Frame After Frame: The Images of Herman Leonard; Part 2

Louisiana Public Broadcasting · August 21, 1997

"His 'hobby' of shooting portraits of the jazz immortals of the 1940s and 50s has landed his photographs in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian Institution. He counts Quincy Jones and Tony Bennett among his closest friends. He has done photo shoots in the Himalayas, lived on an island with no electricity, traveled to the Orient with Marlon Brando, and photographed the most beautiful women in the world on commercial shoots around the globe. "By all accounts, Herman Leonard has led a remarkable life. Narrated by Tony Bennett, Frame After Frame: The Images of Herman Leonard tells the story of the life and work of this renowned photographer through interviews with Herman and his friends and, of course, through the extraordinary photographs he has produced. "After an apprenticeship with Yousuf Karsh, Leonard headed for New York. He traded his photographs of jazz musicians to club owners to gain entr'e to the jazz clubs and the music he loved. His distinctive style captured the smokey essence of the New York jazz scene. His elegant portraits of Miles, Dizzy, Bird, Monk and a host of other greats reveal his outstanding visual artistry. Frame After Frame: The Images of Herman Leonard is the story of a man whose art has finally received the recognition it deserves."--1997 Peabody Awards entry form.