Richard Moore (cinematographer)
Encyclopedia
Richard Moore was an American
cinematographer
. In 1953, Moore teamed with Robert Gottschalk
to co-found Panavision
, a company which introduced a new hand-held studio camera that could record both sight and sound at the same time.
, on October 4, 1925. He received a bachelor's degree
in cinema
from the University of Southern California
. Following grduation, Moore began working on travelogue
s and documentaries.
in 1953 to co-found Panavision
, a motion picture equipment company
specializing in cameras and lenses
. Among the company's innovations, Panavision developed a specific camera lens for use in widescreen format
which is called Cinemascope
. In the 1970s, the company revolutionized the film industry when it introduced a new hand-held studio camera that could record sight
and sound
simultaneously. In a 2005 interview with Daily Variety, Moore explained that his connections with Panavision seemed to him to be purely by chance, "Becoming a cameraman and becoming part of Panavision was strictly -- I don't know what you'd call it -- luck or fate. It's something that I didn't plan on. It just happened."
Moore left the Panavision nine years after the company was founded. His daughter, Marina Moore, explained that Moore departed Panavision because he "didn't want a desk job."
Moore cinematography
credits included the 1969 film Winning
, Sometimes a Great Notion
and Myra Breckinridge
, which were both released in 1970; the 1972 western, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
and the 1982 film adaptation
of Annie
.
Moore directed
the 1978 film, Circle of Iron
, which co-starred Eli Wallach
and David Carradine
. He produced, directed and shot television commercials throughout his career.
award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
in 1959. In 2004, Moore was honored with the President's Award from the American Society of Cinematographers
.
, on August 16, 2009, of complications from old age. He was 83 years old.
Moore was survived by his son, Stephen V. Moore, and daughter, Marina Moore, who was born in the Bahamas while Moore was shooting underwater scenes for the 1965 James Bond
film, Thunderball
. He was predeceased by his daughter, Martita Laura, who died in 1994. Moore's marriage to Mary Grace Fuller, who died in 1985, ended in divorce
.
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...
. In 1953, Moore teamed with Robert Gottschalk
Robert Gottschalk
Robert Gottschalk was an American camera technician and founder of Panavision.- Early Life :His father, Gustav, was an architect who built a number of hotels in Chicago, IL, where he lived with his wife, Anna. Gustav's success left the family well-off financially and influenced Gottschalk's...
to co-found Panavision
Panavision
Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product...
, a company which introduced a new hand-held studio camera that could record both sight and sound at the same time.
Early life
Moore was born in Jacksonville, IllinoisJacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,940 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County....
, on October 4, 1925. He received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. Following grduation, Moore began working on travelogue
Travelogue (films)
Travelogue films, a form of virtual tourism or travel documentary, have been providing information and entertainment about distant parts of the world since the late 19th century.-History:...
s and documentaries.
Career
Moore collaborated with Robert GottschalkRobert Gottschalk
Robert Gottschalk was an American camera technician and founder of Panavision.- Early Life :His father, Gustav, was an architect who built a number of hotels in Chicago, IL, where he lived with his wife, Anna. Gustav's success left the family well-off financially and influenced Gottschalk's...
in 1953 to co-found Panavision
Panavision
Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product...
, a motion picture equipment company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
specializing in cameras and lenses
Photographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
. Among the company's innovations, Panavision developed a specific camera lens for use in widescreen format
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
which is called Cinemascope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
. In the 1970s, the company revolutionized the film industry when it introduced a new hand-held studio camera that could record sight
Visual perception
Visual perception is the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye. The resulting perception is also known as eyesight, sight, or vision...
and sound
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
simultaneously. In a 2005 interview with Daily Variety, Moore explained that his connections with Panavision seemed to him to be purely by chance, "Becoming a cameraman and becoming part of Panavision was strictly -- I don't know what you'd call it -- luck or fate. It's something that I didn't plan on. It just happened."
Moore left the Panavision nine years after the company was founded. His daughter, Marina Moore, explained that Moore departed Panavision because he "didn't want a desk job."
Moore cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
credits included the 1969 film Winning
Winning
Winning is a 1969 American motion picture starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. A number of racecar drivers and people associated with racing appear in the film, including Bobby Unser, Tony Hulman, Bobby Grim, Dan Gurney, Roger McCluskey, and Bruce Walkup.-Plot summary:The film centers on...
, Sometimes a Great Notion
Sometimes a Great Notion (film)
Sometimes A Great Notion is a 1971 American drama film directed by Paul Newman. The screenplay by John Gay is based on the 1964 novel of the same title by Ken Kesey, the first of his books to be adapted for the screen...
and Myra Breckinridge
Myra Breckinridge (film)
Myra Breckinridge is a 1970 American campy comedy film, based on Gore Vidal's 1968 novel of the same name, the film was directed by Michael Sarne, with Raquel Welch in the title role. It also starred John Huston as Buck Loner, Mae West as Leticia Van Allen, Farrah Fawcett, Rex Reed, Roger Herren,...
, which were both released in 1970; the 1972 western, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean is a 1972 western film written by John Milius, directed by John Huston, and starring Paul Newman...
and the 1982 film adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of Annie
Annie (film)
Annie is a 1982 American musical film directed by John Huston and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. The film is an adaption of the 1977 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The movie features music by Charles Strouse,...
.
Moore directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
the 1978 film, Circle of Iron
Circle of Iron
Circle of Iron is a 1978 martial arts and fantasy film co-written by Bruce Lee, who intended to star in the film himself, but he died before production. The film is also known as The Silent Flute, which was the original title of the story conceived by Bruce Lee, James Coburn, and Stirling...
, which co-starred Eli Wallach
Eli Wallach
Eli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
and David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
. He produced, directed and shot television commercials throughout his career.
Awards
Moore co-accpeted the scientific and engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
in 1959. In 2004, Moore was honored with the President's Award from the American Society of Cinematographers
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...
.
Death
Richard Moore died at his home in Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
, on August 16, 2009, of complications from old age. He was 83 years old.
Moore was survived by his son, Stephen V. Moore, and daughter, Marina Moore, who was born in the Bahamas while Moore was shooting underwater scenes for the 1965 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Thunderball
Thunderball (film)
Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham...
. He was predeceased by his daughter, Martita Laura, who died in 1994. Moore's marriage to Mary Grace Fuller, who died in 1985, ended in divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
.