Happy 93rd Birthday Bob Gomel
2026-07-14
Happy 93rd birthday to Bob Gomel!
American photojournalist Bob Gomel is known for his iconic images of world leaders, athletes, entertainers, and major events of the 1960s. His photographs have appeared on the covers of LIFE, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, TIME, The New York Times, Forbes, and in more than 40 books.
Bob Gomel was born in New York on August 14, 1933 and became fascinated with photography in grade school. Gomel shot pictures for his high school paper and then in college at NYU, where he made connections with senior members of the New York press while shooting games at Madison Square Garden. Gomel earned a journalism degree from New York University in 1955 and served as a U.S. naval aviator stationed in Japan from 1955 to 1958. After serving in the NAVY Gomel went on to be a photographer for LIFE Magazine from January 1959 through June 1969. His coverage included John F. Kennedy, the Beatles, Muhammad Ali, and Arnold Palmer. Gomel covered many major events such as the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the 1963 March on Washington, the 1963 funeral of President Kennedy, the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and many more.
Bob Gomel worked extensively during the Kennedy administration as a photojournalist for LIFE magazine. He was frequently assigned to photograph political events, although he perhaps most remembered for his photograph of then 8 - year old John F. Kennedy Jr. standing solemnly at the funeral of his uncle, Robert Kennedy, in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in
John Whitmire, Mayor of the City of Houston, proclaimed April 23, 2024, as Bob Gomel Day In Houston, Texas.
