Douglas Kirkland Cause of Death: Famed Celebrity Photographer Dies at 88

By Angel Goodman

"Hollywood's favorite photographer" Douglas Kirkland has reportedly died at the age of 88 on October 3rd.

Douglas Kirkland was a celebrity photographer who started out as an assistant to photographer Irving Penn. He, later on, rose to prominence in 1961 as a staff photographer for "Look" magazine, where he took photos of late actress Marilyn Monroe for the magazine's 25th-anniversary issue. Kirkland, later on, joined the staff of "Life" magazine and became one of its photographer mainstays.

According to a spokesperson from his family, Douglas Kirkland died of natural causes in his home in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife, Françoise Kirkland, and son, Mark Kirkland, who is the director of the adult cartoon series, "The Simpsons".

Why Kirkland Was 'Hollywood's Favorite Photographer'

Kirkland built his reputation as a photographer who never got nervous while shooting celebrities. The late photographer shared the secret to his composure in an interview with Photo Insider.

"The word 'celebrity' is a rather peculiar word," Kirkland explained in a past interview. "I work with celebrities, but I'm not in awe of them. Individuals are less important to me than the possibilities of creativity. It's making images that excites me. Honestly, the names have come and gone, but my good fortune is that I've remained."

Douglas Kirkland's Legacy

The celebrity photographer has been known for taking shots of famed celebrities like Mick Jagger, Sting, Björk, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Morgan Freeman, Andy Warhol, Leonardo DiCaprio, Coco Chanel, and more.

However, the shoot that skyrocketed him to fame was his sultry-themed photoshoot of actress Marilyn Monroe. Dubbed as "Hollywood's favorite photographer", Kirkland recalls his experience with the famed "blonde bombshell".

"I knew the pictures I wanted to take of her, but in my shy Canadian way I didn't know quite how to get them," Kirkland explained in a past interview "It was Marilyn who took charge: she said that we needed a bed and some white silk sheets, some Frank Sinatra records and a bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne. She had a robe on, and eventually she slipped out of that and under the sheets, and that was how she wanted to be photographed."

Kirkland's famed photos of Marilyn Monroe are available to view at the "MUSÉE DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE" official site.