Remembering James Spada

James Spada, author of the much-loved 1982 book, Monroe: A Life in Pictures, has passed away aged 67.

He was born in Staten Island, New York, in 1950 – the year in which a young Marilyn Monroe made her breakthrough in Hollywood. “When I first saw a photo of her in the newspaper,” James said, “I was totally enamored.” He would later write that his father, Joseph Spada, “always encouraged me in my love for Marilyn.”

Like many others, James vividly remembered hearing of her tragic death in 1962. “I was twelve – a kid with a scrapbook,” he told Immortal Marilyn in 2013, recalling that when a friend of his brother called to tell him the news, he turned on the radio and burst into tears. “After she died there wasn’t much interest in her in the press,” James recalled, “not like there is today.” In 1963 he founded the Marilyn Monroe Memorial Fan Club with fellow fan George Zeno. Over the next four years, the friends produced regular bulletins and yearbooks, mailing them to other admirers.

While in college, James edited EMK, a quarterly dedicated to Senator Edward Kennedy. In 1970, he worked as an intern in Kennedy’s Boston office. His debut book, Barbra: The First Decade, was published in 1974. The multi-talented Streisand was the quintessential star of her era, and James would become a leading authority on her remarkable career. This was followed by The Films of Robert Redford in 1978. And in 1979 came The Spada Report, based on hundreds of interviews with gay men, and documenting a social revolution in progress.

Twenty years after Marilyn died, James reunited with George Zeno for a lavish tribute. Monroe: A Life in Pictures combines more than 200 black-and-white photographs, including film stills, studio portraits and newspaper shots, with a mid-section of full-page, glossy colour images by Andre De Dienes, Cecil Beaton and others. At the time, many were unknown to the public. Douglas Kirkland’s gorgeous cover photo epitomises Marilyn’s unique blend of sex and innocence, and a life poised between beauty and sadness. Inside, Spada retold her fabled story through extended captions, enhancing each photograph with his impeccable research and sensitive commentary. Monroe: A Life in Pictures was a bestseller, spawning many imitations but seldom equalled. Its success enabled James to produce similar volumes on Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, Katharine Hepburn, and Jane Fonda.

In 1987, James published his first non-pictorial biography, Grace: The Secret Lives of a Princess. This was followed by Peter Lawford: The Man Who Kept All the Secrets (1991), and Bette Davis: More Than a Woman (1993.) He also wrote several coffee-table books about America’s political families, including Jackie: Her Life in Pictures (2000.)

In more recent years James completed a biographical novel about Edgar Allen Poe and three collections of his own erotic photography, as well as an anthology, The Romantic Male Nude. His final book, Barbra Streisand: In the Camera Eye, was published in 2014. Monroe: A Life in Pictures is now available on Kindle, and in 2016, a rather gossipy extract from his biography of Peter Lawford was reprinted in a one-off magazine special, Vanity Fair Icons: Marilyn Monroe. He also mentioned Marilyn frequently on his entertaining blog, James Spada’s Hollywood.

James was a popular speaker at the annual memorial services hosted by our sister club Marilyn Remembered in Los Angeles, including the fiftieth anniversary of her death in 2012. Many fans have spoken fondly of their personal encounters with this gentle, approachable man. Set apart by visual elegance and a genuine enthusiasm, Monroe: A Life in Pictures remains a classic of its kind. If you don’t have a copy it can still be found online or in used bookstores, earning a rightful place in every fan’s library, and all our hearts.

James Spada attended Immortal Marilyn’s 2012 Pool Party during Memorial Week.  Below are photos of James, who was happy to sign autographs and pose with fans.

 

-by Tara Hanks

8 Comments

  • Richard Spada says:

    Thank you for this wonderful obituary for my brother, Jimmy. It is greatly appreciated.
    Richie Spada

    • Alan Lyon says:

      Sorry for your loss of your brother James. I have collected a number of his photo’s. And had noticed he had gotten some horrible reviews on his eBay site. I know something happened so I googled him and found out he had died. I called eBay and told them what happened. I asked them if they could remove the negative feedback.

      I also sell on eBay and have some of the same customers.

      What a shock.

      Alan Lyon

    • Raphael Jaimes-Branger says:

      I did not learn of Jim’s death until recently while attending a benefit in Boston and ran into an old friend of ours. Please accept my condolences, though late, they are heart felt. I knew Jim well while he lived in Boston, and in fact he was kind enough to put my husband Eliot’s name and mine in the dedication of the book about John and Caroline Kennedy.
      He will always be remembered fondly,
      Raphael Jaimes-Branger
      Eliot Wright

    • Margaret Longo says:

      Dear Richie, I’m sorry for your loss. I was checking to see what he has written lately when I saw the notice. I only met him once at a family gathering. We are cousins on the side of Carmella Longo, who also has passed away. I’d like to talk sometime.

    • Burt Thayer says:

      So sorry to hear of the loss of your brother James. I still treasure the Streisand book he signed for me. A gift you gave me Richie.

      Burt Thayer

  • Kevin Burns says:

    When I was researching locations for my very first film, “I Remember Barbra” back in 1978, I found Jim’s book (“Barbra: The First Decade”) and referred to it so often I wore it out. Later, when I finished the film in 1981, Jim was an early supporter and gave the film tremendous support in his Barbra magazine. Although we had grown out of touch in recent years I always considered Jim a good friend and a valued colleague. Some years ago, I produced two documentaries on Marilyn Monroe ( “Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess” and “Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days”) and, had I known that Jim shared my passion for the subject, I would have eagerly sought out his guidance. News of his death breaks my heart.

  • Richard Spada says:

    Thank you for the kind words. Support like yours helps a lot. I’m Jims brother Richie. Thanks again.

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