Roger Marshutz,
a photographer
whose images of
a young Elvis
Presley reaching
out to his fans,
Marilyn Monroe
at the height of
her fame and
other celebrity
shots appeared
in fan
magazines, on
posters and in
movie publicity
kits during the
1950s and '60s,
has died. He was
78.
Marshutz died
Dec. 15 at his
home in Los
Angeles of
pancreatic
cancer, his
wife, Nancy,
said.
Marshutz began
working as a
Hollywood
photographer in
the mid-1950s,
taking pictures
of the most
famous actors of
the day,
including Rock
Hudson, Audrey
Hepburn and Paul
Newman. At
times, he was
hired by movie
studios to
photograph
actors for news
kits promoting
their latest
movies. He also
worked on
assignment for
Photoplay and
other popular
picture
magazines.
One of his best
known images
shows Presley at
an outdoor
concert in
Tupelo, Miss.,
in 1956, singing
to a crowd and
reaching for the
hands closest to
the stage. The
photograph first
appeared in
Photoplay.
On another
assignment for
Photoplay in
1956, Marshutz
photographed
Monroe, wearing
a black slip
dress and long,
sparkling
earrings, her
star power
showing. By then
she had appeared
in "Gentlemen
Prefer Blondes"
and "The Seven
Year Itch," two
of her most
popular films.
Marshutz's
photograph of
actor Anthony
Perkins shows
the actor in
shadows, riding
a bicycle. It
was taken in
1957, three
years before
Perkins played
his most famous
role as the
shadowy Norman
Bates in
"Psycho."
On a typical day
as a Hollywood
photographer,
"I'd go to
somebody's
house, like
Natalie Wood's
or Kim Novak's
and spend an
afternoon,"
Marshutz
recalled in a
2003 interview
with Los Angeles
magazine. Other
days he worked
on a movie lot,
snapping
pictures of a
film in
production.
He got started
as a
photographer in
the early 1950s
during the
Korean War. He
served in the
Army and was
stationed in
Pusan, working
for the Army
Pictorial
Service. He
documented U.S.
military
outreach
services to the
local community,
and in his spare
time, he
wandered the
city streets
taking pictures
of street
vendors,
shoeshine boys,
schoolchildren
and others. Some
of the images
were displayed
in
"Reconfiguring
Korea," a 2006
exhibit at the
Peabody Museum
at Harvard
University.
Along with his
work as a
Hollywood
photographer
through the
1960s, Marshutz
worked as a
commercial
photographer for
retailers,
airline
companies and
other clients.
He also took
photos on his
own of former
gang members and
homeless people
as well as
scenes in
nature. He
exhibited his
work at several
local galleries.
Marshutz was
born in Los
Angeles on Oct.
17, 1929. He
attended Cal
Poly San Luis
Obispo but did
not graduate and
later studied
photography at
Art Centre
College of
Design in
Pasadena.
He was married
three times.
Along with his
wife, Nancy, he
is survived by
two sons, one
daughter, four
stepchildren and
several
grandchildren.
Contributions in
his name can be
made to the
Patty Boshell
Pancreatic
Cancer
Foundation, 102
NE 2nd St.,
Suite 280, Boca
Raton, FL 33432.
