Tom Palumbo
Encyclopedia
Tom Palumbo was an American photographer and theatre director. He was born in Molfetta
, Italy
, in 1921. His family moved when he was about 12 years old to New York City
. As a young man Palumbo was employed first building scale models for ships in an engineering company. Later he was employed as an assistant by photographer James Abbe
. His experience working with Abbe led him to commercial work in fashion photography. His early campaign work for Peck & Peck
Department Store appeared in Vogue and Bazaar magazines from 1949 to 1953.
He was a staff photographer of Vogue
from 1959 until 1962 and at Harper's Bazaar
from 1953 until 1959, where he worked with the art directors Alex Liberman
and Alexey Brodovitch
. He was a vice-president of creative productions at Ted Bates
, where he oversaw all TV commercials. He was a life-long member of the Actors Studio
. He taught photography at Rhode Island School of Design
, and he taught directing at the School of Visual Arts
in New York City. He directed plays Off-Broadway
and in regional theatres. His last production was An Evening of Proust at Lincoln Center
. He was a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.
Tom Palumbo was married to Patricia Bosworth
. He died in October 2008.
Molfetta
Molfetta is a city and comune of the province of Bari in the southern Italian region of Apulia, on the Adriatic coast, at sea-level. It is 25 km WNW of Bari.It has a well restored old city, and its own dialect.- History :...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1921. His family moved when he was about 12 years old to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As a young man Palumbo was employed first building scale models for ships in an engineering company. Later he was employed as an assistant by photographer James Abbe
James Abbe
James Abbe was an American photographer.-Background:James Abbe was born in 1883 in Alfred, Maine. He traveled throughout Europe as a young photojournalist recording the unstable power struggles of the early 20th century...
. His experience working with Abbe led him to commercial work in fashion photography. His early campaign work for Peck & Peck
Peck & Peck
Peck & Peck was a New York-based retailer of private label women's wear prominent on Fifth Avenue. Founded by Edgar Wallace Peck and his brother George H. Peck, it began in New York in 1888 as a hosiery store, with early location near Madison Square...
Department Store appeared in Vogue and Bazaar magazines from 1949 to 1953.
He was a staff photographer of Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
from 1959 until 1962 and at Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
from 1953 until 1959, where he worked with the art directors Alex Liberman
Alexander Liberman
Alexander Semeonovitch Liberman was a Russian-American magazine editor, publisher, painter, photographer, and sculptor. He held senior artistic positions during his 32 years at Condé Nast Publications.-Biography:When his father took a post advising the Soviet government, the family moved to Moscow...
and Alexey Brodovitch
Alexey Brodovitch
Alexey Brodovitch was a Russian-born photographer, designer and instructor who is most famous for his art direction of fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar from 1938 to 1958.- Early life in Russia :...
. He was a vice-president of creative productions at Ted Bates
Ted Bates (executive)
Theodore Lewis "Ted" Bates was an American advertising executive who founded a worldwide advertising agency that bears his name: Ted Bates Inc...-Biography:...
, where he oversaw all TV commercials. He was a life-long member of the Actors Studio
Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street in the Clinton neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded October 5, 1947, by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford, Robert Lewis and Anna Sokolow who provided...
. He taught photography at Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
, and he taught directing at the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
in New York City. He directed plays Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
and in regional theatres. His last production was An Evening of Proust at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
. He was a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.
Tom Palumbo was married to Patricia Bosworth
Patricia Bosworth
Patricia Bosworth is an American journalist and biographer. A former faculty member of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, she has also been an editor, actress and model.-Early life and career:...
. He died in October 2008.