In August 1975, photographer Terry O’Neill visited Alice Cooper’s home in Los Angeles to capture the rock star in a rare, relaxed setting — his own backyard pool. The result was a series of playful, candid shots that showed a very different side of the man known for on-stage shock theater.
The standout detail in the photos is Alice’s choice of poolside accessory: a rubber mask modeled after the monster from ‘The Creature from the Black Lagoon.’ The classic low-budget sci-fi film had been re-released in 1975, making the mask a timely and on-brand prop for a man who built his career around horror-themed performance. With the mask on, Alice waded and splashed around the pool, fully committed to the bit.
The woman pictured alongside Alice in the photos is Cindy Lang. At the time, Alice’s relationship with Sheryl had ended, and he had begun seeing dancer Sheryl Goddard. Cindy did not have any children of her own.
One of the children in the pool photos is Ami Dolenz, daughter of Micky Dolenz of The Monkees. Alice regularly babysat Ami, reflecting the close social circles of Los Angeles rock royalty in the mid-1970s.
O’Neill’s photographs are breezy and unguarded — Alice mugging for the camera in a monster mask while kids splash around him. It’s a sharp contrast to the elaborate stage productions he was known for, where guillotines and fake blood were standard fare.
The timing of the shoot carries an eerie footnote. Just weeks after O’Neill wrapped the session, Alice traveled to New York for work. While he was away, the Los Angeles house burned down. The pool where these lighthearted photos were taken was gone by the end of the summer.
