlier that day.
Galella once lost a tooth when he was beaten by Richard Burton's security guards. He unsuccessfully sued the actor. Elizabeth Taylor, who tended to be tolerant towards photographers, was often heard to mutter, "I'm going to kill Ron Galella!", although the actress would later use his photographs in her biography. Famous targets included Elvis Presley, whose bodyguards slashed his tires, Brigitte Bardot, whose security staff hosed him down, and Sean Penn, who spat at him and reportedly punched him while being photographed with his then-wife Madonna.
In spite of these controversies, art galleries across the world have acclaimed his work for its artistic and sociohistorical value. He was praised by Andy Warhol, who said: "My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person doing something unfamous. It's being in the right place at the wrong time. That's why my favorite photographer is Ron Galella". Art writer Glenn O'Brien defined him a "brilliant realist able to represent the world faithfully"
© 2019. All images are copyrighted © by Ron Galella. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only.
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| Mr Ron Galella |
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| Sophia Loren at “Dr Zhivago” premiere party at the Americana Hotel, NYC. December 22, 1965 |
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| Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate, August 27, 1967 |
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| Tony Bennett at Americana Hotel, NYC. September 3, 1967 |
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| Frank Sinatra filming “The Detective” – NYC Police Station, NYC. October 18, 1967 |
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| Paul Newman at the Americana Hotel, NYC. November 1st, 1967 |
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| Liza Minnelli at Sardi’s, NYC. April 21, 1968 |
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| Brigitte Bardot, St. Tropez, France. September 1, 1968 |
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| Frank Sinatra at the 3rd Annual Chuck Connors Golf Tournament, Palm Springs Golf Course, Palm Springs, CA. April 19, 1969 |
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| Dustin Hoffman, Central Park, NYC. June 1, 1969 |
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| Jackie Kennedy Onassis and John Kennedy Jr., Central Park, NYC. September 24, 1969 |
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| Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lewis filming “One More Time.”, London, England. September 9, 1969 |
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| Clint Eastwood at the 29th Annual Bing Crosby Pro-Am Golf Tournament & Clambake, Pebble Beach, Monterey, CA. anuary 22, 1970 |
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| Mick Jagger at the After Dark Ruby Awards at The Delmonico Hotel, NYC. April 23, 1973 |
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| Sonny and Cher at their opening at the Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles. April 4, 1970 |
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| Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Le Havre, France. July 21, 1970 |
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| Goldie Hawn at the 43 Ron Galellard Annual Academy Awards, Governors Ball, Beverly Hills, CA. April 15, 1971 |
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| Raquel Welch attends a party at the home of Polly Bergen, Beverly Hills, CA. June 2, 1971 |
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| Elvis Presley press conference at the New York Hilton., NYC. June 9, 1972 |
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| Woody Allen and Diane Keaton at Lincoln Center, NYC. September 12, 1972 |
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| Jack Nicholson at the “Heat” premiere, NYC. October 5, 1972 |
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| Salvador Dalí at the St. Regis Hotel, NYC. February 19, 1973 |
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| Marlon Brando and Dick Cavett in Chinatown, NYC. June 12, 1973 |
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| Ali MacGraw & Steve McQueen at the AFI Tribute to James Cagney at the Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles. March 12, 1974 |
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| John Lennon and Mick Jagger at the AFI Salute to James Cagney at the Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles. March 12, 1974 |
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| Robert Redford at Mary Lasker's Cocktail party for Wayne Owens, NYC. May 15, 1974 |
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| Michelle and Chynna Phillips and Warren Beatty at “Man in the Moon” opening, NYC. January 29, 1975 |
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| John Lennon and David Bowie at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards at the Uris Theatre, NYC. February 28, 1975 |
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| Liza Minelli, Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger at Studio 54, NYC. January 10, 1976 |
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| Shirley MacLaine and Liza Minnelli at Shirley’s “One Woman Show” at The Palace Theatre, NYC. April 19, 1976 |
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| John Travolta backstage after opening in “Bus Stop.”, Westchester, NY. August 01, 1976 |
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| Sylvester Stallone, 49th Academy Awards, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. March 28, 1977 |
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| Michael Jackson at the 1st Annual Rock & Roll Sports Classic, University of California, Irvine, CA. March 10, 1978 |
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| Elton John, Andy Warhol, Jerry Hall, Barbara Allen and Ahmet Ertegun, Studio 54, NYC. June 12, 1978 |
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| Lauren Bacall at the 32nd Annual Tony Awards rehearsals, Shubert Theatre, NYC. June 03, 1978 |
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| Lester Persky, Andy Warhol and Truman Capote at Steve Rubell's birthday party at The Olympic Towers, Lester , NYC. December 02, 1978 |
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| Gilda Radner and Bill Murray at “Manhattan” premiere, Ziegfeld Theater, NYC. April 18, 1979 |
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| David Bowie at the opening of “The Elephant Man,” Booth Theatre, NYC. September 28, 1980 |
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| Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at JFK airport, NYC. February 14, 1982 |
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| Chris Stein, Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol at ‘Blondie’ concert, Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford, N.J. August 14, 1982 |
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| Kirk and Michael Douglas at “Welcome to L.A.” party for Julio Iglesias at Chasen’s Restaurant, Los Angeles. March 09, 1983 |
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| Liza Minnelli and Michael Jackson at Liza's concert series, Universal Amphitheater, Universal City, CA. April 09, 1983 |
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| Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne at Ozzy Osbourne after concert party at the Limelight, NYC. January 29, 1984 |
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| Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Hand & Footprints Ceremony at Mann’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, CA. May 16, 1984 |
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| Sean Penn and Madonna at “Goose & Tom Tom”, Lincoln Center, NYC. August 13, 1986 |
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| Sean Lennon and Michael Jackson filming “Bad” video, NYC, Nov. 28th, 1986 |
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| Marlon Brando and Ron Galella, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, NYC, November 26, 1994 |
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| Alec Baldwin at the 49th Annual Tony Awards at the Minskoff Theatre, NYC, June, 4, 1995 |
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