Renowned Photographer Terry O'Neill Captures Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra and more

Terry O’Neill, David Bowie (with Scissors), Los Angeles, 1974. Estimate £3,000–5,000

In 1974 Terry O’Neill visited Los Angeles and shot David Bowie who was on tour for the promotion of his album Diamond Dogs. As the photographer recalls, Bowie came into the studio having personally styled his outfit, creating this emblematic yellow look. O’Neill was part of the group of photographers alongside Brian Duffy and David Bailey who rejected the static formality of posed photographs. When Bowie grabbed the scissors that were lying around, he pressed the shutter creating this iconic yet unusual image.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Muhammad Ali Contact Sheet – Preparing for his fight with Alvin Lewis, Dublin, 1972. Estimate £4,000–6,000

This stunning mural-sized print features all the images Terry O’Neill shot during Ali’s fight against Alvin Lewis in Dublin in 1972. From that roll of film many of the most iconic images of both the photographer and the legendary boxer were born. This image gives the viewer a chance to recreate quite accurately not only the fight, but the thought process behind the making of O’Neill’s photographs.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Paul McCartney at Ringo Starr’s wedding, 1981. Estimate £2,000–3,000

Terry O’Neill was part of the inner circle of many musicians and celebrities so his invitation to Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach’s wedding came as no surprise, and he took wonderful candid shots of the day. At one point, Paul McCartney found a lone piano and starting playing and suddenly everybody was singing along. This beautiful print is number 14 from a limited edition of 50.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Lee Marvin, Pocket Money, 1971. Estimate £1,500–2,000

Terry O’Neill found himself in 1971 on the set of Stuart Rosenberg’s comedy western Pocket Money starring Lee Marvin and Paul Newman. This print features Marvin at a bar table in Tucson, Arizona during the filming. O’Neill’s exquisite eye for composition, frames the image in such a way so the viewer cannot tell if it is actually a film set, taking us back to an earlier time.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, David Bailey, 1965. Estimate £2,000–3,000

Bailey and O’Neill are probably two of the most well-known British photographers of the late 20th century. They embraced Norman Parkinson’s attitude towards un-posed photography outside the studio environment and created some of the most iconic portraits in history. This stunning print features deep rich black tones and is edition 7 of 50.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Frank Sinatra on the Boardwalk, Miami, 1968. Estimate £12,000–18,000

Terry O’Neill found himself inside Sinatra’s inner circle thanks to his friendly relationship with the musician’s ex-wife, Ava Gardner. In 1968, O’Neill was flying to Miami for an editorial job and Gardner put him in contact with Sinatra. The musician was in Miami too on the set for the film The Lady in Cement. It was here that O’Neill shot this emblematic photograph of Sinatra, his bodyguard and his stunt double. This beautiful image is a mural-sized print from an edition of 50.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Faye Dunaway at the Beverley Hills Hotel, 1977. Estimate £7,000–9,000

This iconic image captures the morning after Faye Dunaway won the 1977 Oscar for her performance in Network. O’Neill managed to convince Dunaway to wake up at 6am, having only slept three hours, before any other guests woke up and starting roaming around the pool. This stunning print is the AP from a sold out edition of 50, signed by both the photographer and the actress.

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Raquel Welch on the Cross, Los Angeles, 1966. Estimate £10,000–15,000

Raquel Welch first rose to fame in 1966 with her role in Fantastic Voyage. That same year she also starred in a British movie, One Million Years B.C.. Terry O’Neill was the photographer for the promotional images of the latter film. He remembers that Welch was worried her infamous bikini would be too much for the press and they would crucify her for it. This conversation resulted in O’Neill taking it literally and shooting, Raquel Welch on the Cross .

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Frank Sinatra with Gun, Miami Beach, 1968. Estimate £3,000–5,000

This strong photograph is another shot from the set of 1968’s The Lady of Cement film in Miami, the sequel to Tony Rome. O’Neill remembers, ‘He was one of those actors who fitted the part like a glove – on stage he had huge empathy with the music and the mood, but put a gun on his hip and he suddenly transformed into the good cop with the hard attitude.’

View Auction

Share

Terry O’Neill, Bruce Springsteen, Sunset Strip, 1975. Estimate £1,500–2,000

In 1975 Bruce Springsteen released his third studio album. In a stroke of luck, while Springsteen was on promotional tour in Los Angeles, he ran into Terry O’Neill in front of Tower Records. During this brief encounter, the photographer shot some widely known images which became affiliated to the success of Springsteen’s seminal album.

View Auction

Share