RUTH HARRIET LOUISE

Ruth Harriet Louise was the first woman photographer active in Hollywood, who also ran Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s portrait studio from 1925 to 1930. Louise began her career as a portrait photographer in 1922 before moving to Los Angeles in 1925 and setting up a studio on Hollywood and Vine. She was only twenty-two years old when MGM hired her as chief portrait photographer. Stars Louise photographed included Greta Garbo (1905-1990), Joan Crawford (d. 1977) and Anna May Wong (1905-1961), and it is estimated she took over 100,000 photographs during her five years at MGM.