RANCHO SANTA FE — A rarely seen photographic chronicle of Hollywood’s New Hollywood era will take center stage next week with the unveiling of the Jim Frank Archive at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.
The private debut, set for Jan. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m., will feature images from Jim Frank’s Hollywood Renaissance Collection, a body of work documenting private parties, premieres and behind-the-scenes moments from the 1970s and ’80s. The works will be available for public viewing in Bing’s Bar at The Inn immediately following the closed-door VIP event.
The archive is curated by Jennifer Findley of JFiN Collective.
Frank spent more than two decades as the photographer for “The Great Life,” a gossip and society column that ran on the final page of The Hollywood Reporter.
During that time, he captured candid images of countless cultural icons, including Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Michael Jackson and Deborah Harry, often in settings far removed from the red carpet.
Unlike many photographers of the period, Frank was embedded in the scene he documented, a perspective that gave his work an unusual level of access and authenticity. His photographs offer a close-up view of Hollywood’s social and creative circles during a period often described as a cultural renaissance in film, music and celebrity culture.
The Rancho Santa Fe event will include champagne and era-inspired hors d’oeuvres, along with a first look at the archive, much of which has remained unseen outside its original publication context.
Born in Big Spring, Texas, in 1944, Frank grew up in New York and California before studying at Santa Monica City College. He was introduced to photography while working with Playboy photographer Ken Marcus, and later defined the visual identity of the “The Great Life” column for 26 years.
Later in his career, Frank photographed for People magazine and international publications, shifting his focus to intimate portraits and interiors of well-known figures, as well as major awards events.
The archive also includes images from Frank’s time documenting the roller disco scene at Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace in West Hollywood between 1979 and 1981, a body of work later featured in a 2021 photo book.
Organizers said the unveiling offers a rare opportunity to experience a photographic record that places viewers inside some of Hollywood’s most exclusive spaces from the past, capturing not just famous faces but the atmosphere of an era.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the debut event was public. The Jan. 14 event unveiling the photos is private, but the collection will be made available for public viewing immediately following the closed-door gala. We regret the error.
