IMAGES FROM THE RAMIRO FERNANDEZ COLLECTIONBY KEVIN KWAN

OUR MEN IN HAVANAIMAGES FROM THE RAMIRO FERNANDEZ COLLECTION

BY KEVIN KWAN

WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROMPETER CASTRO RAMIRO FERNANDEZ

HAVANA STANDS LIKE A BEACON AT THE EDGE OF THE SEA, LURING ADVENTURERS TO HER SHORES WITH THE PROMISE OF FABULOUS RICHES: SPANISH CONqUISTADORS, FRENCH BUCCANEERS, THE ENGLISH ADMIRALTY, AMERICAN INDUSTRIALISTS, AND MAFIA GANGSTERS. THE CHARACTERS CHANGE, THE COSTUMES ARE DIFFERENT—SAY, THE BRITISH IN SCARLET COATS, THE LAS VEGAS MOBSTERS SPORTING POINTED SHOES AND DIAMOND RINGS—BUT THE NARRATIVE REMAINS THE SAME. IN HAVANA, EVERYTHING THAT GLITTERS TURNS TO GOLD. WENDY GIMBEL, HAVANA DREAMS

THE CUBAN SUMMER BEGINS APRIL 1ST, AND OVERNIGHT EVERYONE CHANGES INTO LIGHT CLOTHES. NOW THE MEN APPEAR IN MAGNIFICENT HUNDRED-TWIST LINEN DRILL SUITS, LAUNDERED AND STARCHED TO THE HIGH PERFECTION OF FINE DAMASK TABLECLOTHS... CONSUELO HERMER AND MARjORIE MAY, WHAT TO WEAR

(Left) Photographer unknown. Snapshot from a family album, written on verso, “Recuerdos de la Habana, Octubre, 1940,” gelatin silver postcard, 3” x 5” (Right) Photographer unknown. Rosita Fornes (left), vedette- entertainer, acknowledging a friendly call by a young admirer, 1956, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Foto Floro. Cubas President Fulgencio Batista, lighting up during an appearance at the Centro Asturiano, Havana, ca. 1956, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10” (Right) Photographer unknown. Olga Chaviano, vedette, per-former, and girlfriend of mobster Santo Trafficante jr., Havana, Cuba, ca. 1954, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Commercial Studios. Cuban boxer, ca. 1952, Havana, silver print, 8” x 10”

Photographer unknown. Unidentified man poses by a 1958 Lincoln Continental, Havana, 1959, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Ramón Fernández RFM. Fotos. Venezuelan-born jose de la Caridad ‘Carreo’ Bracho, pitcher for the Cubanos Sugar Kings, gelatin silver print, 4” x 5” (Right) Photographer unknown. Belén School class portrait with Fidel Castro in the 2nd row from top, extreme left, Havana, 1941, Gelatin silver print, 5” x 7”

Photographer unknown. Chappottín Son Group, one of Cuba’s top son groups with famed trumpet leader Felix Chappotín standing on piano, Havana, ca. 1955, gelatin silver print, 7” x 9”

(Left) Torres Foto. Spanish racer Alfonso, Marquis de Portago minutes before the Havana Grand Prix, 1957, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10” (Right) Attributed to Alburquerque. Overhead view of the pits during the Gran Premio Libertad, the last Grand Prix race held in Havana, February 1960, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Radio Corporation of Cuba. Inspectors observing modulation patterns off a transmitter, with American Ambassador, Hon. R.Henry Norweb, Finca Cabañas, September 5, 1947, gelatin silver print, 4” x 5”

Commercial Studios. Cuban boxer, ca. 1952, Havana, silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Photographer unknown. Mary and Rudy, exotic cabaret and casino dancers, Havana, Cuba, 1960, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10” (Right) Karóll of Havana. Unidenti-fied model, Havana, 1955, gelatin silver print, 2” x 4”

International Press Photos. Fulgencio Batista at a reception at the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C., November 14, 1938, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Bert Cann. On the film set of Graham Greeene’s “Our Man in Havana,” with Alec Guiness (left) and Carol Reed at josé Marti Airport, Rancho Boyeros, 1959, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Foto Mandel. Rafael Eli (front left) waving both a Cuban Flag and Israeli Flag, performs at the Centro Israelita de Cuba school musical, Patronato jewish Community Center in El Vedado, Havana, june, 1959. Print Courtesy Rafael Eli.

(Left) Karóll of Havana. Gymnasts, Havana, 1957, Gelatin Silver print, 8” x 10” (Right) Karóll of Havana. Model working on an ad campaign, Havana, 1956, gelatin silver print, 5” x 7”

Radio Habana Cuba. A qSL card sent from Radio Habana Cuba to California acknowledging receipt of a radio trans-mission, 1970, litho on board, 3” x 7”

Studios Corrales. A flying saucer lands near the “Cuidad Deportiva,” as part of a promotional campaign, Havana, December 28, 1954, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Korda Studios. A chef turned civil militiaman at the May 1st Labor Day Parade, 1960, Havana, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10” (Right) Korda Studios. A combatant in Che Guevara’s unit with a Santa Barbara emblazoned on a satin kerchief. Santa Barbara holds a special place among Cubans for she also stands for Chango, God of Thunder in the Afro-Cuban religion.

Lee Lockwood. Fidel Castro at the wheel of a launch off the coast of Oriente, Cuba, 1967, from Lee Lockwood’s, “Castro’s Cuba—Cuba’s Fidel”, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

International News Photos. The Hamburg liner ‘St. Louis’ from Nazi Germany, with 915 jewish refugees aboard seeking sanctuary in Cuba. The liner was being escorted out of Havana Harbor as the launch watched for desperate passengers that might jump overboard, june 3, 1939, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Ruben Gonzales. “Miss Bubbles,” American burlesque dancer Martha Lachina Virginia, in a publicity stunt to promote her Havana performances, leaving El Prado, near el Parque Central, Havana, November 7, 1953, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Lee Lockwood. A political prisoner under Fidel’s regime, from Lee Lockwood’s, “Castro’s Cuba—Cuba’s Fidel,” 1967 gelatin silver print, 11” x 14” (Right) Karóll of Havana. Gymnast poses in a studio session, ca. 1955, Havana, gelatin silver print, 5” x 7”

Newton Estapé. Antonio “Pupy” Garcia (right), Cuba’s featherweight boxing sensation mugs with an unidentified boxer in a promotional still, july, 1952, Havana, gelatin silver print, 5” x 7”

Raul Corrales. Camilo Cienfuegos (left) and Raul Castro share a moment, Cienaga de Zapata, 1959, gelatin silver print, 3” x 5”

(Left) Photograher unknown. Lazaro Sosa, also known as “AZU,“ singer, dancer, cross-dressing entertainer, near Havana, 1958, gelatin silver prints, trimmed and hand colored, 8” x 10” (Right) Osvaldo Salas. Fidel Castro, 1959, Havana, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Leach & Patterson for R.Testár, Havana, Banana Planta-tion, Havana Province, 1895, Cabinet Card, 51/4” x 8 1/2”

(Left) Twentieth-Century Fox. Publicity still from “Week-end in Havana,” a musical starring Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero, 1941, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10” (Right) General Artist Corporation. Desi Arnaz, actor and musician, in a studio publicity photo, 1948, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Newton Estapé. Production still from “Our Man in Ha-vana,” 1959, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Photographer unknown. René Castro surrounded by his sisters, El Batey de Aguilera, Oriente Province, ca. 1945, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left to Right) Photographer unknown. Havana, 1954, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10” C. Ruiz de Castro and Hijos. Communion photo, Camagüey, ca. 1915, gelatin silver print, 3” x 4” José R. Garda, Galeria Artistica Mexicana. “Uncle Al,” Cienfuegos, 1910, 41/4” x 61/4” Photographer unknown. Monsieur Marcel Guerre, Camagüey, ca. 1933, gelatin silver print, 2” x 4”

International Newsreel Photo. New York artist Peter Arno at the Oriental Park racetrack. Arno’s cartoons were published in The New Yorker from 1925–1968. Havana, 1931, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Photographer unknown. A barbudo, a combatant from Fidels’ army lighting up a cigar, 1959, gelatin silver print mounted on board, 11” x 16” (Right) Photographer unknown. Spencer Tracy (left) and Ernest Hemingway on the set of the motion picture, “The Old Man and The Sea”, near Havana, 1958, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Korda Studios. Commandant Eloy Guttierez Menoyo, revolutionary leader of the of the second Escambray front, taking a break. Eloy went on to lead an Anti-Castro group, Alpha-66 in 1961, Havana, 1959, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Agencia Nasho. Ramon Arroyo Cisneros or “Arrroyito,” one of Cubas most famed caricaturists, in a publicity seeking prank involving a fainting fan, Havana, November 1953, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

Paco Altuna. Dancing at the Concha, Marianao, 1956, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”

(Left) Photographer unknown. Narciso Rodriguez, Havana, ca. 1957, gelatin silver print, 8” x 10”, print courtesy of Narciso Rodriguez (Right) Photographer unknown. Paquito D’Rivera, Havana, December 1968, signed, written in pencil on verso, “my shoe size is 15”, gelatin silver print 71/4” x 11”