Born in Philadelphia on September 3, 1919 of a Jewish Russian immigrant family and raised in the Bronx, Stern’s career began in 1939 as a freelance photographer for Friday, and later for Life, Collier’s and Look working in Los Angeles on film sets. After the war, which Stern experienced first-hand, he moved to Hollywood where he created his most famous portraits of celebrities of the day on the set, behind the scenes and in more intimate moments. Master of black-and-white reportage, Stern turned 90 this year and this is his first personal in Italy. Marilyn Monroe, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are just some of the stars he has immortalized with his irony and bravura—not to mention James Dean, his close friend who died so young.

Phil Stern: Sulla Scena
Fondazione Forma per la Fotografia, Milan. Through 12 September 2010

© Phil Stern/Cpi/Contrasto