Chas Gerretsen

Thirty-two years later, in 2021, at the age of 77, Gerretsen's photographs were 're-discovered'. A 256-page photobook, Apocalypse Now, The Lost Archives, with many never-before-published photographs taken during his six-months stay on the set in the Philippines was published by Prestel/Pinguin/Random House. The book was released worldwide in September 2021.

A retrospective exhibition of his work and life was exhibited 16 October 2021 – 8 May 2022 at the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam. A 256 page catalogue, in English and Dutch, accompanied the exhibition.

In addition, his autobiography was released in the Netherlands on 11 September 2021, to excellent reviews by all the major Dutch newspapers.

2021 ”Apocalypse Now: The Lost Photo Archive” (English) .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}ISBN 978-3791388083

2021 “Starring Chas Gerretsen” (English) ISBN 978-9462264069

2021 “In de Hoofdrol Chas Gerretsen” (Dutch) ISBN 978-9462264090

2021 “Het wonderbaarlijke en vreemde leven van Chas Gerretsen” (Dutch) ISBN 978-9024434473 was originally written in English (“The marvelous and strange life of Chas Gerretsen”) and translated into Dutch. It has not been released in English.

In June 2019, KINO Rotterdam made a short (32 min) documentary about Chas's life and the images he had taken during the six months he worked as a still photographer on Apocalypse Now. It was chosen for participation in the Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna, Italy. The documentary, 'The Dutch Angle: Chas Gerretsen & Apocalypse Now' created a lot of interest and was included in the Blue Ray release of 'Apocalypse Now Final Cut'.

In 1984 Chas produced and directed a one-hour documentary "The Longest Holiday" a view on the Joys of Aging in Sun City, Arizona which was bought by RAI, ORTF and the BBC.

In 1982 a couple of art student in Concepción copied Chas’ photo of general Pinochet with the premonitory message, “NINGUNA CALLE LLEVARA SU NOMBRE” (No street will bear your name) It was plastered on walls on the evening before the days of national protests.

Lee Beaupre, publicist for "Apocalypse Now " until his murder in 1979, wrote in a publicity release on Chas Gerretsen as a war photographer for Apocalypse Now, "From Real to Reel". "His (Chas Gerretsen's) photographic career had come full circle." The release was later withdrawn since it was decided that Sean Flynn, son of actor Errol Flynn had more publicity value.

1975–1989 He resided in Hollywood, working on feature films in, as well as outside the USA.

In 1975, while visiting Gamma offices in Paris, wondering where to go next, a fellow Gamma photographer suggested, sarcastically, "why don't you go and find yourself a war in Hollywood."

In June 1975, Chas started the Hollywood office for Gamma and in 1977 co-founded the photo agency Mega Productions Inc. In 1976 he was hired as the still photographer/special photographer for the war film Apocalypse Now.

In 1973 he won the Robert Capa Gold Medal with David Burnett and Raymond Depardon. He is best known for his coverage of the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. His famous photograph of General Pinochet became the embodiment of the Latin American Dictator, the opposite side of the political spectrum to Alberto Korda photograph of Che Gueverra (Guerrillero Heroico).

The first time Chas photographed General Pinochet, unwittingly, was on 29 June 1973 during the failed "Coup d'Etat", known as El Tancazo, which the general, ironically, helped put down.

The images taken by Chas on 11 September 1973 were used in the initial concept of the reconstruction of the coup d'état in the film The House of the Spirits based on the novel of the same name by Isabel Allende, a niece of the former president Salvador Allende.

From 1970 to 1975, Chas would continue to photograph war, political upheavals, elections, droughts and conflicts in Cambodia, South Vietnam, Chile, Argentine, Colombia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Peru.

In 1970, when hearing of the American invasion of Cambodia Chas bought a train ticket in Paris on the Orient Express to Istanbul, Turkey, and traveled on by bus through Iran, Afghanistan (Khyber Pass) to West Pakistan and from there, he flew to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. While in Cambodia, he continued working freelance and in addition started contributing articles (under the pseudonym of Bill Steiner) to the Copley News Service.

In 1969, he left South Vietnam and in 1970 covered the devastating 1970 Bhola cyclone in East Pakistan before returning to Europe.

At the end of '68 and beginning 1969, there was a relative quiet in South Vietnam and Chas as well as many of the other "resident" war photographers, left (among others: Sean Flynn and Dana Stone), only to return upon the American invasion of Cambodia.

He traveled through Laos, Cambodia and entered South Vietnam, on 14 February 1968 with the equivalent of US $0.75 in his pocket.

On 14 February 1968, (during the Tet Offensive) he walked from Cambodia into South Vietnam (via Gò Dầu Ha) and soon thereafter started his career as a freelance photojournalist and cinematographer. He became friends with Dana Stone and his wife Louise and acquired his first Nikon F with a 105 mm lens from Dana as well as his first lessons in what not to do when out on patrol.

In April 1968, he became a staff cameraman for UPITN but after one month had enough of being told what to do and became a freelance cameraman for ABC TV and as a freelance photojournalist sold his still negatives to Time Life, Newsweek and U.P.I.

In 1967 he arrived in Singapore and hitch-hiked through Malaysia to Bangkok, (Thailand) and via Kanchanaburi to the Three Pagodas Pass where he spent three months with the pro-U Nu Burmese rebels under the command of General Bo Yan Naing.

In 1963 he immigrated to the U.S.A., landing in San Pedro, California, and while working as a cowboy in Falfurrias, Texas, bought a movie camera and shot his first film footage.

Gerretsen left the Netherlands at the age of sixteen and after travelling through Europe for two years, immigrated to Australia in 1961. He first started to take pictures while working as a crocodile hunter in Cape York Peninsula, (Queensland, Australia)

Chas Gerretsen (born 22 July 1943 in Groningen, Netherlands) is a Dutch-born war photographer, photojournalist and film advertising photographer. His photographs of armed conflicts, Hollywood films and Celebrity Portraits have been published in major magazines.