John Alton
Camera
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. 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. 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).
'S Wonderful: Creating An American in Paris
as Self (archival footage)
Age 106 (now 94)
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light
as Self
Age 104 (now 94)
Dark and Deadly: Fifty Years of Film Noir
as Self
Age 93 (now 94)
The Teahouse of the August Moon
Director of Photography
Age 55 (now 94)
Pearl of the South Pacific
Director of Photography
Age 53 (now 94)
The People Against O'Hara
Director of Photography
Age 49 (now 94)
Red Stallion In The Rockies
Director of Photography
Age 47 (now 94)
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Director of Photography
Age 40 (now 94)
Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case
Director of Photography
Age 40 (now 94)
Dr. Christian Meets the Women
Director of Photography
Age 38 (now 94)
The Courageous Dr. Christian
Director of Photography
Age 38 (now 94)
Tararira (la bohemia de hoy)
Cinematography
Age 34 (now 94)
Gathering insights...
IMDB
nm0023003