Nelson Frazier Evans (June 6, 1889 – October 17, 1922) was an American photographer during the days of

Old Hollywood In film criticism, Classical Hollywood cinema is both a narrative and visual style of filmmaking that first developed in the 1910s to 1920s during the later years of the silent film era. It then became characteristic of United States cinema du ...

. Evans was known for his portraits of film actors such as

Darrell Foss Darrell Foss (born Darrell Burton Foss; March 24, 1892 – September 15, 1962) was a film actor. He had a leading role in films including in ''The Loyalty of Taro San'', a Triangle Film Corporation production, and opposite May Allison in at ...

Marie Prevost Marie Prevost (born Mary Bickford Dunn; November 8, 1896 – January 21, 1937) was a Canadian film actress. During her 20-year career, she made 121 silent and sound films. Prevost began her career during the silent film era. She was discove ...

Louise Glaum Louise Glaum (September 4, 1888 – November 25, 1970) was an American actor, actress. Known for her roles as a femme fatale, vamp in silent film, silent era film, motion picture drama film, dramas, she was credited in her early career with ...

and many others during the silent film era including director

Philip Rosen Philip E. Rosen (May 8, 1888 – October 22, 1951) was an American film director and cinematographer. He directed more than 140 films between 1915 and 1949. He was born in Marienburg, German Empire (now, Malbork, Poland), grew up in Machi ...

. He is considered one of the creators of pin-up photography.

Biography

Evans was born in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. He was the son of a coal mine operator, who objected to Evans' choice to pursue a career in photography. Initially working in the eastern United States, Evans moved to the west coast in the 1910s to pursue a career as a

portrait photographer Portrait photography, or portraiture, is a type of photography aimed toward capturing the personality of a person or group of people by using effective lighting, backdrops, and poses. A portrait photograph may be artistic or clinical. Frequentl ...

in Hollywood, eventually establishing a studio at 6039

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...

in 1915. At the time, Hollywood studio photographers focused mainly on shooting

movie still A film still (sometimes called a publicity still or a production still) is a photograph, taken on or off the set of a movie or television program during production. These photographs are also taken in formal studio settings and venues of opportun ...

images of sets and scenes — actors and actresses were forced to find personal photographers to take portrait shots. This market niche was filled by professional photographers like Evans. Evans also did more traditional still photography for a number of prominent movie studios. Evans introduced several innovations to the photography scene of Old Hollywood; he avoided using fancy props, and rendered effects or backgrounds directly on photo negatives. Evans is also credited by author and film historian

David S. Shields David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Damas ...

with creating the genre of "Cheesecake Photography", a forerunner to pin-up photography. Some of Evans' full body swimsuit photographs appeared in various media, such as in magazines and on cigarette packaging. During World War I Evans was drafted into government service and stationed in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. He was commissioned as a

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

, and was involved with the growing field of

aerial photography Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other flight, airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wi ...

, for which he attempted to develop a new camera. In his personal life, Evans collected rare books; he was also noted as having been interested in religion and

metaphysics Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of ...

. Evans died in October 1922 at the age of 33.

Legacy

Following his death, Evans' studio was converted into an art gallery. In 1929, his studio was damaged by a fire possibly set as part of a wider vendetta against still photographers operating in Hollywood. Evans' early death resulted in him fading from memory more so than his contemporaries, such as

Fred Hartsook Fred Hartsook (26 October 1876 – 30 September 1930) was an American photographer and owner of a California studio chain described as "the largest photographic business in the world" at the time,McGroarty, p. 760. who counted Henry Ford, Charles ...

and Albert Witzel.

Gallery

File:Roxy McGowan and Mary Thurman in bathing suits, with one taking the other's picture on beach, posed for Mack Sennett Productions (3b43826).jpg,

Roxana McGowan Roxana McGowan (March 15, 1897 – November 22, 1976), born in Chicago, Illinois, was an actress in Mack Sennett comedies in the silent film era. Her screen career was brief, lasting from 1917–1919. Movie comic ''Her Screen Idol'' (19 ...

taking

Mary Thurman Mary Thurman (née Christiansen; April 27, 1895 – December 22, 1925) was an American actress of the silent film era. Early life Mary Christiansen was born in Richfield, Utah on April 27, 1895, one of seven children raised in the Church of ...

's photograph File:Muff in hand. Alice Maison.png,

Alice Maison Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

File:Jack Mulhall - Jul 1920 MP.jpg,

Jack Mulhall John Joseph Francis Mulhall (October 7, 1887 – June 1, 1979) was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years. Early years Mu ...

(1920) File:Tom Moore - Jun 1920 MP.jpg,

Tom Moore (actor) Thomas J. Moore (May 1, 1883 – February 12, 1955) was an Irish-American actor and director. He appeared in at least 186 motion pictures from 1908 to 1954. Frequently cast as the romantic lead, he starred in silent movies as well as in some of ...

(1920) File:Claire Anderson and Rose Carter.jpg, Claire Anderson and Rose Carter on the beach File:Sennett girls in serpentine confetti - Evans, L.A. LCCN2005688927.jpg, Sennett Girls in serpentine confetti File:Biron Reynolds Sampson bath.jpg, Lillian Biron,

Vera Reynolds Vera Reynolds (born Vera Nancy Reynolds; November 25, 1899 – April 22, 1962) was an American film actress. Early life and career Born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1899, Reynolds first worked in films at age 12. She began as a dancer, worked ...

, and

Teddy Sampson Nora Sampson (August 8, 1895 – November 24, 1970), known professionally as Teddy Sampson, was an American stage and silent film actress who appeared in at least forty-one motion pictures between 1914 and 1923. Biography Nora Sampson was born i ...

File:Doris Pawn - Feb 1920 Motion Picture Magazine.jpg,

Doris Pawn Doris Pawn (born Doris Alice Pahn; December 29, 1894 – March 30, 1988) was an American silent era film actress. Early life Born and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, Pawn spent her vacations on the ranch of an uncle. There, she learned to ri ...

(1920) File:Alice Lake - Apr 1920 MPN.jpg,

Alice Lake Alice Lake (September 12, 1895 – November 15, 1967) was an American film actress who began her career during the silent film era and often appeared in comedy shorts opposite Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Career Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lake beg ...

(1920) File:Doris May - June 1920 MP.jpg,

Doris May Doris May (born Helen Garrett; October 15, 1902 – May 12, 1984), was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 29 films between 1917 and 1927, generally as a leading lady. Most of her roles were in westerns and comedies, although ...

(1920) File:Dorothy Manners - Dec 1922 Screenland.jpg, Dorothy Manners (1922) File:Marie Prevost.jpg,

File:Alice Lake Evans1.jpg,

File:Pell Trenton - Apr May 1920 MP.jpg,

Pell Trenton Pell Trenton (born William T. Baker; August 29, 1883 – March 3, 1924) was an actor in theater and Hollywood films during the silent film era. He was popular and had leading roles. Background Pell Trenton was born August 29, 1883, in New Y ...

(1920) File:Priscilla Moran.jpg,

Priscilla Moran Priscilla Moran (November 23, 1918 - November 11, 2006) was an American silent film actress. She made her film debut in 1922, and retired from the silver screen in 1937 at the age of 19, having appeared in fourteen films. Personal life Moran was ...

File:Annette Kellerman - May 1920 MPN.jpg,

Annette Kellerman Annette Marie Sarah Kellermann (6 July 1886 – 6 November 1975) was an Australian professional swimmer, vaudeville star, film actress, and writer, usually spelt with a single final n as Annette Kellerman. Kellermann was one of the first wome ...

File:Edward F Cline - May 1920 MPN.jpg,

Edward F. Cline Edward Francis Cline (November 4, 1891 – May 22, 1961) was an American screenwriter, actor, writer and director best known for his work with comedians W.C. Fields and Buster Keaton. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin and died in Hollywood, Cal ...

File:Wanda Hawley Evans2.jpg,

Wanda Hawley Wanda Hawley (born Selma Wanda Pittack; July 30, 1895 – March 18, 1963) was an American actress during the silent film era. She entered the theatrical profession with an amateur group in Seattle, and later toured the United States and Cana ...

File:Dorothy Dalton in Photoplay, November 1918.jpg, Dorothy Dalton

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Nelson 20th-century American photographers 1889 births 1922 deaths Artists from Columbus, Ohio Photographers from Los Angeles