WEEGEE
(1899 - 1969)
Usher/Arthur Fellig born in Austria. Lived in tenements on lower east side of NYC. Received his name from his uncanny ability to show up at scenes of crime, fire, suicides, etc. before any of the authorities.
Published a number of books, including Weegee’s People, Naked City, Weegee by Weegee.
For the most part, he photographed disasters/horror the likes of murders (he estimated he shot 5,000 of them), fires, wrecks, etc. He worked NYC almost exclusively and primarily at night, so much of his work is flashed, grainy. Critic Allene Talmey noted that "Weegee’s photos are, for the most part, as direct as a baseball bat to the knees." He refused any kind of discipline, cared little about compositon or technique.
His work is a very graphic documentation of the streets and underbelly of NYC. He first worked on such assignments for ACME photo (later UPI), where he left in 1935 to freelance, working from a desk in the NYPD’s Missing Persons Bureau at Police Headquarters. Used phone, desks, sent out bills, met his friends at this adopted office. Also, had gotten ahold of a key for the NY Post darkroom and printed many of his photos there.
Lived alone, mostly apart from his family. When he died he left a legacy of 5,000 negatives and over 15,000 photographic prints. Work covered the dark side of NY, and influenced many photographers in years to come.
Some critics suggest that his work helped put "street photography" on the map and that it influenced the likes of Diane Arbus, Robert Frank, Lisette Model, William Gates and many other photographers who worked the streets. Indeed, Arbus, Model and others shot not only the same locales, but people that Weegee had photographed. SAMMY’S ON THE BOWERY was one such location.
He respected work of Riis and Hine, admired the work of Smith and Arbus, detested work of Strand, Model, and Abbott.
Movie was made called Naked City. Used his title and created ideas from some of the photographs, but Weegee had no real part of it. Eventually, connected to Hollywood from this, even working as an actor. In fact, Peter Sellers noted that he’d modeled his character in Dr. Strangelove, from having observed Weegee on the set, where he was working as a special effects consultant.
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