Felice Quinto, who was dubbed the 'king of the paparazzi' was 80 when he died in Maryland last month (Jan10). His death was confirmed by his wife Geraldine on Monday (08Feb10).

He was the first photographer to use aggressive tactics to snap stars and would ride around Rome, Italy on a motorcycle, taking photographs that appeared in gossip publications all over the world.

Fellini reportedly asked Quinto to play a photographer in La Dolce Vita, but the snapper declined the offer because he was making more money taking pictures. He briefly appeared in the film as a bystander.

He later became an Associated Press photographer and famously covered John F. Kennedy’s funeral for the agency.

But he never left celebrity photography for long - Quinto became a regular fixture at New York's Studio 54 nightclub in the 1970s, and Elizabeth Taylor hired him as her personal photographer.

He retired in 1993.