Courting celebrity: becoming famous for showcasing the famous is a tricky business.

Courting celebrity: becoming famous for showcasing the famous is a tricky business. Portrait in Light and Shadow: The Life of Yousuf Karsh Yousuf Karsh (Armenian: Հովսեփ Քարշ), CC (December 23, 1908 – July 13, 2002) was a Canadian photographer of Armenian birth, and one of the most famous and accomplished portrait photographers of all time. Maria Tippett Anansi 342 pages, hardcover ISBN ISBNabbr.International Standard Book NumberISBNInternational Standard Book NumberISBNn abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m9780887841989 Starring Brian Linehan Brian Linehan (September 3, 1943 - June 4, 2004) was a Canadian television host who hailed from Hamilton, Ontario. Linehan was best known for his celebrity interviews and has been referred to as the "Charlie Rose of Canada." Linehan was one of seven children. George Anthony McClelland and Stewart 342 pages, hardcover ISBN 9780771007576 At the end of December 1941, Winston Churchill, the prime ministerof Great Britain Great Britain,officially United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, constitutional monarchy (2005 est. pop. 60,441,000), 94,226 sq mi (244,044 sq km), on the British Isles, off W Europe. The country is often referred to simply as Britain. , made his way to Canada to address the House of Commons House of Commons:see Parliament. in Ottawa. This would be the occasion for Churchill's famous"some chicken ... some neck" rallying cry Noun 1. rallying cry - a slogan used to rally support for a cause; "a cry to arms"; "our watchword will be `democracy'"war cry, watchword, battle cry, crycatchword, motto, shibboleth, slogan - a favorite saying of a sect or political group2. in the darkest daysof World War Two. It would also be the occasion for a 32-year-oldArmenian immigrant named Yousuf Karsh to establish his internationalreputation as a portrait photographer. Karsh had come to Canada in theearly 1920s, a refugee--via Syria--from the atrocities in TurkishArmenia. He started his own photography business in Ottawa in the early1930s. Described by a friend as a man of "unfathomableshrewdness," Karsh understood, like Candide, the importance ofcultivating one's garden. The patronage of Canadian prime minister Mackenzie King led to thesitting with Churchill, although Churchill himself appears to have beenunaware of this arrangement. By all accounts tired and cranky crank��y?1?adj. crank��i��er, crank��i��est1. Having a bad disposition; peevish.2. Having eccentric ways; odd.3. , Churchillstood glowering glow��er?intr.v. glow��ered, glow��er��ing, glow��ersTo look or stare angrily or sullenly. See Synonyms at frown.n.An angry or sullen look or stare. at this exotic-looking little man with the camera. Whenthe exotic-looking little man had the audacity to come up and remove thetrademark cigar from Churchill's mouth, the glower morphed into themost magnificent glare. The resulting image of Churchill-an iconic,definitive image later known as "The Roaring Lion"--put Karshon the map, as did the photographer's own sense of showmanship. Noslouch slouch?v. slouched, slouch��ing, slouch��esv.intr.1. To sit, stand, or walk with an awkward, drooping, excessively relaxed posture.2. To droop or hang carelessly, as a hat.v. at self-promotion--the fedora, the black cape, the white camerawould all enhance his image--Karsh ensured that the anecdote aboutWinston Churchill and the cigar received the widest circulation. It is interesting to learn from Maria Tippett's Portrait inLight and Shadow: The Life of Yousuf Karsh that Karsh himself actuallypreferred another photograph of Churchill taken at the same sitting. Inthis one, the recalcitrant subject smiled. It is not nearly as strong animage but it is telling in a way that Karsh should have preferred it.The Karsh credo, after all, was "To tell the truth in terms ofbeauty" and it is a credo much in evidence in the 50,000 portraitsthat bore his signature in a career that spanned six decades. He becameknown as a "court photographer" and, while his assignmentsencompassed subjects of varying stripes, there is justice in thatassessment. Fame needs its courtiers and Karsh, if not a born courtier,needed heroes to venerate; he certainly appreciated the career-enhancingpossibilities in the courtier's deference. It was a time-honouredtradition. Portrait photography owed much to the work of the Old Masterslike Rembrandt and Titian Titian(tĭsh`ən), c.1490–1576, Venetian painter, whose name was Tiziano Vecellio, b. Pieve di Cadore in the Dolomites. Of the very first rank among the artists of the Renaissance, Titian had an immense influence on succeeding generations , artists who often sought to present the mostattractive sides of their lofty subjects. In fact, Karsh became known asthe "Rembrandt of Photography" because of his tendency toflatter, yes, but also because of his artistry: the heroic tension hecontrived in the darkroom darkroom,n a completely lightproof room or cubicle that is used in the processing of photographic, medical, and dental films. See also safe light. from the light and shadow falling across theplanes of a face. One of the joys of Tippett's splendidly readable account isthe way in which a number of those celebrated Karsh portraits areinterspersed throughout the narrative. If Karsh insisted on providingeach of his portraits with an accompanying anecdote, Tippett returns thefavour by seeding her text with vivid Karsh images of Churchill,Hemingway, Kruschev, Eleanor Roosevelt, Joan Crawford and Grey Owl inthose places where they are mentioned. While there evidently exists a vast store of Karsh papers in theNational Archives in Ottawa, it does not appear to offer a trove ofself-reflection. "He didn't analyze himself," says afriend of Karsh. The portrait that emerges in these pages is one of aman completely dedicated to his art and, by extension, his career.Considering his humble beginnings as an immigrant youth sent out toCanada to apprentice for a photographer uncle who had settled inSherbrooke, that career took off rapidly. Following his stint in Quebec,Karsh apprenticed with a noted Boston photographer and fellow Armenianemigre, John Garo. He learned a lot from Garo, both in an understandingof his craft and in the importance of intelligent conversation andshmooze shmooze?n. SlangVariant of schmooze.Noun 1. shmooze - (Yiddish) a warm heart-to-heart talkYiddish - a dialect of High German including some Hebrew and other words; spoken in Europe as a vernacular by many . (When Karsh returned to Sherbrooke, one of his first questionswas "Where is the tennis crowd?") Ambition directed him toOttawa. Ottawa was where the country's dignitaries tended tocongregate and where visiting dignitaries were bound to pass through. Itwas never enough for "Joe" Karsh just to think nationally. In his aspirations, he found his perfect helpmate help��mate?n.A helper and companion, especially a spouse.[Probably alteration of helpmeet (influenced by mate1). in SolangeGauthier. Eight years his senior, she became his essential muse. Morethan this, she ran the business and cultivated the clients to sit forthe maestro. Karsh met Gauthier in his role as official photographer forthe Ottawa Drama League. Not incidentally, the Drama League was one ofthe pet projects of the Governor General, Lord Bessborough, an earlyKarsh patron. Over the years, Karsh and Gauthier developed an intenserelationship, to the point where it became clear Gauthier had marriageon her mind. Apparently alarmed at that prospect, Karsh wrote her aletter explaining he could not offer the "unselfish" and"unbounded" love she deserved. Suggests Tippett: "Itseems likely that Yousuf Karsh was simply too busy, too preoccupied, toointroverted in��tro��vert��edadj.Marked by interest in or preoccupation with oneself or one's own thoughts as opposed to others or the environment. , and too sexually inhibited to share his life with someonewho would most certainly make demands that he would be unable tofulfill." Yet in the next paragraph, we find them married fourmonths later. Tippett is scrupulous in her speculation. Perhaps Karsh'sdependence on Gauthier overcame his worries. Perhaps "they simplycame to some sort of understanding that accommodated their differentexpectations of marriage." In other matters Tippett treads warilyas well. Why, for example, was Karsh so slow to bring out the rest ofhis family, then settled in Syria? (Two brothers had already arrived inCanada.) It was only when the uncle who sponsored his own immigration immigration,entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. started the process to bring out his mother, father and brother thatKarsh felt compelled to step in and take over the arrangements. Readingbetween the lines Between the lines can refer to: The subtext of a letter, fictional work, conversation or other piece of communication Between The Lines (TV series), an early 1990s BBC television programme. , the answer seems partly a function of the newimmigrant's desire to make his own mark unencumbered by baggage.Certainly Karsh was territorial. A younger brother, Malak, would becomea photographer as well--but of landscapes, not portraits. It was alsomade clear to him by his older brother that he could not use the nameKarsh in his business. When another brother expressed a possibleinterest in photography, he was told to stick to his medical studies.There is at least one moment where Tippett's refusal to speculateseemed almost teasing; I wanted more backstory back��sto��ry?n.1. The experiences of a character or the circumstances of an event that occur before the action or narrative of a literary, cinematic, or dramatic work: . That is, we are toldthat Karsh idolized i��dol��ize?tr.v. i��dol��ized, i��dol��iz��ing, i��dol��iz��es1. To regard with blind admiration or devotion. See Synonyms at revere1.2. To worship as an idol. the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, one of hisportrait subjects, and even confided that he wanted Sibelius to adopthim as his son. But that's it. No more explanations. To her credit,I suppose, Tippett does not go all Freudian on us. Still. What was hethinking? Karsh is one of the great immigrant success stories. His work canbe found in portraits, in magazines, in commercial photography.Likewise, he published a number of volumes of his work and activatednumerous exhibitions--too many, according to his biographer, who citeshis inclination to keep recycling his greatest hits as a blemish blem��ishn.A small circumscribed alteration of the skin considered to be unesthetic but insignificant.blemishon hisartistic reputation. He suffered a terrible blow with the death, fromcancer, of Gauthier in 1961. But he rebounded with a second marriage toEstrellita Nachbar, a medical researcher and writer in Chicago.(Somewhat typically, perhaps, he neglected to inform his family beforethe nuptials.) Karsh's business continued to flourish, but so didthe criticism of his work. In the Toronto Telegram, Barry Callaghannoted "a sameness about all Karsh's work, a dreadful odor ofpiety and respectability" that came from "pursuing greatnessas though it were a commodity ready to be picked from the faces of thosewho are great." "Edge" was never Karsh's ambition,but in the more competitive and celebrity-driven later years, edge meantcachet cachet/ca��chet/ (ka-sha��) a disk-shaped wafer or capsule enclosing a dose of medicine. ca��chetn.An edible wafer capsule used for enclosing an unpleasant-tasting drug. . To his chagrin, not everyone wanted to be "Karshed."Moreover, his affinity for, and access to, the British royals was nowcompromised by royal-connected whippersnappers with names like Snowdenand Litchfield. Ironically, Churchill, the man who made him hisinternational name, turned down the opportunity for a last photosession. The great man, it seems, had grown not a little put off by themileage Karsh got on that cigar anecdote. Karsh and Estrellita moved to Boston in 1997 and it was in Bostonwhere he died in 2002 at the age of 93. In his later years, he wasplagued with heart problems. Tippett offers this poignant image: Karsh,sitting up in his Boston hospital bed, his Order of Canada The Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian honour within the Canadian system of honours, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Order's Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means "(those) desiring a better country" (Hebrews 11:16). pin attachedto the lapel of his pajamas pajamasNoun, plUS pyjamaspajamasnpl (US) → pijama msg; piyama msg (LAM . Creating one's own celebrity by highlighting that of others isa challenging way to make your mark in life. Karsh was more successfulthan most, managing in the end to turn himself into almost as much of anicon as the iconic 20thcentury images he created. The task is trickierin the world of electronic media where commercial imperatives and fickletastes conspire con��spire?v. con��spired, con��spir��ing, con��spiresv.intr.1. To plan together secretly to commit an illegal or wrongful act or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action.2. heavily against the survival of reputations. To thosewho would contemplate this arena, one can offer the words of Edward R.Murrow Noun 1. Edward R. Murrow - United States broadcast journalist remembered for his reports from London during World War II (1908-1965)Edward Roscoe Murrow, Murrow , that greatest of celebrity interviewers, who used to sign offwith the salutation "Goodnight and good luck." The celebrity interviewer is a special breed and in Canada duringthe mid 1970s through the '80s few were as distinctive as BrianLinehan. His television show, City Lights, was a product ofToronto's CityTV, the innovative and boastingly idiosyncratic id��i��o��syn��cra��sy?n. pl. id��i��o��syn��cra��sies1. A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group.2. A physiological or temperamental peculiarity.3. little station that grew. At first a local program, and then latersyndicated nationally and internationally, City Lights became anecessary way station for the stars of stage and screen when theyarrived in Toronto to plug their latest ventures. They came becauseLinehan paid them the highest compliment: he took them seriously.Through meticulous research, he flattered and charmed--and occasionallyflabbergasted flab��ber��gast?tr.v. flab��ber��gast��ed, flab��ber��gast��ing, flab��ber��gastsTo cause to be overcome with astonishment; astound. See Synonyms at surprise.[Origin unknown. --his celebrity guests. He was an unlikely seducer, thisman with his snub nose and squashed features, the face of a well-tannedBeardsley imp. There was even at times an almost preening quality aboutthat demeanor, those moues of self-satisfaction corresponding in directproportion to the guest's astonishment at the arcana ar��ca��na?n.A plural of arcanum. about his orher self that Linehan had managed to unearth. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] From most accounts, he was a guarded and difficult man to know.That guardedness is a central theme in Starring Brian Linehan written byhis friend and colleague George Anthony, at one time an entertainmentjournalist at the Toronto Sun, currently consulting on special projectsfor CBC (1) (Cell Broadcast Center) See cell broadcast.(2) (Cipher Block Chaining) In cryptography, a mode of operation that combines the ciphertext of one block with the plaintext of the next block. Television's Arts and Entertainment division. In fact, itwas during a Toronto International Film Festival posthumous tribute toLinehan, who died in 2004 of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, that some members ofhis own family first discovered the true nature of his lifepartner's death. Zane Wagman had committed suicide two yearsearlier in Helsinki: scotch, pills, a plastic bag, no goodbyes, awounding exit. Linehan had led his family to believe the cause of deathhad been a heart attack. It came as a shock for them to learn the truthduring a tribute from Linehan's friend, the comedienne Joan Rivers. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1943, one of seven children in asteelworker's family, Linehan grew up in a turbulent householdwhere his parents were always at war. Eventually, his mother moved on toa second, more stable, relationship. Excelling in school, young Brianwasted little time escaping his steeltown background for the brighterlights of Toronto--as an executive trainee at Odeon Theatres Ltd. at theage of 19. In a few short years, he had moved on to CityTV as a filmprogrammer and ultimately as on-air interviewer. The transformation ofblue collar kid into urbane sophisticate was, in a way, a tribute to thestars of stage and screen who had so bedazzled and influenced him in hisyouth. Anthony mentions that he made use of Linehan's journals,although, disappointingly, there is scant information here aboutLinehan's work methods or reminiscences about the celebratedsubjects who dropped by to chat. But then it is likely thatLinehan's ingrained circumspection cir��cum��spec��tion?n.The state or quality of being circumspect. See Synonyms at prudence.Noun 1. circumspection - knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress; "the servants showed great tact and discretion" applied to his journals as well.As it is, at least in the book's earlier sections, it often seemsThe Brian and George Show, with too much attention devoted to the waysBrian and George exploited the largesse lar��gessalso lar��gesse ?n.1. a. Liberality in bestowing gifts, especially in a lofty or condescending manner.b. Money or gifts bestowed.2. Generosity of spirit or attitude. of the movie junket, coppedthemselves the best hotel rooms, befriended the right publicists. (Themodel for this sort of biography-cum-memoir remains Gavin Lambert'sbrilliant Mainly About Lindsay Anderson.) Anthony does not gloss overhis subject's less appealing traits--the hypersensitivity hypersensitivity,heightened response in a body tissue to an antigen or foreign substance. The body normally responds to an antigen by producing specific antibodies against it. The antibodies impart immunity for any later exposure to that antigen. , the divabehaviour--but it is only later that a fuller portrait of Linehanemerges, specifically after his cancer diagnosis in 2002 andWagman's subsequent suicide. Perhaps this is why Anthony devotesone third of his book to the last two years--terrible, testing years--ofLinehan's life. Finally, the tightly wound self-creation that wasBrian Linehan had started to let down its guard. In the years following his death, the changes in the medialandscape-particularly as it concerns entertainment reporting-haveaccelerated ever more rapidly, and not for the better. The sound biterules. Trivialization is king. Even among the more intelligentinterviewers the effect tends to be one of post-modern irony, which is afancy way of saying that none of it really matters. If the marketers andpublicists have effectively neutered neu��ter?adj.1. Grammara. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender.b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs.2. a. real conversation, they in turn arechallenged by the internet and the centrifugal tug of the blogo-spherewhere celebrity can be instantly created and instantly destroyed. It isa dumbed-down, indecorous world and Brian Linehan, quite rightly, wouldhave been appalled. John Lownsborough writes on social issues and personalities. He isa contributing editor of Toronto Life.