ROY SCHATT
(1909-2002)

1909 Roy Schatt was born in New York City

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1924-27 Attended Grand Central High School (studied painting with N.C. Wyeth)

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1928-30 Studied Art Students League

 

1930-32 Studied Corcoran School of Art, Washington DC

 

1933-39 Worked at Warner Bros Art Department, Washington DC as Art Director. Illustrated books, created drawing and photographs.

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1934 Married Masha Arms (Roy was 25, Masha 26 years old). They bought themselves a miniature German 45 mm camera (Pupille) as a wedding present and later traded it in for a Leica. Roy taught Masha how to photograph and develop film. Roy and Masha's marriage ended in 1941, however, Masha went on to become a female pioneer in photographer and a teacher. Roy later won first place in a Leica photography competition.

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1935-39 Painted murals under “New Deal’ programs for artists (WPA) developed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt

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1942-45 Served in U.S. Army, India (Special Operations), wrote editorial, created posters, developed theatre and music events

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1945 Roy moved to NYC, 33rd Street

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1946-53 Roy worked for advertising company BBDO as a graphic artist for Lucky Strike Hit Parade. Studied acting and directing. Became a character model for ads by Howard Zieff, who created memorable ad campaigns. Zieff became a Director and Producer, known for the films ‘My Girl’ and ‘Private Benjamin’. Roy’s expressive face was perfect for Zieff’s campaigns and he cast Roy in numerous ads for everyday products. Zieff was known for innovative ad casting and worked with Robert de Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Richard Dreyfuss.

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He met José Quintero, Director, Producer and co-founder of Circle in the Square theatre in the WestVillage, which helped define the off-Broadway movement. Quintero was directing Tennessee Williams’, “Summer and Smoke”. Roy photographed the cast and production and brought attention to Geraldine Page and her performance through his images. Roy’s photos were utilized in publications and his work was exhibited in the theatre and he became the house photographer. Roy was invited to view a class at The Actors Studio and met Lee Strasberg. Roy photographed several classes and after viewing his photos, Strasberg named him the Official Photographer for The Actors Studio. Elia Kazan asked Roy to teach him about photography. Roy photographed many significant actors, directors, playwrights, poets and writers at The Actors Studio and became known as ‘the photographer’ in the acting and theatre community. His apartment was a gathering place for actor friends, as well as Roy’s makeshift photo studio and darkroom.

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1954 Roy met James Dean through an actress friend and Roy’s first impression of Dean was transformative, “He was a squinty schlump of a person all bent over. Then Dean suddenly got up and this ugly person became a dream, an Adonis who started to dance around the room. It was a transition I couldn't believe." Roy also made an impression on Dean, and James Dean asked Roy to teach him how to photograph. Dean wanted to learn everything about photography, the camera and the process. The photography lessons brought together two very different individuals, Roy was committed to his craft and was not so patient with the youthful antics of Dean. However, they walked the streets of New York looking for photo ops, spent time in Roy’s beloved MOMA, hung out with actor friends Martin Landau, Bill Heller and Bud Schulberg in Roy’s apartment. Although Roy taught Dean the art of developing film, Dean had no patience to watch and wait for film to develop, he was more fascinated with being behind the camera. Many of James Dean’s friends, including Roy, became the subjects for Dean’s photography sessions. When James Dean died it was a confusing time for Roy, he was hounded by James Dean fans for years, who discovered where Roy lived and wanted a glimpse into the world of James Dean.

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1955 – 1960’s Roy continued to photograph the acting community, including Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, Marilyn Monroe, Steve McQueen, Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Martin Landau, Arthur Miller, Geraldine Page, Dorothy Parker, Sidney Lumet, Lorne Greene, Anne Meara, Jerry Stiller, Andy Griffith, Bud Schulberg, Maureen Stapleton, William Saroyan, Leonard Bernstein, John Cassavetes, Eli Wallach, Vincent Price, Eva Gabor, Marlene Dietrich, Peter Falk, Susan Strasberg, Ben Gazzara, Lillian Hellman, Hal Holbrook, David Ross, Ricardo Montalban and many more talented individuals.

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1955-57 Jazz and other musicians, Roy photographed Mahalia Jackson, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Eartha Kitt, Dinah Washington, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dave Brubeck and other talented singers and musicians.

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1960’s Roy married Elaine Vorgetts, who encourages Roy to pursue his photography career

 

1961-78 Roy photographed special guests on the long running popular radio program, ‘Long John Nebel’, who received his name due to his height and slender build. Jackie Gleason wrote in his introduction to a biography of Nebel: "Why is Nebel so strangely entertaining?... because the best entertainment is entertainment that opens your mind and tells you the world is bigger than you thought it was."

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1963 Photographed JFK’s funeral

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1964–1990’s Roy photographed many aspiring actors and provided special photographs through his ‘method’ approach, looking for unguarded moments using available light.

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1982 Published his book James Dean: A Portrait, which is Roy Schatt’s account of his time with Dean and most of his legendary photographs of James Dean.

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1984 Art Institute of Chicago acquired a Roy Schatt photo for their collection, a 1955 image of Marilyn Monroe without makeup, wearing a hat

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1990 Limited editions prints were created by Roy, of selected images of his James Dean photos. Roy sued a licensing company for copyright infringement for taking his photos from his James Dean book and reproducing them on merchandise. Thereafter the licensing company made an agreement to purchase Roy’s copyright to all his James Dean images, which Roy sold in 1991.

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2002 Roy passed away May 4, 2002, at the age of 92. He was survived by his wife, Elaine, nephews and extended family.

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2004 New York Public Library acquired the "Circle in the Square" archives, which include many photographs by Roy Schatt, images of Arthur Miller, José Quintero and Tennessee Williams.

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2006 Exhibitions of Roy’s limited edition prints of James Dean and other photos are presented in Munich, Paris, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Miami.

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2009 Syracuse University organizes the Long John Nebel radio archives, gifted by John Nebel, which includes historic photos from the radio program by Roy Schatt.

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2014 The Smithsonian exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, entitled, “American Cool”, selected and highlighted Roy’s photo of James Dean sitting in the round window of Dean’s West 68th Street apartment.

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2015 WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC became the exclusive representative for the Estate of Roy Schatt and viewed and researched a large portion of Schatt’s archive. Thousands of negatives remain intact from the 1950's-90's era of Roy Schatt's photographs, a treasure of images unpublished.

 

WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC premiered the exhibition of Roy Schatt’s photographs of James Dean and The Actors Studio, curated by James Cavello. Many of the photographs, never before seen by the public, were on view in a first-time comprehensive exhibition for Schatt. The exhibition was previewed by co-President of The Actors Studio, Ellen Burstyn, who is an Academy Award winner, Emmy Awards winner, Tony Awards winner and recipient of many other honors.

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