RALPH CRANE, Hollywood Strikers During Riot at Warner Brothers Studio, Burbank, CA, 1945, 10.5x13.375" Gelatin silver print, Printed 1945, Inscribed in pencil on print verso: Hollywood strike at Warner Bros; LIFE Photo credit stamp; Time Inc. copyright stamp; Used in Fortune stamp dated Nov 1946; blue number stamp; miscellaneous markings in black and red pencil.

Crane's work was the key inspiration for Dave Heath to become a photographer. Ralph Crane (1913-1988) was born in a small German town, the son and grandson of physicians. It was expected, of course, that he too would become a doctor, but instead he was drawn to a very interesting hobby of his father's: photography. In the end, one of his father's patients got the 18-year-old "Rudi" a job carrying equipment for the Wide World Photo agency. Crane moved to the U.S. in 1941 and started out with the agency Black Star (the source for many LIFE photographers). Much of the work he did for Black Star ended up in LIFE, which he finally joined as a staffer in 1951. A meticulous worker, he could handle any kind of story, always burbling with vitality and the hearty chortle that earned him the sobriquet Whooping Crane.
Credit: https://www.life.com/photographer/ralph-crane/

Fair. Edge wear, handling marks, small area of emulsion loss.