Allan Arbus dies


Allan Arbus in recent years, and with Diane in the 1940s

Allan Arbus, actor, photographer and former husband of Diane Arbus, has died at 95.

Arbus was born in 1918 and became the childhood sweetheart of Diane Nemerov. They married during World War II and soon established themselves as fashion photographers in New York. The partnership was very successful, their work being published regularly in fashion magazines such as Glamour and Seventeen.

In the 1950s, Diane became restless and moved on to her brilliant career as an editorial photographer and artist. Allan moved into acting, ended his photographic work and moved to Los Angeles where he became a fairly successful actor, best known for his role in TV’s MASH. They had two children together, the photographer Amy Arbus and the editor Doon Arbus. The couple had separated in 1958.

Allan Arbus Ty Burrell

Allan Arbus played by actor Ty Burrell in the 2006 movie Fur

Allan Arbus was not one of the great fashion photographers like Avedon and Penn but together with Diane, did very good commercial work over a long period.


Allan and Diane Arbus, for Glamour magazine, 1948