Larry Boelens
Encyclopedia
Larry Boelens was an American television lighting consultant, gaffer
, electrician
, second unit photographer, and director of photography. He worked in several capacities on some noted television sitcoms, among them Soap
, as well as on episodes of the original WKRP in Cincinnati
, one of them being the famous Turkeys Away episode, for which he was the lighting consultant. He was also lighting consultant on the two-part pilot episode for the series. He also worked on the children's Saturday morning series The Bugaloos
. He served as gaffer on the films Let's Do It Again
(1975) and Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York
(1975), and as lighting director for the program 20 Minute Workout. His most notable work, however, may have been as director of photography for the 1977 television production of Tchaikovsky's Christmas ballet The Nutcracker
starring Mikhail Baryshnikov
, a now-classic interpretation of the work that has become a television, VHS, and DVD favorite. He was also director of photography on Cindy, a 1978 all-black modern retelling of "Cinderella", and on several episodes of Bosom Buddies
, the sitcom that introduced Tom Hanks
to television audiences.
Boelens died at the age of 45 in 1988, the same year that he served as second unit
photographer on the John Hughes comedy She's Having a Baby
.
Though Boelens himself was never nominated for an Emmy Award
, several of the television programs on which he worked were, including Soap, WRKP in Cincinnati, the Baryshnikov Nutcracker, and Cindy.
(See also the articles The Nutcracker
, Mikhail Baryshnikov
, and Soap
.)
Gaffer (filmmaking)
A gaffer in the motion picture industry and on a television crew is an electrician that can be head of the electrical department, responsible for the execution of the lighting plan for a production. Gaffer, outside of the motion picture industry, is a traditional British English word for an older...
, electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
, second unit photographer, and director of photography. He worked in several capacities on some noted television sitcoms, among them Soap
Soap (TV series)
Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
, as well as on episodes of the original WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
, one of them being the famous Turkeys Away episode, for which he was the lighting consultant. He was also lighting consultant on the two-part pilot episode for the series. He also worked on the children's Saturday morning series The Bugaloos
The Bugaloos
The Bugaloos is an American children's television series produced by brothers Sid and Marty Krofft, airing on NBC on Saturday mornings from 1970 to 1972. The show featured a musical group composed of four British-accented teenagers, who lived in fictional Tranquility Forest...
. He served as gaffer on the films Let's Do It Again
Let's Do It Again (1975 film)
Let's Do It Again is a 1975 film starring Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby and Jimmie Walker. Poitier also directed. The film is about blue-collar workers who decide to rig a boxing match to raise money for their fraternal lodge...
(1975) and Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York
Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York
Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York is a 1975 film directed by Sidney J. Furie. The film was written by Kenny Solms, based on the novel by Gail Parent...
(1975), and as lighting director for the program 20 Minute Workout. His most notable work, however, may have been as director of photography for the 1977 television production of Tchaikovsky's Christmas ballet The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
starring Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
, a now-classic interpretation of the work that has become a television, VHS, and DVD favorite. He was also director of photography on Cindy, a 1978 all-black modern retelling of "Cinderella", and on several episodes of Bosom Buddies
Bosom Buddies
Bosom Buddies is an American sitcom starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari created by Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller and Chris Thompson. It ran from 1980 to 1982 on ABC and in reruns in the summer of 1984 on NBC....
, the sitcom that introduced Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
to television audiences.
Boelens died at the age of 45 in 1988, the same year that he served as second unit
Second unit
In film, the second unit is a team that shoots subsidiary footage for a motion picture. Its work is distinct from that of the first unit, which shoots all scenes involving principal actors...
photographer on the John Hughes comedy She's Having a Baby
She's Having a Baby
She's Having a Baby is a 1988 American romance film directed by John Hughes.The film portrays a young newlywed couple, Kristy and Jake Briggs played by Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon, who try to cope with being married and what is expected of them by their parents. Jake must also deal with the...
.
Though Boelens himself was never nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
, several of the television programs on which he worked were, including Soap, WRKP in Cincinnati, the Baryshnikov Nutcracker, and Cindy.
(See also the articles The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
, Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
, and Soap
Soap (TV series)
Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
.)