John Alton
Encyclopedia
John Alton A.S.C.
(October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), born Johann Altmann, in Sopron/Ödenburg
, Kingdom of Hungary
, Austria-Hungary
, was an American
cinematographer
. Alton won an Academy Award for the cinematography of An American in Paris
(1951), becoming the first Hungarian-born person to do so.
s of the classic period. He started out in Los Angeles
as a lab technician in the 1920s, later becoming a cameraman within four years. He moved to France
with Ernst Lubitsch
to film backgrounds for The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg
(1927) and ended up staying for one year heading the camera department of Paramount Pictures
's Joinville Studios. In 1932
he moved to Argentina
where he shot many Spanish-language films and designed the country's first sound film studio for Lumiton and Argentina Sono Film.
He returned to Hollywood
in the late 1930s, with two dozen film credits, and became one of the most sought after cinematographers in American cinema.
Alton was known for unconventional camera angles—especially low camera shots. His style is most notable in the film noirs: He Walked by Night
, The Big Combo
, The Amazing Mr. X
, T-Men
, and Raw Deal.
Alton also photographed many color movies including Slightly Scarlet (a color film noir).
, which became a popular television series in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Nominations
Other honors
American Society of Cinematographers
The American Society of Cinematographers is an educational, cultural, and professional organization. It is not a labor union, and it is not a guild. Membership is by invitation and is extended only to directors of photography and special effects experts with distinguished credits in the film...
(October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), born Johann Altmann, in Sopron/Ödenburg
Sopron
In 1910 Sopron had 33,932 inhabitants . Religions: 64.1% Roman Catholic, 27.8% Lutheran, 6.6% Jewish, 1.2% Calvinist, 0.3% other. In 2001 the city had 56,125 inhabitants...
, Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
. Alton won an Academy Award for the cinematography of An American in Paris
An American in Paris (film)
An American in Paris is a 1951 MGM musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a script by Alan Jay Lerner...
(1951), becoming the first Hungarian-born person to do so.
Career
He photographed some of the most famous film noirFilm noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
s of the classic period. He started out in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as a lab technician in the 1920s, later becoming a cameraman within four years. He moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch was a German-born film director. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as his prestige grew, his films were promoted as having "the Lubitsch touch."In 1947 he received an Honorary Academy Award for his...
to film backgrounds for The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg
The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg
The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, also known as The Student Prince and Old Heidelberg, is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1927 silent film based on a novel by Wilhelm Meyer-Förster. Ernst Lubitsch directed the picture...
(1927) and ended up staying for one year heading the camera department of Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
's Joinville Studios. In 1932
1932 in film
-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....
he moved to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
where he shot many Spanish-language films and designed the country's first sound film studio for Lumiton and Argentina Sono Film.
He returned to Hollywood
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
in the late 1930s, with two dozen film credits, and became one of the most sought after cinematographers in American cinema.
Alton was known for unconventional camera angles—especially low camera shots. His style is most notable in the film noirs: He Walked by Night
He Walked by Night
He Walked by Night is a black-and-white police procedural film noir, crediting Alfred L. Werker as director. The film, shot in semidocumentary tone, was loosely based on newspaper accounts of the real-life actions of Erwin "Machine-Gun" Walker, a former Glendale police department employee and...
, The Big Combo
The Big Combo
The Big Combo is an American film noir directed by Joseph H. Lewis and stylistically photographed by cinematographer and noir icon John Alton with music by David Raksin....
, The Amazing Mr. X
The Amazing Mr. X
The Amazing Mr. X, also known as The Spiritualist is a film noir directed by Bernard Vorhaus with cinematography by John Alton. Like Nightmare Alley , this film tells the story of a phony spiritualist racket...
, T-Men
T-Men
T-Men is a semidocumentary style 1947 film noir shot in black-and-white. The film was directed by Anthony Mann with cinematography by noted noir cameraman John Alton....
, and Raw Deal.
Alton also photographed many color movies including Slightly Scarlet (a color film noir).
Book
Alton wrote Painting with Light (1949), one of the first books written by a working studio cinematographer. The book put forth several controversial theories for the day, such as depth is created by placing the brightest object in the scene furthest from the camera, and that studio lighting must always simulate natural light in texture and direction. It addresses both conventional and unconventional methods of studio motion-picture lighting. While technical advances have made much of the content obsolete, it contains valuable information and ideas for lighting several difficult interior and exterior setups and situations. The table of contents includes chapters such as "Mystery Lighting", "Special Illumination", and "Visual Symphony".Filmography
- The Student Prince in Old HeidelbergThe Student Prince in Old HeidelbergThe Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, also known as The Student Prince and Old Heidelberg, is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1927 silent film based on a novel by Wilhelm Meyer-Förster. Ernst Lubitsch directed the picture...
(1927) - Der Mann, der den Mord beging (1930)
- L'homme qui assassina (1930)
- Los Tres Berretines (1933)
- El Hijo de papá (1933)
- Crimen a las tresCrimen a las tresCrimen a las tres is a 1935 Argentine crime film directed and written by Luis Saslavsky.-Main cast:*Blanca de Castejón*Eduardo Berri*Malena Bravo*Héctor Cataruzza*Augusto Codecá*Ana May...
(1935) - Big Calibre (1935)
- Escala en la ciudadEscala en la ciudadEscala en la ciudad is a 1935 Argentine film directed and written by Alberto De Zavalia with Carlos Aden. It was produced by SIFAL, a production company run by de Zavalia and his partner Luis Saslavsky...
(1935) - Puerto Nuevo (1936)
- Compañeros (1936)
- Loco lindoLoco lindoLoco lindo is a 1936 Argentine comedy film directed by Arturo S. Mom and written by José B. Cairola and Conrado Nalé Roxlo. Starring Luis Sandrini and Sofía Bozán the film premiered in Buenos Aires on July 13, 1936...
(1936) - Tararira (1936)
- ¡Goal! (1936)
- AmaliaAmalia (1936 film)Amalia is a 1936 Argentine silent film directed and script written by Luis Moglia Barth. It was based on the novel by José Mármol and is also a remake of the 1914 film Amalia of the same name...
(1936) - El Pobre Pérez (1937)
- PalermoPalermo (film)Palermo is a 1937 Argentine film directed and written by Manuel Romero....
(1937) - La vida bohemia (1938)
- MadreselvaMadreselvaMadreselva is a 1938 Argentine musical film directed by Luis César Amadori. The film premiered in Buenos Aires and starred Hugo del Carril and Libertad Lamarque....
(1938) - Puerta cerradaPuerta cerradaPuerta cerrada is a 1939 Argentine musical film tango directed by John Alton and Luis Saslavsky. The film premiered in Buenos Aires and starred Warly Ceriani....
(1938) - Cadetes de San MartínCadetes de San Martín (film)Cadetes de San Martín is a 1937 Argentine film directed by Mario Soffici and written by José A. Saldías.It stars Enrique Muiño and Elías Alippi.-Cast:*Ángel Magaña*Enrique Muiño*Elías Alippi*Rosa Contreras*Héctor Calcaño*Orestes Caviglia...
(1939) - El último encuentro (1939)
- Caminito de GloriaCaminito de GloriaCaminito de Gloria is a 1939 Argentine romantic drama film directed and written by Luis César Amadori with Francisco Oyarzábal.The film starred Libertad Lamarque.-Cast:*Roberto Airaldi*Emperatriz Carvajal*Miguel Gómez Bao*Libertad Lamarque...
(1939) - Puerta cerradaPuerta cerradaPuerta cerrada is a 1939 Argentine musical film tango directed by John Alton and Luis Saslavsky. The film premiered in Buenos Aires and starred Warly Ceriani....
(1939) - Doce mujeresDoce mujeresTwelve Women is a 1939 Argentine film directed by Luis Moglia Barth. The film premiered in Buenos Aires and starred Roberto Escalada....
(1939) - El matrero (1939)
- Remedy for Riches (1940)
- Dr. Christian Meets the Women (1940)
- Three Faces WestThree Faces WestThree Faces West is a 1940 film starring John Wayne, Sigrid Gurie and Charles Coburn. An unusual film, with a political agenda that seems to be part pro New Deal, it is part anti-fascist and part pro good old American community values...
(1940) - The Courageous Dr. Christian (1940)
- The Devil Pays Off (1941)
- Forced Landing (1941)
- Melody for Three (1941)
- Power Dive (1941)
- Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case (1941)
- The Affairs of Jimmy ValentineThe Affairs of Jimmy ValentineThe Affairs of Jimmy Valentine is a 1942 American film directed by Bernard Vorhaus.The film is also known as Unforgotten Crime .- Plot summary :...
(1942) - Ice-Capades Revue (1942)
- Johnny Doughboy (1942)
- Moonlight Masquerade (1942)
- Pardon My Stripes (1942)
- The Sultan's Daughter (1943)
- The Lady and the MonsterThe Lady and the MonsterThe Lady and the Monster is a film based on the horror novel Donovan's Brain by Curt Siodmak.-Plot:The film is about the attempts to keep alive the brain of a multimillionaire after his death, only to create a telepathic monster...
(1944) - Lake Placid Serenade (1944)
- Storm Over Lisbon (1944)
- Enemy of Women (1944)
- Atlantic CityAtlantic City (1944 film)Atlantic City is a 1944 musical romance directed by Ray McCarey. The film concerns the formative years of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Vaudeville acts are re-created in the story of how Atlantic City became a famous resort.-Plot:...
(1944) - Girls of the Big House (1945)
- Song of Mexico (1944)
- Love, Honor and Goodbye (1945)
- I Was a Criminal (1945)
- Affairs of Geraldine (1946)
- A Guy Could Change (1946)
- The Madonna's Secret (1946)
- Murder in the Music HallMurder in the Music HallMurder in the Music Hall is a 1946 musical mystery starring Vera Ralston, William Marshall, Helen Walker, and Nancy Kelly...
(1946) - One Exciting Week (1946)
- The Magnificent Rogue (1947)
- The Ghost Goes Wild (1947)
- Hit Parade of 1947 (1947)
- T-MenT-MenT-Men is a semidocumentary style 1947 film noir shot in black-and-white. The film was directed by Anthony Mann with cinematography by noted noir cameraman John Alton....
(1947) - The Trespasser (1947)
- Winter Wonderland (1947)
- WyomingWyoming (1940 film)Wyoming is a 1940 Western film starring Wallace Beery. The movie was directed by Richard Thorpe.-Cast:* Wallace Beery as "Reb" Harkness* Leo Carillo as Pete Marillo* Ann Rutherford as Lucy Kincaid* Lee Bowman as Sgt...
(1947) - Bury Me DeadBury Me DeadBury Me Dead is an American film noir directed by Bernard Vorhaus. The drama features Cathy O'Donnell, June Lockhart, and Hugh Beaumontd.-Plot:...
(1947) - The PretenderThe Pretender (film)The Pretender is an American crime film noir directed by W. Lee Wilder and written by Don Martin, with additional dialogue by Doris Miller. The drama features Albert Dekker, Catherine Craig, Charles Drake, among others.-Plot:...
(1947) - Driftwood (1948)
- He Walked by NightHe Walked by NightHe Walked by Night is a black-and-white police procedural film noir, crediting Alfred L. Werker as director. The film, shot in semidocumentary tone, was loosely based on newspaper accounts of the real-life actions of Erwin "Machine-Gun" Walker, a former Glendale police department employee and...
(1948) - Hollow TriumphHollow TriumphHollow Triumph, also known as The Scar in the United Kingdom, is a film noir released in 1948. It was directed by Steve Sekely and stars Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett.-Plot:...
(1948) - The Amazing Mr. XThe Amazing Mr. XThe Amazing Mr. X, also known as The Spiritualist is a film noir directed by Bernard Vorhaus with cinematography by John Alton. Like Nightmare Alley , this film tells the story of a phony spiritualist racket...
(1948) - Canon CityCanon City (film)Canon City is an American film noir written and directed by Crane Wilbur. The drama features Scott Brady, Jeff Corey, Whit Bissell and others.-Plot:...
(1948) - Raw DealRaw Deal (1948 film)Raw Deal is a 1948 film noir directed by Anthony Mann and shot by cinematographer John Alton.-Plot:Prisoner Joe Sullivan , who has "taken the fall" for an unspecified crime, breaks jail with the help of his girl, Pat...
(1948) - Border IncidentBorder IncidentBorder Incident is a film noir directed by Anthony Mann. The MGM film was written by John C. Higgins and George Zuckerman. The film was shot by cinematographer John Alton who used shadows and lighting effects to involve an audience despite the fact that the film was shot on a low budget...
(1949) - The Crooked WayThe Crooked WayThe Crooked Way is a black-and-white film noir directed by Robert Florey. The film was based on a radio play No Blade Too Sharp and features John Payne, Sonny Tufts, Ellen Drew, and others...
(1949) - Captain China (1949)
- Reign of TerrorReign of Terror (film)Reign of Terror is a 1949 drama film set in the French Revolution. Plotters seek to bring down Maximilien Robespierre and end his bloodthirsty Reign of Terror...
(1949) - Red Stallion in the Rockies (1949)
- Mystery StreetMystery StreetMystery Street is a black-and-white film noir directed by John Sturges with cinematography by famed lensman John Alton. The film stars Ricardo Montalban, Bruce Bennett, and Elsa Lanchester....
(1950) - Father of the BrideFather of the Bride (1950 film)Father of the Bride is a 1950 American comedy film about a man trying to cope with preparations for his daughter's upcoming wedding. The movie stars Spencer Tracy in the titular role, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor, Don Taylor, Billie Burke, and Leo G. Carroll. It was adapted by Frances Goodrich...
(1950) - Grounds for Marriage (1950)
- Devil's DoorwayDevil's DoorwayDevil's Doorway is a 1950 western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring Robert Taylor as an Indian who returns home from the American Civil War a hero awarded the Medal of Honor. However, his hopes for a peaceful life are shattered by bigotry and greed.-Plot:The Civil War may be over back...
(1950) - An American in ParisAn American in Paris (film)An American in Paris is a 1951 MGM musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a script by Alan Jay Lerner...
(1951) (ballet photography) - The People Against O'HaraThe People Against O'HaraThe People Against O'Hara is a 1951 film noir based on Eleazar Lipsky's novel. The movie stars Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien, and James Arness, and is directed by John Sturges, who also directed the The Great Escape.- Plot :...
(1951) - Father's Little DividendFather's Little DividendFather's Little Dividend is a 1951 comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor. The movie is the sequel to Father of the Bride ....
(1951) - It's a Big Country (1951)
- Talk About a StrangerTalk About a StrangerTalk About a Stranger is an American film noir released in 1952 and directed by David Bradley. The drama features George Murphy, Nancy Davis, Billy Gray, and others.The motion picture was shot by noted cinematographer John Alton, A.S.C.-Plot:...
(1952) - Washington Story (1952)
- Apache War Smoke (1952)
- Count the Hours (1952)
- Battle Circus (1952)
- Take the High Ground!Take the High Ground!Take the High Ground! is a film about the Korean War, starring Richard Widmark and Karl Malden as drill instructors who must transform a batch of everyday civilians into soldiers.-Plot:...
(1953) - I, the JuryI, the Jury (1953 film)I, the Jury is a mystery-thriller film from 1953, based on the novel I, the Jury by Mickey Spillane. It was directed by Harry Essex, produced by Victor Saville's company, Parklane Pictures and released through United Artists....
(1953) - Cattle Queen of MontanaCattle Queen of MontanaCattle Queen of Montana is a 1954 American Western film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. The supporting cast includes Jack Elam, Chubby Johnson, and Morris Ankrum, and the movie was directed by Allan Dwan.-Plot:...
(1954) - Silver LodeSilver Lode (1954 film)Silver Lode is a color 1954 western film directed by Allan Dwan.The film, with a similar plot to High Noon, tells the story of Dan Ballard and Rose Evans who are about to be married when Marshal Fred McCarty and his deputies ride into town looking for Ballard...
(1954) - Witness to MurderWitness to MurderWitness to Murder is a 1954 suspense film starring Barbara Stanwyck.-Plot:A woman, while looking out her bedroom window, witnesses a young woman being strangled to death. The woman reports the killing to the police, but no one believes her. In fact, the body can't even be found...
(1954) - Duffy of San Quentin (1954)
- Passion (1954)
- Tennessee's PartnerTennessee's PartnerTennessee's Partner is a Western film starring Ronald Reagan in what Peter Bogdanovich calls his "most likeable performance." It co-starred John Payne as Tennessee....
(1955) - The Big ComboThe Big ComboThe Big Combo is an American film noir directed by Joseph H. Lewis and stylistically photographed by cinematographer and noir icon John Alton with music by David Raksin....
(1955) - Pearl of the South Pacific (1955)
- Escape to Burma (1955)
- The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)
- Slightly Scarlet (1956)
- The Catered AffairThe Catered AffairThe Catered Affair , also known as Wedding Party, is a family drama film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Sam Zimbalist from a screenplay by Gore Vidal, based on a television play by Paddy Chayefsky...
(1956) - Tea and SympathyTea and SympathyTea and Sympathy is a 1953 stage play in three acts by Robert Anderson.-Broadway premiere:It received its premiere on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on September 30, 1953 in a production by The Playwrights' Company, directed by Elia Kazan and designed by Jo Mielziner. The play starred...
(1956) - Designing WomanDesigning WomanDesigning Woman is a 1957 romantic comedy about fashion. Vincente Minnelli directed stars Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck. George Wells won an Academy Award for the screenplay.-Plot:...
(1957) - The Brothers Karamazov (1958)
- LonelyheartsLonelyheartsLonelyhearts is a 1958 film noir drama film directed by Vincent J. Donehue. It is based on the play by Howard Teichmann and the 1933 novel Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West....
(1958) - Twelve to the Moon (1960)
- Elmer GantryElmer Gantry (film)Elmer Gantry is a 1960 drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to small town America. Adapted by director Richard Brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis and stars Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons.Lancaster won an Academy Award for...
(1960)
Television
In 1966, Alton shot the pilot for Mission: ImpossibleMission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
, which became a popular television series in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Awards
Wins- Academy AwardsAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
: Oscar, Best Cinematography, Color; An American in Paris, shared with: Alfred GilksAlfred GilksAlfred Gilks ; sometimes credited as Alf Gilks was a cinematographer from 1920 through to 1956. He worked on many silent films in the 1920s, such as Red Hair with Clara Bow and the 1926 historical epic Old Ironsides starring Esther Ralston and where he used some of the first motorised camera...
; 1951.
Nominations
- Laurel Awards: Golden Laurel, Top Cinematography, Color, The Brothers Karamazov, 4th place; 1959.
Other honors
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Career Achievement Award; 1992.
Additional references
- Harry Tomicek: Das grosse Schwarz. Border Incident, von Anthony Mann, Kamera: John Alton (1949). In: Christian Cargnelli, Michael Omasta (eds.): Schatten. Exil. Europäische Emigranten im Film noir. PVS, Vienna 1997. ISBN 3-901196-26-9.
External links
..- Painting With Light, at Google BooksGoogleGoogle Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
. - John Alton at Painting With Light.
- John Alton images and analysis at Images Journal.
- John Alton at Film Reference.
- John Alton: two trailers of John Alton films at Spike TVSpike TVSpike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
(iFilmIFilmifilm.com was an online archive of short films, movie trailers, and other video clips of interest. Ifilm.com was originally founded by independent filmmaker Raphael Raphael in 1997 as an independent film and media collective...
).