Monthly Archives: July 2016

02.21.75: NYC, NY Filming “Three Days of the Condor” Robert Redford with Cliff Robertson & Sidney Pollack

In January of 2010, the documentary, Smash His Camera, was featured at Redford’s Sundance Film Festival, where director Leon Gast won the Best Director award. My wife Betty and I were invited to promote the film and attend the screening. At the beginning of the festival, I missed a photo-op with Redford, as I’d arrived one day too late. Redford held a press conference, and an AP reporter asked, “What about Ron Galella?” Redford replied, “Which story do you want?” He then went on to tell the story about the day he foiled me with his stand-in double. It was his last day of shooting for Three Days of the Condor on West Forty-third Street in front of the New York Times building. At the same time, NBC was doing a piece on me photographing Redford. He sneaked into his trailer via the NY Times Building. He then send out his stand-in, whom I believed was Redford, so I started following him around and photographing him. All the while, the real Redford sneaked out of his trailer wearing an Afro wig and mustache. It was one-up for Redford!

I’ve photographed Robert’s career for nearly 50 years. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid through All The President’s Men & The Sting, Redford’s growth from a budding young actor into a Hollywood heavyweight. Robert Redford turns 80 on August 18, 2016.

As the Agency Director for Ron Galella, Ltd. in the ‘70’s & ‘80’s I was quite lucky to be at the right place at the right time, as this was Ron’s heyday, his golden years of shooting. Occasionally Ron would invite me to cover events with him, especially if he knew it was a celebrity or celebrities I admired. One particular evening, we were looking for Jackie, near her home on Fifth Avenue. If you were fortunate enough to shoot or partner up with Ron for an evening, you quickly realized his skills were razor sharp and within a blink of an eye he would spot a celebrity no matter how far away they were and it would happen so fast, you as a pro or fan could miss the opportunity.

While walking along 5th Avenue a cool summer night, Central Park to our right, Ron and I were chatting about the likelihood we missed Jackie. Then, all of a sudden I heard Ron shouting to someone across the street, “Hey John, its Ron Galella, how about a few photos tonight?” My jaw drops as I realize John Kennedy, Jr. is right across the street! John replies, “Not tonight Ron.” I can’t believe it! I ask Ron to confirm, “Was that really John?” Ron says “Yes, but no photos of him tonight, he doesn’t want it.” And that’s when I found out Ron Galella was different from the other photographers; he let John Jr. be, honored his request, even if it meant he didn’t get the shot.
Photo credit: Ron Galella, Ltd.


If you have a memory you would like to share, please post it!

Kathy

In this second “Stories Behind the Pictures” video, Ron explains how he captured Bowie’s “unique eyes” and why Bowie is his “numero uno” all time rock star.

Ron receives fan mail everyday including heartwarming stories from photographers recalling how they became interested in photography. Here is photographer Richard Barnes’ recollection of meeting Ron at the age of 16 and how Ron influenced his life decision to become a photographer:

I was just emailing an old friend of mine the story of how I started off as a photographer way back in 1978 when I was just 16 years old and how meeting Ron was a turning point. I just thought I’d forward this along to you….

It was Summer of 1978. I was in Ocean City New Jersey. Princess Caroline of Monaco had just gotten married and was on her honeymoon in – Tahiti? I think – and on her way home was going to stop in Ocean City to visit her mother (Princess Grace) at their family beach home . Mind you, this is not the Hamptons, this is a small, very populated little town. I was 16. Every day I peddled my bike from 59th street to 27th street hoping for a glimpse of the Royal Family, but alas, nothing.

Finally, on the last day, I arrive to find about 20 + members of the press there waiting, because this is the day Caroline and her new husband are arriving. As I wait I am befriended by Ron Galella! We sit and talk, and he gives me some tips and even buys me an ice cream.

Then the garage doors open and a black Mercedes with tinted windows backs out and zooms away, and all the press jump in their cars and give chase. I am left alone. A boy and his bike. And his Canon TX 🙂

A few minutes later the front door of the house opens and Jack Kelly, Graces brother steps out, and he looks around and then to me he says ” are you press? “. I say ” No….I’m just on vacation and was hoping to see the Royal Family”. He says “Come with me,” and brings me in the house and around back to the patio, where the entire Royal Family is sitting and talking. He says ” this is Rich, he’s OK” he’s just going to take some pictures” and leaves me in the midst of everyone.

I shoot a little, talk a little (I still can hear HSH Princess Grace saying “please…..I’m not at my best” as she sat there in her bathing suit )….and when I’m done, I emerge from the house back to out front where the press – now realizing that they were led away by a decoy car!…surrounds me and is interested in buying my film. Unfortunately I’m shooting color and in those days there were no 1 hour color labs, so I’m out of luck.
Ron Galella pulls me aside and says “kid, if you were shooting BW, you’d be rich !”…..and there’s when my career as a photographer starts officially.

https://www.rbarnesphotography.com/