Virgil Apger Photography

American, 1903-1994

Virgil Apger (1903-1994) Virgil Apger was born in Indiana on June 25, 1903. Apger interest in photography began when he was a child in Goodland, Idaho. His father, the local sheriff, took photographs of the town's criminals. In 1929 his brother-in-law, Eugene Robert Richee, who was head of the portrait gallery at Paramount, hired Apger as his assistant. Apger developed Richee's negatives, worked with the dryers, and made prints. He assisted Richee for a time and then went to work for MGM in 1931 doing the same thing Richee had done for years. He was an assistant to Clarence Sinclair Bull for awhile. Soon Jean Harlow gave Apger his start as a production still photographer by requested him to shoot photos on "China Seas" (1935). He had already worked for the publicity department. From then on he shot the stills on all her films. "Doing stills was invaluable training for gallery work," Apger explained. Apger's enthusiasm on the set made him extremely popular with the stars, and Greer Garson, whose films he worked on, requested him for her portait photographer. He is noteworthy in Oscar history as well for being the only photographer to receive an Academy Award for "Mrs. Miniver" in 1942 for Best Production Still. Later, he was put in charge of the portrait gallery in 1947 for MGM, superseding C. S. Bull in that department and for the next 20 years he shot all of their stars: Esther Williams, Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Greer Garson, Judy Garland, Robert Taylor, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Kay Kendall, Stewart Granger, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor. Between 1948 and 1952, Apger had the distiction of having more magazine covers--among them, Life, Look and Photoplay--than all of the other photographers at all of the other studios combined. He had a long career photographing stars on the set of great classics and as a portrait photographer, photographing many sexy shots of Ava Gardner in fishnet stockings and leotards. Gardner was one of his favorite subjects. Their work together is comparable to that of Hurrell's work with Crawford or that of Bull's work with Garbo but with more sexuality, glamour and a friendly sort of approachability. Some of the many films he did still photography for are: "Spinout", "Bells Are Ringing", "That Forsyte Woman," "Julia Misbehaves", "A Date with Judy", "Homecoming", "Eyes in the Night," and the all time classic favorite, "The Wizard of Oz." He also took photos of Debbie Reynolds, Bette Davis, Marlon Brando, Arlene Dahl, Ann Blyth, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and the Marx Brothers among others. When Apger retired from his job as MGM's gallery portrait photographer in 1969, he had been there for 40 years. For twenty of those years he was the only gallery photographer on the lot. He died at the ripe old age of 90 in San Diego, California on May 19, 1994.

Artist: Virgil Apger

Virgil ApgerMarilyn Monroe Monkey Business, Vintage 1953 Photographic Film, Framed, 1952

$661Sale Price|49% Off

Marilyn Monroe Monkey Business, Vintage 1953 Photographic Film, Framed

By Virgil Apger

Located in CANNES, FR

EKtachrome Vintage 1953 .20x15cm

Category

1950s Modern Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Photographic Film

Ian SandersonZarina - Signed limited edition nude art print, Black white photo, Sensual Model, 1987

$3,545

H 29.53 in W 21.66 in D 0.08 in

Zarina - Signed limited edition nude art print, Black white photo, Sensual Model

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Zarina - Limited edition archival pigment print, 1987 - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which is then printed...

Category

1980s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Pigment, Arc...

Ian SandersonMaxi - Signed limited edition fine art print, Contemporary Oversized nude photo, 1988

$8,863

H 20.48 in W 29.93 in D 0.08 in

Maxi - Signed limited edition fine art print, Contemporary Oversized nude photo

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Maxi - Signed limited edition archival pigment print on an textured art paper - Edition of 8 Photography : 1988 Bichromate print : 2012 Will be part of Ian Sanderson's future Brig...

Category

1980s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Color, Giclée, Pigment, Archival Pigment

Andy WarholAndy Warhol - Baroness de Waldner unique acetate of Brazilian actress provenance, ca. 1975

$20,000

H 18 in W 15.25 in D 1.5 in

Andy Warhol - Baroness de Waldner unique acetate of Brazilian actress provenance

By Andy Warhol

Located in New York, NY

Andy Warhol Baroness de Waldner, ca. 1975 Unique Acetate positive This piece comes with a signed letter of provenance from the representative of Chromacomp, Warhol's printer. Frame i...

Category

1970s Pop Art Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Photographic Film

Ian SandersonPlatinum Palladium print, Limited Edition, Homoerotic, Athletic man - Mathew, 1988

$1,063

H 11.42 in W 7.49 in D 0.08 in

Platinum Palladium print, Limited Edition, Homoerotic, Athletic man - Mathew

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Mathew , Platinum Palladium print on Arches Platine paper from Ian Sanderson, unframed. Edition 1 of 12 plus 2 AP ( small Size ) Portrait of a charismatic man, shirtless, pr...

Category

1980s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Platinum

Ian SandersonBanya- Signed limited edition still life print, Black white photo, Dog, Animal, 1998

$4,136

H 29.53 in W 40.95 in D 0.08 in

Banya- Signed limited edition still life print, Black white photo, Dog, Animal

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Banya - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, 1998 - Edition of 5 A Basset Hound with her friend in a French café This image was captured on film. The negative was ...

Category

1990s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Pi...

Ian SandersonCraig -Signed limited edition nude print, Black white Contemporary sleeping Man, 1998

$2,954

H 13.78 in W 20.87 in D 0.08 in

Craig -Signed limited edition nude print, Black white Contemporary sleeping Man

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

An original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ Craig ‘ who was captured on film in 199...

Category

1990s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Black and White, Pi...

Ian SandersonEmily - Signed limited edition print, Contemporary, Vintage Eighties style, Sexy, 1991

$2,741

H 19.69 in W 14.3 in D 0.08 in

Emily - Signed limited edition print, Contemporary, Vintage Eighties style, Sexy

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

An original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ Emily ‘ who was captured on film in 19...

Category

1990s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...

Ian SandersonCaroline, Platinum Palladium print, Limited Edition, Nude Woman, Contemporary, 1999

$1,418

H 11.42 in W 7.49 in D 0.08 in

Caroline, Platinum Palladium print, Limited Edition, Nude Woman, Contemporary

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Caroline , Platinum Palladium print on Arches Platine paper from Ian Sanderson, unframed. Edition 1 of 12 plus 2 AP ( small Size ) Portrait of a charismatic nude woman behin...

Category

1990s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Platinum

Ian SandersonMiranda- Signed limited edition portrait print, Black white, Contemporary woman, 1987

$2,954

H 19.69 in W 13.78 in D 0.08 in

Miranda- Signed limited edition portrait print, Black white, Contemporary woman

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Miranda, Limited edition archival pigment print - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then printed on Hahnem...

Category

1980s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Pi...

Ian SandersonLamu Jazz-Signed limited edition still life print, Black white, Singer Music, 1988

$3,545

H 30.32 in W 21.66 in D 0.08 in

Lamu Jazz-Signed limited edition still life print, Black white, Singer Music

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Lamu Jazz - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then printed...

Category

1980s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Pi...

Ian SandersonMichelle-Signed limited edition portrait print, Black, Sensual Asiatic woman, 1997

$3,545

H 28.75 in W 20.87 in D 0.08 in

Michelle-Signed limited edition portrait print, Black, Sensual Asiatic woman

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Michelle - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, 1997 - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then p...

Category

1990s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Pi...

Ian SandersonMichelle- Signed limited edition portrait print, Black white, Sensual woman, 1997

$2,954

H 19.69 in W 14.57 in D 0.08 in

Michelle- Signed limited edition portrait print, Black white, Sensual woman

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

Michelle - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, 1997 - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was the...

Category

1990s Contemporary Virgil Apger Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Black and White, Photographic Film, Pi...

Virgil Apger photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Virgil Apger photography available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Virgil Apger in film, photographic film, silver gelatin print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Virgil Apger photography, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Clarence Sinclair Bull, Morris Engel, and Ed Feingersh. Virgil Apger photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $176 and tops out at $176, while the average work can sell for $176.