John Alton

Infobox actor
name = John Alton, A.S.C.


caption = Screen-capture
birthname = Johann Altmann
birthdate = birth date|1901|10|05
birthplace = Sopron, Austria-Hungary
deathdate = death date and age|1996|06|02|1901|10|05
deathplace = Santa Monica, California
restingplace =
restingplacecoordinates =
othername =
occupation = Cinematographer
yearsactive =
spouse = Rozalia Kiss
children =
influences =
influenced =
website =
academyawards = Best Color Cinematography 1952 "An American in Paris" (Shared with: Alfred Gilks.)
goldenglobeawards =
awards =

John Alton A.S.C. (October 5, 1901—June 2, 1996), was born Johann Altmann, in Sopron/Ödenburg, Austria-Hungary, was an American cinematographer. [imdb name|id=0023003|name=John Alton.]

Alton won an Academy Award for "An American in Paris" (1951).

Career

He photographed some of the most famous "film noirs" of the classic period. He started out in Los Angeles as a lab technician in the 1920s, later becoming a cameraman within four years. [amg name| id=2:79462| name=John Alton.] He moved to France with Ernst Lubitsch to film backgrounds for "The Student Prince" (1927) and ended up staying for one year becoming 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. [ [http://www.cinematographers.nl/GreatDoPh/alton.htm Steeman, Albert] . "Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers," "John Alton page", Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2007. Last accessed: December 13, 2007.]

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").

Book

Alton wrote "Painting with Light" (1945) one of the first books written by a working studio cinematographer. It addresses the techniques of motion-picture lighting. While much of the content is outdated due to technology advances, it contains substantial information and ideas and remains a good window to the shooting practices of the mid-20th century black and white studio film.

Filmography

* "The Student Prince [in Old Heidelberg] " (1927) [Goble, Alan. "The Complete Index to World Film, since 1885." 2008. [http://www.citwf.com/indexx.asp Index home page] .] [Steeman, Albert. Ibid.]
* "Der Mann, der den Mord beging" (1930)
* "L'homme qui assassina" (1930)
* "Los Tres Berretines" (1933)
* "El Hijo de papá" (1933)
* "Crimen a las tres" (1935)
* "Big Calibre" (1935)
* "Escala en la ciudad" (1935)
* "Puerto Nuevo" (1936)
* "Compañeros" (1936)
* "Loco lindo" (1936)
* "Tararira" (1936)
* "¡Goal!" (1936)
* "Amalia" (1936)
* "El Pobre Pérez" (1937)
* "Palermo" (1937)
* "La vida bohemia" (1938)
* "Madreselva" (1938)
* "Puerta cerrada" (1938)
* "Cadetes de San Martín" (1939)
* "El último encuentro" (1939)
* "Caminito de Gloria" (1939)
* "Puerta cerrada" (1939)
* "Doce mujeres" (1939)
* "El matrero" (1939)
* "Remedy for Riches" (1940)
* "Dr. Christian Meets the Women" (1940)
* "Three Faces West" (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 Valentine" (1942)
* "Ice-Capades Revue" (1942)
* "Johnny Doughboy" (1942)
* "Moonlight Masquerade" (1942)
* "Pardon My Stripes" (1942)
* "The Sultan's Daughter" (1943)
* "The Lady and the Monster" (1944)
* "Lake Placid Serenade" (1944)
* "Storm Over Lisbon" (1944)
* "Enemy of Women" (1944)
* "Atlantic City" (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 Hall" (1946)
* "One Exciting Week" (1946)
* "The Magnificent Rogue" (1947)
* "The Ghost Goes Wild" (1947)
* "Hit Parade of 1947" (1947)
* "T-Men" (1947)
* "The Trespasser" (1947)
* "Winter Wonderland" (1947)
* "Wyoming" (1947)
* "Bury Me Dead" (1947)
* "The Pretender" (1947)
* "Driftwood" (1948)
* "He Walked by Night" (1948)
* "Hollow Triumph" (1948)
* "The Amazing Mr. X" (1948)
* "Canon City" (1948)
* "Raw Deal" (1948)
* "Border Incident" (1949)
* "The Crooked Way" (1949)
* "Captain China" (1949)
* "Reign of Terror" (1949)
* "Red Stallion in the Rockies" (1949)
* "Mystery Street" (1950)
* "Father of the Bride" (1950)
* "Grounds for Marriage" (1950)
* "Devil's Doorway" (1950)
* "An American in Paris" (1951) (ballet photography)
* "The People Against O'Hara" (1951)
* "Father's Little Dividend" (1951)
* "It's a Big Country" (1951)
* "Talk About a Stranger" (1952)
* "Washington Story" (1952)
* "Apache War Smoke" (1952)
* "Count the Hours" (1952)
* "Battle Circus" (1952)
* "Take the High Ground!" (1953)
* "I, the Jury" (1953)
* "Cattle Queen of Montana" (1954)
* "Silver Lode" (1954)
* "Witness to Murder" (1954)
* "Duffy of San Quentin" (1954)
* "Passion" (1954)
* "Tennessee's Partner" (1955)
* "The Big Combo" (1955)
* "Pearl of the South Pacific" (1955)
* "Escape to Burma" (1955)
* "The Teahouse of the August Moon" (1956)
* "Slightly Scarlet" (1956)
* "The Catered Affair" (1956)
* "Tea and Sympathy" (1956)
* "Designing Woman" (1957)
* "The Brothers Karamazov" (1958)
* "Lonelyhearts" (1958)
* "Twelve to the Moon" (1960)
* "Elmer Gantry" (1960)

Television

In 1966 Alton shot the pilot for what would become a highly popular television series in the late 1960s and early 1970: "" (see: ).

Awards

Wins
* Academy Awards: Oscar, Best Cinematography, Color; "An American in Paris," shared with: Alfred Gilks; 1952.

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.

References

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

*.
*.
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=5wH6KfJZL-MC "Painting With Light,"] at Google Books.
* [http://www.celtoslavica.de/chiaroscuro/dop/alton.html John Alton] at "Painting With Light."
* [http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue02/reviews/mannoirs.htm John Alton] images and analysis at "Images Journal."
* [http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-A-Ba/Alton-John.html John Alton] at Film Reference.
* [http://www.ifilm.com/artist/226545 John Alton] : two trailers of John Alton films at Spike TV (iFilm).