Charles Bébert was a wandering journalist during the golden age of the French Riviera, photographing everyone from the Beatles to Brigitte Bardot, but he didn't publish his first book until he was 87.
The milestone came about earlier this year thanks to creative consultant Sarah Andelman, who stumbled across an Instagram account created by Bébert's son, Stephane.
The former creative director of Parisian concept store Colette was captivated by the images of photographer Bébert from the '60s and '70s, who enjoyed unparalleled access to the movie stars, musicians and athletes visiting the Côte d'Azur.
“I had fun with the stars then, we mingled, we dined together. It's not the same now,” said Bebert, who was close to stars such as French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo.
“Charles Bébert” from Just an Idea Books.
Provided by Just an Idea
The epic, published by Andelman's imprint Just an Idea Books, has already sold out of its limited run of 500 copies, but after taking part in a book-themed exhibition at the Paris department store Le Bon Marché, Bebert has gained a whole new following.
His framed photographs were exhibited next to reproductions of the original window displays in Chasseur d'images, the shop he ran in Nice from 1964 to the early 2000s and which is now the headquarters of his archive.
Born in Oran, Algeria, Bevert began documenting sporting events at the age of 14. He arrived in Nice in 1963 after the war that led to Algeria's independence from France and quickly developed a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
A colorful character who enjoyed jamming with musicians, “Charlie” covered a wide range of events for photo agencies such as Cipapress, from the Cannes Film Festival to the Monaco Grand Prix, ensuring global recognition for his subjects.
Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg in June 1972.
Courtesy of Charles Bébert
For several years, beginning in 1966, his breaking news stories also featured in a daily feature section on Tére Monte Carlo, a forerunner of today's celebrity news websites, except for Scandal. “I wasn't interested in taking bad photos; on the contrary, I was committed to getting great shots,” says Bevert.
He was popular with the stars because he worked quickly and was good at setting up photo shoots.
Béber photographed Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin on the beach opposite the Negresco Hotel in Nice, Paul McCartney joking with a uniformed doorman, and Audrey Hepburn on the set of “Two Ways to Go,” filmed at the nearby Studio de la Victorine.
When Gene Kelly came to Cannes in 1976 to present his documentary That's Entertainment, Part II, Bébert directed cast portraits of Cary Grant, Johnny Weissmuller and Fred Astaire, and later that day he immortalized Kelly's arrival with a police escort at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
“He came up the stairs and said to me, 'You're a great director,'” the photographer recalls.
His son has spent the last few years combing through five decades of archives, trying to recover hundreds of negatives that Béber sent to photo agencies, many of which were never returned. A second book is in the works, and new treasures are constantly coming to light.
“There's enough stuff to keep you busy for years,” says Stéphane Bevert.
Alain Delon filming “Any Number Can Win” in Cannes, 1963.
Courtesy of Charles Bébert
