Arthur Edeson, A.S.C. (October 24, 1891 – February 14, 1970) was a film cinematographer, born in New York City. His career ran from the formative years of the film industry in New York, through the silent era in Hollywood, and the sound era there in the 1930s and 1940s. His work included many landmarks in film history, including ''The Thief of Bagdad'' (1924), ''All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930), ''Frankenstein'' (1931), ''The Maltese Falcon'' (1941), and ''Casablanca'' (1942). He was one of the founders of the

American Society of Cinematographers The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), founded in Hollywood in 1919, is a cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild. The society was organized to advance the science and art of cinem ...

, and was nominated for three

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

in his career in cinema.

Career

Edeson began his career as a still photographer, but turned to movies in 1911 as a camera operator at the American Éclair Studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey when it and many other early film studios in

America's first motion picture industry Fort Lee is a borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop the Palisades. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 40,191. As of the 2010 U.S. census, t ...

were based there at the beginning of the 20th century. When the Éclair Studio was reorganized as the

World Film Company The World Film Company or World Film Corporation was an American film production and distribution company, organized in 1914 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Short-lived but significant in American film history, World Film was created by financier and fil ...

, he was promoted to chief cinematographer assigned to the star

Clara Kimball Young Clara Kimball Young (born Edith Matilda Clara Kimball; September 6, 1890 – October 15, 1960) was an American film actress who was popular in the early silent film era. Early life Edith Matilda Clara Kimball was born in Chicago on Septembe ...

. Throughout the twenties, Edeson photographed a number of important films, including

Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thi ...

' ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

'' (1922) and '' The Thief of Bagdad'' (1924), and the groundbreaking special effects film '' The Lost World'' (1925). When sound came in, Edeson experimented with camouflaging the microphones in exterior shots. ''

In Old Arizona ''In Old Arizona'' is a 1928 American pre-Code Western film directed by Raoul Walsh and Irving Cummings, nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film, which was based on the character of the Cisco Kid in the 1907 story " ...

'' (1929), the first sound film to be shot outside a studio, provided evidence to Hollywood executives that talking pictures need not be confined to the

sound stage A sound stage (also written soundstage) is a soundproof, large structure, building, or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie or ...

. The western ''

The Big Trail ''The Big Trail'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western early widescreen film shot on location across the American West starring 23-year-old John Wayne in his first leading role and directed by Raoul Walsh. In 2006, the United States Libra ...

'' (1930), starring John Wayne in his first starring role, was also filmed by Edeson in the

70mm 70 mm film (or 65 mm film) is a wide high-resolution film gauge for motion picture photography, with a negative area nearly 3.5 times as large as the standard 35 mm motion picture film format. As used in cameras, the film is wi ...

widescreen Widescreen images are displayed within a set of aspect ratios (relationship of image width to height) 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 t ...

process, known as "

Fox Grandeur 70mm Grandeur film, also called Fox Grandeur or Grandeur 70, is a 70mm widescreen film format developed by William Fox through his Fox Film and Fox-Case corporations and used commercially on a small but successful scale in 1929–30. Filmography ...

". In the early 1930s, perhaps his most memorable creative partnership was formed with director

James Whale James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: ''Frankenstein'' (1931), '' The O ...

, for whom he photographed the first three of Whale's quartet of horror films: ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...

'' (1931), '' The Old Dark House'' (1932), and ''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devo ...

'' (1933). According to critic M.S. Fonseca, Edeson was one of the "master craftsmen" of the old American school. His principal work was on the side of realism, which is considered by most film historians to represent the "zenith of Hollywood photography." Edeson built on the influence of

German Expressionism German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...

, brought to the America cinema by German cinematographers during the 1920s. In 1919, Edeson was one of the founders of the

. Arthur Edeson died on February 14, 1970, in Agoura Hills, California. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

* ''

A Gentleman from Mississippi ''A Gentleman from Mississippi'' is a 1908 comedic play by Harrison Rhodes and Thomas A. Wise.(1 August 1908)A New Political Play ''The New York Times'' It was popular when released, debuting on Broadway on September 28, 1908, and playing for 407 ...

'' (1914) * ''The Dollar Mark'' (1914) * '' The Deep Purple'' (1915) * ''

Wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identi ...

'' (1915) * '' Hearts in Exile'' (1915) * '' The Master Hand'' (1915) * ''

His Brother's Wife ''His Brother's Wife'' is a 1936 American romantic drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Taylor. Written by Leon Gordon and John Meehan, based on a story by George Auerbach, the film is about a scienti ...

'' (1916) * '' The Devil's Toy'' (1916) * ''Miss Petticoats'' (1916) * '' The Gilded Cage'' (1916) * '' Bought and Paid For'' (1916) * '' A Woman Alone'' (1917) * ''

A Square Deal ''A Square Deal'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Carlyle Blackwell, June Elvidge and Henry Hull.Goble p.456 Cast * Carlyle Blackwell as Hugh Eltinge * June Elvidge as Doris Golden * Henry Hull as M ...

'' (1917) * '' The Social Leper'' (1917) *'' The Page Mystery'' (1917) * ''

In Again, Out Again ''In Again, Out Again'' is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by John Emerson and written by Anita Loos. The film stars Douglas Fairbanks, Arline Pretty, Walter Walker, Arnold Lucy, Helen Greene, Homer Hunt, and Albert Parker. The fil ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Stolen Paradise ''The Stolen Paradise'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Ethel Clayton, Edward Langford and Pinna Nesbit.Beauchamp p.444 Prints and/or fragments were found in the Dawson Film Find in 1978. Cast * Ethel ...

'' (1917) * '' The Price of Pride'' (1917) * '' Wild and Woolly'' (1917) * '' Souls Adrift'' (1917) * '' Baby Mine'' (1917) * ''Reaching for the Moon'' (1917) * ''

Nearly Married ''Nearly Married'' is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Chester Withey and starring Madge Kennedy. It is based on a 1913 stage play of the same name by Edgar Selwyn. It also featured an early film appearance by future gossip columni ...

'' (1917) * '' The Road Through the Dark'' (1918) * ''Jack Spurlock, Prodigal'' (1918) *'' The Savage Woman'' (1918) * ''The Hushed Hour'' (1919) * ''Cheating Cheaters'' (1919) * '' The Better Wife'' (1919) * '' For the Soul of Rafael'' (1920) * '' Mid-Channel'' (1920) * ''The Forbidden Woman'' (1920) * ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...

'' (1921) * ''

Hush Hush may refer to: Film and television * ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young * ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow * ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi * ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...

'' (1921) * ''

Good Women ''Good Women'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Rosemary Theby, Hamilton Revelle and Earl Schenck.Munden p.307 Cast * Rosemary Theby as Katherine Brinkley * Hamilton Revelle as Nicolai Brouevitch * ...

'' (1921) * ''

'' (1922) * ''

The Worldly Madonna ''The Worldly Madonna'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Harry Garson and starring Clara Kimball Young and William P. Carleton.. Plot A nun at the convent, Janet Trevor plans to save her sister Lucy, who's been framed for murd ...

'' (1922) * ''

Inez from Hollywood ''Inez from Hollywood'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Alfred E. Green. It was produced by Sam E. Rork with distribution through First National Pictures. The film is based on the short story ''The Worst Woman in Hollywood'' by ...

'' (1924) * '' The Thief of Bagdad'' (1924) * '' The Lost World'' (1925) * '' Stella Dallas'' (1925) * ''

The Talker ''The Talker'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Anna Q. Nilsson, Lewis Stone Lewis Shepard Stone (November 15, 1879 – September 12, 1953) was an American film actor. He spent 29 years as a co ...

'' (1925) * ''

Her Sister from Paris ''Her Sister from Paris'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film based upon the play ''The Twin Sister'' by Ludwig Fulda. It was directed by Sidney Franklin and stars Constance Talmadge, Ronald Colman, and George K. Arthur. Unlike many silen ...

'' (1925) * ''One Way Street'' (1925) * ''Waking Up the Town'' (1925) * '' Just Another Blonde'' (1926) * '' Partners Again'' (1926) * '' Sweet Daddies'' (1926) * '' The Bat'' (1926) * ''

Subway Sadie ''Subway Sadie'' is a 1926 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Alfred Santell. Adapted from Mildred Cram's 1925 short story "Sadie of the Desert", the film focuses on a relationship between New York salesgirl Sadie Hermann ( Dorothy M ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Drop Kick ''The Drop Kick'' (also known as ''Glitter'' in the UK) is a 1927 silent film directed by Millard Webb written by Katherine Brush about a college football player (Richard Barthelmess). It was one of the early films of John Wayne who was only a ...

'' (1927) * ''

McFadden's Flats McFadden's Flats may refer to: * McFadden's Flats (1927 film), an American silent film * McFadden's Flats (1935 film) ''McFadden's Flats'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Arthur Caesar, Edward Kaufman, A ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Patent Leather Kid ''The Patent Leather Kid'' is a 1927 American silent drama film about a self-centered boxer who performs a heroic act in World War I that severely wounds him. It was directed by Alfred Santell and stars Richard Barthelmess, Molly O'Day, Lawfo ...

'' (1927) * '' The Gorilla'' (1927) * ''

'' (1928) * ''Me, Gangster'' 1928 * ''A Thief in the Dark'' (1928) * ''Romance of the Rio Grande'' (1929) * '' The Cock-Eyed World'' (1929) * '' Girls Gone Wild'' (1929) * ''

'' (1930) (70mm version) * '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930) * ''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at t ...

'' (1931) * '' Always Goodbye'' (1931) * ''La Piste des Geants'' (1931) * ''

'' (1931) * '' The Man Who Came Back'' (1931) * '' Doctors' Wives'' (1931) * ''

Those We Love ''Those We Love'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film directed by Robert Florey. It was adapted by F. Hugh Herbert from the play by George Abbott and S.K. Lauren. The film was independently produced and distributed. Plot Kenneth MacKenna plays a ...

'' (1932) * ''Fast Companions'' (1932) * ''

The Impatient Maiden ''The Impatient Maiden'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by James Whale, starring Lew Ayres and Mae Clarke, and released by Universal Pictures. The screenplay was written by Richard Schayer and Winifred Dunn, based on the novel ...

'' (1932) * '' Strangers of the Evening'' (1932) * ''

The Last Mile The Last Mile may refer to: * The Last Mile (prison rehabilitation program), a program for inmates in the California corrections system * ''The Last Mile'' (play), a 1930 play by John Wexley * ''The Last Mile'' (1932 film), an American adaptatio ...

'' (1932) * ''

Flesh Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscles, fats and other loose connective tissues, but ...

'' (1932) * '' The Old Dark House'' (1932) * ''The Big Brain'' (1933) * '' His Double Life'' (1933) * '' The Constant Woman'' (1933) * ''

A Study in Scarlet ''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would become the most famous detective duo in literature. The book's title der ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Life of Jimmy Dolan ''The Life of Jimmy Dolan'', released in the UK as ''The Kid's Last Fight'', is a 1933 American pre-Code film starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Loretta Young. John Wayne has a small supporting role as a frightened boxer. The story was based on ...

'' (1933) * ''

Here Comes the Navy ''Here Comes the Navy'' (also known as ''Hey, Sailor'') is a 1934 American romantic comedy film written by Earl Baldwin and Ben Markson and directed by Lloyd Bacon. The film stars James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Gloria Stuart and Frank McHugh. Stuar ...

'' (1934) * ''The Merry Frinks'' (1934) * '' Palooka'' (1934) * ''

Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...

'' (1935) * ''

While the Patient Slept ''While the Patient Slept'' is a 1935 comedy murder mystery film directed by Ray Enright starring Aline MacMahon as a nurse/crime sleuth and Guy Kibbee as her boyfriend and police detective. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Mig ...

'' (1935) * ''Maybe it's Love'' (1935) * ''Dinky'' (1935) * ''

Devil Dogs of the Air ''Devil Dogs of the Air'' (a.k.a. ''Flying Marines'') is a 1935 Warner Bros. film, directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien, playing similar roles as close friends after making their debut as a "buddy team" in '' Here C ...

'' (1935) * ''

Gold Diggers of 1937 ''Gold Diggers of 1937'' is a Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley. The film stars Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were married at the time, with Glenda Farrell and Vic ...

'' (1936) * ''

China Clipper ''China Clipper'' (NC14716) was the first of three Martin M-130 four-engine flying boats built for Pan American Airways and was used to inaugurate the first commercial transpacific airmail service from San Francisco to Manila on November 22, 193 ...

'' (1936) * ''Hot Money'' (1936) * ''

Satan Met a Lady ''Satan Met a Lady'' is a 1936 American detective film directed by William Dieterle and starring Bette Davis and Warren William. The screenplay by Brown Holmes is a loose adaptation of the 1929 novel '' The Maltese Falcon'' by Dashiell Hammett ...

'' (1936) * '' The Golden Arrow'' (1936) * ''

Ceiling Zero ''Ceiling Zero'' is a 1936 American adventure drama film directed by Howard Hawks and starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien. The picture stars Cagney as daredevil womanizing pilot "Dizzy" Davis and O'Brien as Jake Lee, his war veteran buddy a ...

'' (1936) * ''

They Won't Forget ''They Won't Forget'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claude Rains, Gloria Dickson, Edward Norris, and Lana Turner, in her feature debut. It was based on a novel by Ward Greene called ''Death in the Deep Sou ...

'' (1937) * '' Mr. Dodd Takes the Air'' (1937) * '' Submarine D-1'' (1937) * ''The Go Getter'' (1937) * ''The Footloose Heiress'' (1937) * '' The Kid Comes Back'' (1937) * ''

Racket Busters ''Racket Busters'' is a 1938 film about crime in the trucking industry starring Humphrey Bogart and George Brent. The film was directed by Lloyd Bacon. Plot summary Attorney Hugh Allison (Walter Abel) is appointed Special Prosecutor to invest ...

'' (1938) * '' Swing Your Lady'' (1938) * ''Mr. Chump'' (1938) * ''

Cowboy From Brooklyn ''Cowboy from Brooklyn'' is a 1938 American Western musical romantic comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Earl Baldwin. It stars Dick Powell, Pat O'Brien and Priscilla Lane. The film was based on the 1937 Broadway play ''Howdy S ...

'' (1938) * '' Each Dawn I Die'' (1939) * '' Kid Nightingale'' (1939) * '' Secret Service of the Air'' (1939) * ''Sweepstakes Winner'' (1939) * ''

Wings of the Navy ''Wings of the Navy '' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring George Brent, Olivia de Havilland and John Payne. Like many of the Warner Bros. features in the pre-World War II era, it was intended to serve as propaga ...

'' (1939) * '' Nancy Drew... Reporter'' (1939) * ''No Place to Go'' (1939) * ''

Tugboat Annie Sails Again ''Tugboat Annie Sails Again'' is a 1940 American comedy romance film directed by Lewis Seiler. The picture is a sequel to ''Tugboat Annie'' (1933). Marjorie Rambeau took over the late Marie Dressler's role, and the supporting cast features Alan H ...

'' (1940) * '' They Drive by Night'' (1940) * ''

Castle on the Hudson ''Castle on the Hudson'' (UK title: ''Years Without Days'') is a 1940 American film noir drama directed by Anatole Litvak and starring John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, and Pat O'Brien. A thief is sent to Sing Sing Prison, where he is befriended by t ...

'' (1940) * ''

Lady with Red Hair ''Lady with Red Hair'' (1940) is an American historical drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Miriam Hopkins, Claude Rains and Richard Ainley. Released by Warner Brothers it stars Hopkins as the nineteenth century actress Mrs. Le ...

'' (1940) * '' The Maltese Falcon'' (1941) * '' Kisses for Breakfast'' (1941) * ''

The Male Animal ''The Male Animal'' is a 1942 American comedy-drama film produced by Warner Bros., starring Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Leslie. The film was based on a hit 1940 Broadway play of the same name written by James Thurber and Elliott ...

'' (1942) * '' Casablanca'' (1942) * ''

Across the Pacific ''Across the Pacific'' is a 1942 American spy film set on the eve of the entry of the United States into World War II. It was directed first by John Huston, then by Vincent Sherman after Huston joined the United States Army Signal Corps. It sta ...

'' (1942) * '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) * ''

Shine On, Harvest Moon "Shine On, Harvest Moon" is a popular early-1900s song credited to the married vaudeville team Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. The song was debuted by Bayes and Norworth in the Z ...

'' (1944) * '' The Mask of Dimitrios'' (1944) * '' The Conspirators'' (1944) * '' The Time, the Place and the Girl'' (1946) * '' Nobody Lives Forever'' (1946) * '' Never Say Goodbye'' (1946) * ''

Three Strangers ''Three Strangers'' is a 1946 American film noir crime drama directed by Jean Negulesco, written by John Huston and Howard Koch, starring Sydney Greenstreet, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Peter Lorre, and featuring Joan Lorring and Alan Napier. Pl ...

'' (1946) * ''

Two Guys from Milwaukee ''Two Guys from Milwaukee'' (UK title: ''Royal Flush'') is a 1946 American comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, and Joan Leslie. It was distributed by Warner Bros. The film is about a Balkan prince who ...

'' (1946) * '' Stallion Road'' (1947) * ''

My Wild Irish Rose ''My Wild Irish Rose'' is a 1947 film directed by David Butler. It stars Dennis Morgan and Arlene Dahl (in her debut film). It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1948. Plot A fictionalized biopic of Chauncey Olcott, the movie traces the rise ...

'' (1947) * ''

Two Guys From Texas ''Two Guys from Texas'' is a 1948 American comedy musical western film directed by David Butler and starring Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, and Dorothy Malone. The film was written by Allen Boretz and I.A.L. Diamond, produced by Alex Gottlieb, ...

'' (1948) * '' The Fighting O'Flynn'' (1948) Source:Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to World Film, since 1885.'' 2008
Index home page

Awards

Oscar Nominations *

: Oscar, Best Cinematography, for ''In Old Arizona'', 1929 * Academy Awards: Oscar, Best Cinematography, for ''All Quiet on the Western Front'', 1930 * Academy Awards: Oscar, Best Black and White Cinematography, for ''Casablanca'', 1943 In 1955 and 1957, Edeson was awarded the George Eastman Award, given by

George Eastman House The George Eastman Museum, also referred to as ''George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film'', the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in ...

for distinguished contribution to the art of film.

References

External links

* *
Arthur Edeson
at Film Reference {{DEFAULTSORT:Edeson, Arthur 1891 births 1970 deaths American cinematographers Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Artists from New York City