Harold G. "Hal" Rosson,

A.S.C. 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 ci ...

(April 6, 1895 – September 6, 1988) was an American

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

who worked during the early and

classical Hollywood cinema Classical Hollywood cinema is a term used in film criticism to describe both a narrative and visual style of filmmaking which became characteristic of American cinema between the 1910s (rapidly after World War I) and the 1960s. It eventually b ...

, in a career spanning some 52 years, starting from the silent era in 1915. He is best known for his work on the fantasy film '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939) and the musical ''

Singin' in the Rain ''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd C ...

'' (1952), as well as his marriage to

Jean Harlow Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

Family

Born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, Rosson came from a film-making family. His older brother

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

was a successful director as was his other older brother

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...

and his younger sister Helene was an actress.

Career

Harold Rosson began his film career in 1908 as an actor at the

Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...

in the Flatbush area of

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. He became the assistant to

Irvin Willat Irvin V. Willat (November 18, 1890 – April 17, 1976) was an American film director of the silent film era. A short biography reprinted from ''Blue Book of the Screen'' (1923). He directed 39 films between 1917 and 1937. Early in his career ...

at the Mark Dintenfass Studios. In 1912 he divided his time as an office boy in a stockbrokers firm and as an assistant, extra, and handyman at the Famous Players Studio in New York. His first film for Famous Players was ''

David Harum ''David Harum; A Story of American Life'' is a best-selling novel of 1898 by Edward Noyes Westcott, whose principal legacy is the colloquial use of the term ''horse trading''. Literary significance and criticism Written by retired Syracuse, N ...

'' (1915). In December 1914, Rosson moved to

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and joined

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at leased f ...

. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, he served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

. After his demobilization, he went to work on the

Marion Davies Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies fled the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...

film '' The Dark Star''. He was offered a contract with the

Davies Company Davies is a patronymic surname of English or Welsh origin. There are two main theories concerning its beginnings, neither of which has been definitively proven. The first theory contends that it may be a corruption of "Dyfed", the name of a medie ...

. In 1920 he was signed by

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

working primarily with her brother

Jack Pickford John Charles Smith (August 18, 1896 – January 3, 1933), known professionally as Jack Pickford, was a Canadian-American actor, film director and producer. He was the younger brother of actresses Mary and Lottie Pickford. After their father ...

. In the 1930s, Rosson signed with

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

and directed the photography for some of the studios most popular films including ''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure no ...

'' (1934), '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939), '' On the Town'' (1949) and ''

'' (1952). In 1936, Rosson and fellow cinematographer

W. Howard Greene William Howard Greene (1895–1956) was an American cinematographer. Career Greene was a cinematographer on many early Technicolor films, including '' Legong: Dance of the Virgins'' (1935) and '' A Star Is Born'' (1937). Awards * 1937: Special ...

were awarded an

Honorary Oscar The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Moti ...

for the color cinematography of the 1936

David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca'' (1940), both of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Picture. ...

production '' The Garden of Allah''. Rosson later said it was the first time he attempted to film in color. After a very long and successful career in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

, Rosson retired in 1958. He briefly came out of retirement for the

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A ...

film ''

El Dorado El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king ...

'' (1966) starring

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

Personal life

Rosson was married three times, with all of his marriages ending in divorce, and had no children. His first marriage was to actress

Nina Byron Nina Byron (born Nina Clarice Betts, July 27, 1900 – January 21, 1987) was a New Zealand-American silent film actress. Film actress In 1916, Byron came to America with her mother while her father stayed behind in New Zealand and committed sui ...

, which lasted from 1924 to 1926. While shooting the film '' Bombshell'' in 1933, actress

proposed to Rosson. They had worked together previously on ''

Red-Headed Woman ''Red-Headed Woman'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Katharine Brush, and a screenplay by Anita Loos. It was directed by Jack Conway and stars J ...

'', '' Dinner at Eight'', ''

Hold Your Man ''Hold Your Man '' is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by an uncredited Sam Wood and starring Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, the third of their six films together.Landazuri, Margarit"Hold Your Man" (TCM article)/ref> The scre ...

'' and '' Red Dust'' and had struck up a friendship. On September 17, 1933, the couple married in

Yuma, Arizona Yuma ( coc, Yuum) is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 93,064 at the 2010 census, up from the 2000 census population of 77,515. Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, M ...

. In an interview with Leicester Wagner, Harlow recalled that she and Rosson grew closer after the death of her second husband,

Paul Bern Paul Bern (born Paul Levy; December 3, 1889September 5, 1932) was a German-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he became the assistant to Irving Thalberg. He helped launch the career of Jean Harlo ...

, and he encouraged her to go out and socialize. Rosson and Harlow separated in May 1934 with Harlow charging that Rosson was "rude, sullen and irritable". She was granted a divorce in March 1935. On October 11, 1936, Rosson married socialite Yvonne Crellin in Beverly Hills. They divorced in June 1945.

Death

On September 6, 1988, Rosson died at his home in

Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intrac ...

. He is buried in

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angel ...

Awards and nominations

Harold Rosson was nominated for five

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 ...

: '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939), ''

Boom Town A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...

'' (1940), ''

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' is a 1944 American war film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo is based on the 1943 book of the same name by Captain Ted W. Lawson. Lawson was a pilot on the historic Doolittle Raid, ...

'' (1944), ''

The Asphalt Jungle ''The Asphalt Jungle'' is a 1950 American film noir heist film directed by John Huston. Based on the 1949 novel of the same name by W. R. Burnett, it tells the story of a jewel robbery in a Midwestern city. The film stars Sterling Hayden and L ...

'' (1950), ''

The Bad Seed ''The Bad Seed'' is a 1954 novel by American writer William March, the last of his major works published before his death. Nominated for the 1955 National Book Award for Fiction, ''The Bad Seed'' tells the story of a mother's realization that h ...

'' (1956). Rosson was awarded an

for the color cinematography of

production '' The Garden of Allah'' (1936).

Selected filmography

Short subject

* ''

That Mothers Might Live ''That Mothers Might Live'' is a 1938 American short drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann. In 1939, at the 11th Academy Awards, it won an Oscar for Best Short Subject (One-Reel). The short is a brief account of Hungarian physician Ignaz Semm ...

'' (1938)

Television

* '' Cheyenne'' (1 episode, 1956) * '' Conflict'' (1 episode, 1956)

Features

* ''

'' (1915) * ''Oliver Twist'' (1916) * ''The Victoria Cross'' (1916) * ''The American Consul'' (1917) * ''Polly of the Storm Country'' (1920) * ''

Buried Treasure Buried treasure is a literary trope commonly associated with depictions of pirates, criminals, and Old West outlaws. According to popular conception, these people often buried their stolen fortunes in remote places, intending to return to them ...

'' (1921) * '' Everything for Sale'' (1921) * ''Through a Glass Window'' (1922) * ''

Dark Secrets ''Dark Secrets'' is a 1923 American silent feature drama film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Dorothy Dalton.

'' (1923) * '' Zaza'' (1923) * '' Garrison's Finish'' (1923) * ''

A Society Scandal ''A Society Scandal'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan, and starring Gloria Swanson and Rod La Rocque. Distributed by Paramount Pictures, the film is based on a 1922 play ''The Laughing Lady'', by Alfred Sutro which st ...

'' (1924) * ''

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

'' (1924) * ''

Too Many Kisses ''Too Many Kisses'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Paul Sloane that is based on the John Monk Saunders story "A Maker of Gestures."

'' (1925) * ''

Infatuation Infatuation or being smitten is the state of being carried away by an unreasoned passion, usually towards another person for whom one has developed strong romantic feelings. Psychologist Frank D. Cox says that infatuation can be distinguished ...

'' (1925) * '' The Little French Girl'' (1925) * '' The Street of Forgotten Men'' (1925) * '' Classified'' (1925) * '' For Wives Only'' (1926) * '' Up in Mabel's Room'' (1926) * '' Getting Gertie's Garter'' (1927) * '' Evening Clothes'' (1927, Lost) * ''

Rough House Rosie ''Rough House Rosie'' is a 1927 American silent romantic comedy film produced and released by Paramount Pictures and directed by Frank Strayer. The film is a starring vehicle for Clara Bow who was then Paramount's most popular actress. Reed How ...

'' (1927, Lost) * '' A Gentleman of Paris'' (1927) * '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1928, Lost) * ''

The Sawdust Paradise ''The Sawdust Paradise'' is a lost 1928 American silent drama film directed by Luther Reed and written by Julian Johnson, Louise Long, and George Manker Watters. The film stars Esther Ralston, Reed Howes, Hobart Bosworth, Tom Maguire, Georg ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Docks of New York ''The Docks of New York'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring George Bancroft, Betty Compson, and Olga Baclanova. The movie was adapted by Jules Furthman from the John Monk Saunders story ''The Dock ...

'' (1928) * '' Three Weekends'' (1928) * '' The Case of Lena Smith'' (1929, Lost) * ''

Frozen Justice ''Frozen Justice'' is a 1929 American pre-Code drama film directed by Allan Dwan. The picture starred Lenore Ulric in her first sound film and is based on the 1920 novel, ''Norden For Lov og Ret'', by Ejnar Mikkelsen. A shorter, silent versio ...

'' (1929, Lost) * '' South Sea Rose'' (1929, Lost) * ''

Madam Satan ''Madam Satan'' or ''Madame Satan'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film in black and white with Multicolor sequences. It was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starred Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Lillian Roth, and Ro ...

'' (1930) * '' Passion Flower'' (1930) * '' Son of India'' (1931) * '' The Squaw Man'' (1931) * '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932) * '' Kongo'' (1932) * ''

Hell Below ''Hell Below'' (aka ''Pigboats'') is a 1933 American MGM pre-Code film set in the Adriatic Sea during World War I about submarine warfare based on Commander Edward Ellsberg's novel ''Pigboats''. The film stars Robert Montgomery, Walter Huston ...

'' (1933) * '' Turn Back the Clock'' (1933) * '' The Girl from Missouri'' (1934) * ''

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

'' (1934) * ''

The Ghost Goes West ''The Ghost Goes West'' is a 1935 British romantic comedy/fantasy film starring Robert Donat, Jean Parker, and Eugene Pallette, and directed by René Clair, his first English-language film. The film shows an Old World ghost dealing with American ...

'' (1935) * '' As You Like It'' (1936) * '' The Devil Is a Sissy'' (1936) * ''

The Man Who Could Work Miracles ''The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' is a 1937 London Films British fantasy-comedy film directed by Lothar Mendes and produced by Alexander Korda. The film stars Roland Young with a cast of supporting players including Sir Ralph Richardson. ...

'' (1936) * '' They Gave Him a Gun'' (1937) * '' Captains Courageous'' (1937) * '' The Emperor's Candlesticks'' (1937) * '' Double Wedding'' (1937, Uncredited) * '' A Yank at Oxford'' (1938) * '' Too Hot to Handle'' (1938) * '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939) * '' I Take This Woman'' (1940) * ''

Edison, the Man ''Edison, the Man'' is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was played by Spencer Tracy. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story for their work on t ...

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1940) * '' Dr. Kildare Goes Home'' (1940) * ''

Flight Command ''Flight Command'' is a 1940 American film about a cocky U.S. Navy pilot who has problems with his new squadron and with the wife of his commander. It stars Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey and Walter Pidgeon. ''Flight Command'' has the distinction of ...

'' (1940) * ''

Honky Tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ( tack piano) ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Chocolate Soldier ''The Chocolate Soldier'' (German: ''Der tapfere Soldat'' he courageous soldieror ''Der Praliné-Soldat'') is an operetta composed in 1908 by Oscar Straus (composer), Oscar Straus based on George Bernard Shaw's 1894 play, ''Arms and the Man' ...

'' (1941, Uncredited) * ''

Johnny Eager ''Johnny Eager'' is a 1941 film noir directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Robert Taylor, Lana Turner and Van Heflin. Heflin won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film was one of many spoofed in ''Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid'' (19 ...

'' (1941) * '' Tortilla Flat'' (1942, Uncredited) * ''

Somewhere I'll Find You ''Somewhere I'll Find You'' is a 1942 film directed by Wesley Ruggles and starring Clark Gable and Lana Turner, released by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The film took almost two years to complete and was the last film Gable starred in before he enlisted ...

'' (1942) * '' Tennessee Johnson'' (1942) * ''

Slightly Dangerous ''Slightly Dangerous'' is a 1943 American romantic comedy film starring Lana Turner and Robert Young. The screenplay concerns a bored young woman in a dead-end job who runs away to New York City and ends up impersonating the long-lost daughter of ...

'' (1943) * ''

Marriage Is a Private Affair ''Marriage is a Private Affair'' is a 1944 war-comedy film, directed by Robert Z. Leonard, based on novel ''Marriage Is a Private Affair'' (1941) by Judith Kelly. It stars Lana Turner, Frances Gifford and James Craig. Plot During World War II ...

'' (1944) * '' An American Romance'' (1944) * ''

'' (1944) * '' Duel in the Sun'' (1946) * '' No Leave, No Love'' (1946) * '' Three Wise Fools'' (1946) * '' My Brother Talks to Horses'' (1947) * '' Living in a Big Way'' (1947) * '' The Hucksters'' (1947) * ''

Homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...

'' (1948) * '' Command Decision'' (1948) * '' The Stratton Story'' (1949) * '' Any Number Can Play'' (1949) * '' On the Town'' (1949) * ''

Key to the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...

'' (1950) * ''

To Please a Lady ''To Please a Lady'' is a 1950 American romance film produced and directed by Clarence Brown, and starring Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck. The climactic race scene was shot at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Plot Racing driver Mike Brannan ha ...

'' (1950) * ''

The Red Badge of Courage ''The Red Badge of Courage'' is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane (1871–1900). Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Ove ...

'' (1951) * '' Lone Star'' (1952) * ''

Love Is Better Than Ever ''Love Is Better Than Ever'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy film directed by Stanley Donen from a screenplay by Ruth Brooks Flippen, starring Larry Parks and Elizabeth Taylor. The plot concerns a small-town girl who falls in love with a big-c ...

'' (1952) * ''

'' (1952) * '' The Story of Three Loves'' (1953) * ''

I Love Melvin ''I Love Melvin'' is a 1953 American Technicolor musical romantic comedy film directed by Don Weis, starring Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. According to MGM records, the film earned $1,316,000 in the United States and Canada and $654,000 ...

'' (1953) * '' Dangerous When Wet'' (1953) * '' The Actress'' (1953) * '' Mambo'' (1954) * '' Ulysses'' (1954) * '' Strange Lady in Town'' (1955) * '' Pete Kelly's Blues'' (1955) * ''

'' (1956) * ''

Toward the Unknown ''Toward the Unknown'', originally called ''Flight Test Center'' and titled ''Brink of Hell'' in its UK release, is a 1956 American war film about the dawn of supersonic flight filmed on location at Edwards Air Force Base. Starring William Holden ...

'' (1956) * ''

No Time for Sergeants ''No Time for Sergeants'' is a 1954 best-selling novel by Mac Hyman, which was later adapted into a teleplay on ''The United States Steel Hour'', a popular Broadway play and 1958 motion picture, as well as a 1964 television series. The book chro ...

'' (1958) * ''

Onionhead ''Onionhead'' is a 1958 comedy-drama film set on a U.S. Coast Guard ship during World War II, starring Andy Griffith and featuring Felicia Farr, Walter Matthau, Erin O'Brien, James Gregory, Joey Bishop, and Claude Akins. It was directed by ...

'' (1958) * ''

'' (1966)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rosson, Harold 1895 births 1988 deaths Academy Honorary Award recipients American cinematographers United States Army personnel of World War I Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery Artists from New York City United States Army soldiers