The Notorious Bettie Page

(Source: monsterinmymind)

Bettie Page painting by Olivia De Berardinis

Bettie Page comic by Dave Stevens.

Bettie Page souvenir postcard.

Titter Magazine featuring Bettie Page, 1955

BETTIE and WEGEE
Bettie’s regular clientele of photographers ranged from amateurs to well known professional shutterbugs, one of which was Arthur Fellig, more popularly known as the hardboiled freelance crime photographer “Weegee”. Weegee adopted the nickname from the popular Ouija fortune telling game, as he possessed the uncanny ability to show up at the right time and place and therefore get the best crime-scene pictures. Almost psychic in his timing, in truth he slept in his car with a police radio by his side, a typewriter in his trunk and a camera around his neck. When shots rang out, he was usually on the scene the same time as police. Weegee became very well known for his stark and sarcastic crime photos of New York City street life that soon, both the New York police and the Mob would call to tip him off. There is the story of when, after such a tip off, Weegee got to the crime scene while a couple of unlucky criminals were still dying. Being the professional that he was, Weegee took their pictures and then called the cops.
Weegee once wrote, “I am often asked what kind of candid camera I used, there really is no such thing. It’s the photographer who must be candid.” 
           
Due to his popularity, Weegee began to branch out from his crime scene photos to more high society affairs. Weegee would often be seen with famous faces such as Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, who both enjoyed his work immensely. Through the word of camera clubs, Weegee met up with Bettie where he took hundreds of photos of her and palled around her frequently.
 
Perhaps with his notoriety came a lot of confidence. It was this confidence that unfortunately lead to Weegee, a short, stocky built man, who may have been a bit street tough, to experience the wrath of Bettie Page. While taking nude photos of Bettie in her apartment bathtub, Weegee felt in order to get a “better shot”, decided to take all of his clothes off and climb into the sudd filled water with her.
Sadly for him, Bettie screamed him out of the room.

Weegee died of a brain tumour on December 26, 1968, He is credited with ushering in the age of tabloid culture, while at the same time being revered for elevating the sordid side of human life to that of high art.