Killian Jordan

The editors of Life Magazine define “legends” as “people whose 15 minutes will never be up. They are beyond well-known, more than famous. They are legends. Their mark on our consciousness is permanent.”

These legends are shown in beautiful and in many cases, iconic, photographs along with quotations by them or by other famous people about each person that conveys something of why they were exceptional. For example, the photograph of Elizabeth Taylor features a quote by Madonna: “A wondrous light radiates from her, and it always takes my breath away.” Timothy Leary says of the Beatles: “I declare that the Beatles are mutants. Prototypes of evolutionary agents sent by God with a mysterious power to create a new species - a young race of laughing freemen.”

The photos are organized by categories, including “Originals,” “Visionaries,” “Generations,” “Leaders,” “Players,” “High Notes,” “Sporting Life,” “Creators,” “Great Beauties,” Eccentrics,” “Couples,” and “Forever Young” (that latter category dedicated to those who died young).

While the pictures are gorgeous, almost all of them lack credits. An index provides page information on both subjects and quoters - it could easily have included photographers as well.

Nevertheless, this would make a wonderful “coffee table” book for those who appreciate both the art of photography and the enduring appeal of “legends.”… (más)

Life Legends is a large- format collection of photographs of iconic celebrities of the 20th century, with a particular focus on the US and England. The photographs are professional quality and high resolution and presumably were harvested from Life Magazine’s archives. Most are gray scale, although a few are in color, and they are reproduced at large size in one- and two- page spreads. The photographed celebrities not only include film stars and musicians, but also famous political leaders, sports figures, artists, and other manifestations of popular culture.

Each of the photographs is accompanied by a quotation about the celebrity from another famous individual. For example, a photograph of author Truman Capote is coupled with an observation by Humphrey Bogart: “At first you can’t believe him, he’s so odd, and then you want to carry him around with you always.” Accompanying a photograph of escape artist Harry Houdini is a description by magician David Copperfield: “His message was that every obstacle could be overcome. The escapes were a metaphor that gave people hope at a time when it was most needed.” A photograph of the gorgeous actress Katherine Hepburn is accompanied by her own quote: “I have not lived as a woman. I have lived as a man. I‘ve just done what I damn well wanted to and I’ve made enough money to support myself and I ain’t afraid of being alone”

The photographs are grouped in categories, such as: “Originals” (Houdini, Capote, Jack Kerouac, Amelia Earhart, the Marx Brothers, Lenny Bruce, Joseph McCarthy, Jackie Kennedy, Clarence Darrow); “Visionaries” (Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, Gandhi); and “Generations” (which pairs Bob Dylan with Woodie Guthrie, Madonna with Mae West, John Glenn with Charles Lindbergh, and Bill Gates with Henry Ford).

Likewise, there’s “Leaders” (Churchill, FDR, Mao, Hitler, Stalin); Players (Orson Welles, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich); “High Notes” (Elvis, Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, and Billy Holiday [of whom commentary says “She could express more emotion in one chorus than most actresses can in three acts.“]); “Creators” (Isadora Duncan, Albert Einstein, Tennessee Williams, Picasso, Hemingway); “Sporting Life” (Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Michael Jordan, and Billie Jean King); and “Great Beauties” (John Barrymore, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and the TV star Lassie [of whom Cloris Leachman says “They had to find reasons for us to be morons, so the dog could outsmart us”]). Then there are the “Eccentrics” (Michael Jackson, Glenn Gould, Howard Hughes, Timothy O’Leary, Greta Garbo); “Couples”(Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; De Beauvoir and Sartre; Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall; children’s dolls Barbie and Ken [of whom Barbie is quoted as saying“My greatest concern regarding Ken can be summed up in a single word: commitment.… we’ve been dating for thirty-five years now and nothing ever seems to change.”]) And finally, there’s the category “Forever Young” (with Marilyn Monroe, JF Kennedy, James Dean, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Patsy Cline).

These photographs are a “who’s-who” of iconic American and British figures of the 20th century. They are enjoyable to casual peruse or for more careful study. The offer a fine overview of the public personalities who helped shape our century.… (más)