Clyde De Vinna
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Clyde De Vinna (July 13, 1890, in
Sedalia, Missouri Sedalia is a city located approximately south of the Missouri River and, as the county seat of Pettis County, Missouri, Pettis County, Missouri, United States, it is the principal city of the Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 ...
– July 26, 1953, in Los Angeles, California) was an American film and television
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
and
director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
. He won the
Academy Award for Best Cinematography The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work on one particular motion picture. History In its first film season, 1927–28, this award (like others such as the acting awards) w ...
for ''
White Shadows in the South Seas ''White Shadows in the South Seas'' is a 1928 American synchronized sound romantic adventure film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Monte Blue and Raquel Torres. It was produced by Cosmopolitan Productions in association with MGM and dis ...
'' presented by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...
in 1930 at its 2nd
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
s show.


Career

De Vinna was cinematographer on over 120 film and television projects from 1916 through 1953. He graduated from the
University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
and began his career began when he joined Inceville studios in 1915 as First Cameraman. In 1916, he shot ''The Raiders'', the first film to be shot at what was to become
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
. He was also an avid
ham radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communi ...
enthusiast, serving as an army radio operator, and carrying a portable transmitter with him on all location shoots. While shooting '' Trader Horn'' (1931) on location in
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, he seconded as the project's ham radio operator, keeping the production crew in the African bush in contact with its base camp in
Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
. When on location in Alaska for 11 months for the filming of ''
Eskimo ''Eskimo'' () is a controversial Endonym and exonym, exonym that refers to two closely related Indigenous peoples: Inuit (including the Alaska Native Iñupiat, the Canadian Inuit, and the Greenlandic Inuit) and the Yupik peoples, Yupik (or Sibe ...
'' (1933), he kept the production company in contact with its base. While working in a small shack made air-tight against the cold, De Vinna was in
short wave Shortwave radio is radio transmission using radio frequencies in the shortwave bands (SW). There is no official definition of the band range, but it always includes all of the high frequency band (HF), which extends from 3 to 30 MHz (app ...
contact with a ham operator in New Zealand, and was overcome by
carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...
fumes emitted by his gasoline heater. When De Vinna's keystrokes faltered, the ham in New Zealand realized something was wrong, and put out a call for help to a ham in Hawaii, who in turn relayed the message to a ham in Alaska, which led to De Vinna receiving the necessary emergency aid. De Vinna's life as a cameraman, world traveler, and adventurer was captured in the 1939 Pete Smith MGM short film ''Radio Hams'', written by
Buddy Adler E. Maurice "Buddy" Adler (June 22, 1906 – July 12, 1960) was an American film producer and production head for 20th Century Fox studios. In 1954, his production of '' From Here to Eternity'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture and in 1956, h ...
and directed by
Felix E. Feist Felix Ellison Feist (; February 28, 1910 – September 2, 1965) was an American film and television director and writer born in New York City. He is probably best remembered for ''Deluge (film), Deluge'' (1933), for writing and directing the fi ...
, with actor Alonzo Price starring as Clyde De Vinna. De Vinna was also accomplished in aerial cinematography. His scenes shot in '' Air Cadet'' (1951), were referred to as "exciting air sequences" that were the "true highlights in this routine drama".


Partial filmography

* '' The Captive God'' (1916) * ''
The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...
'' (1916) * ''
Civilization A civilization (also spelled civilisation in British English) is any complex society characterized by the development of state (polity), the state, social stratification, urban area, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyon ...
'' (1916) * '' The Little Brother'' (1917) * ''
The Sawdust Ring ''The Sawdust Ring'' (also known as ''The Little Equestrienne'') is a 1917 American silent film, silent drama film distributed by the Triangle Film Corporation and starring Bessie Love. A shortened version of the film survives in 9.5 mm redu ...
'' (1917) * '' Wild Winship's Widow'' (1917) * ''
The Dark Road ''There is No Escape'' (also known as ''The Dark Road'' and ''The Thurston Story'') is a 1948 British second feature ('B') drama film directed by Alfred J. Goulding and starring Farnham Baxter, Cyril Chamberlain, Sydney Bromley and Stanley Thurs ...
'' (1917) * '' Blood Will Tell'' (1917) * '' Princess of the Dark'' (1917) *'' Within the Cup'' (1918) *'' Maid o' the Storm'' (1918) * '' Madam Who?'' (1918) *''
Patriotism Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to one's country or state. This attachment can be a combination of different feelings for things such as the language of one's homeland, and its ethnic, cultural, politic ...
'' (1918) * '' Unfaithful'' (1918) * '' Blindfolded'' (1918) * '' Rose o' Paradise'' (1918) * ''
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (; born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. Regarded as a British cultural icon, icon, she is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. List of awards and nominations received by Adele, ...
'' (1919) * '' Cupid Forecloses'' (1919) * ''
Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated dark fantasy television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel through a mysterious forest to find their way home, encount ...
'' (1919) * '' A Yankee Princess'' (1919) * '' The Little Boss'' (1919) * '' Playthings of Passion'' (1919) * '' The Iron Rider'' (1920) * '' Leave It to Me'' (1920) * '' Twins of Suffering Creek'' (1920) * '' The Face of the World'' (1921) * '' The Cheater Reformed'' (1921) * '' Lost and Found on a South Sea Island'' (1923) * '' Crimson Gold'' (1923) * '' The Victor'' (1923) * '' The Wild Party'' (1923) * '' Where is This West?'' (1923) * '' Sporting Youth'' (1924) * '' The Man in Blue'' (1925) * ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to: Fiction *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace ** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899 ** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
'' (1925) * '' War Paint'' (1926) * '' Winners of the Wilderness'' (1927) * ''
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
'' (1927) * '' The Frontiersman'' (1927) * '' Foreign Devils'' (1927) * ''
The Law of the Range ''The Law of the Range'' is a 1928 American silent Western film starring Tim McCoy and Joan Crawford and Rex Lease. Plot Betty Dallas (Crawford) is a passenger on a stagecoach that is held up by an outlaw named The Solitaire Kid (Lease). Rang ...
'' (1928) * ''
Wickedness Preferred ''Wickedness Preferred'' is a lost 1928 American silent comedy film, directed by Hobart Henley, and written by Colin Clements, Robert E. Hopkins and Florence Ryerson. The film stars Lew Cody, Aileen Pringle, Mary McAllister, Bert Roach, a ...
'' (1928) * ''
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
'' (1928) * '' The Adventurer'' (1928) * ''
White Shadows in the South Seas ''White Shadows in the South Seas'' is a 1928 American synchronized sound romantic adventure film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Monte Blue and Raquel Torres. It was produced by Cosmopolitan Productions in association with MGM and dis ...
'' (1928) * '' The Pagan'' (1929) * '' Trader Horn'' (1931) * '' Shipmates'' (1931) * ''
Politics Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...
'' (1931) * '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932) * '' Bird of Paradise'' (1932) * ''
Eskimo ''Eskimo'' () is a controversial Endonym and exonym, exonym that refers to two closely related Indigenous peoples: Inuit (including the Alaska Native Iñupiat, the Canadian Inuit, and the Greenlandic Inuit) and the Yupik peoples, Yupik (or Sibe ...
'' (1933) * '' Tarzan and His Mate'' (1934) * ''
Lazy River "(Up A) Lazy River" is a popular tune and song by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin, published in 1930. The melody is by Arodin, arranged and with words modified by Carmichael. It is considered a jazz standard and pop standard, and has ...
'' (1934) * ''
Viva Villa! ''Viva Villa!'' is a 1934 American pre-Code Western film directed by Jack Conway and starring Wallace Beery as Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. The screenplay was written by Ben Hecht, adapted from the 1933 book '' Viva Villa!'' by Edgecumb ...
'' (1934) * ''
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 a ...
'' (1934) * '' West Point of the Air'' (1935) * ''
China Seas The China Seas consist of a series of marginal seas in the Western Pacific Ocean, around China. They are the major components signifying the transition from the continent of Asia to the Pacific Ocean.Pinxian Wang, Qianyu Li, Chun-Feng Li, ''Geol ...
'' (1935) * ''
Ah, Wilderness! ''Ah, Wilderness!'' is a comedy play by American playwright Eugene O'Neill that premiered on Broadway at the Guild Theatre on October 2, 1933. It differs from a typical O'Neill play in its happy ending for the central character, and depiction o ...
'' (1935) * '' Old Hutch'' (1936) * '' The Good Old Soak'' (1937) * '' Saratoga'' (1937) * '' Big City'' (1937) * ''
The Bad Man of Brimstone ''The Bad Man of Brimstone'' is a 1937 American Western film directed by J. Walter Ruben and starring Wallace Beery, Virginia Bruce and Dennis O'Keefe. The screenplay was written by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum, from a story by Ruben and Ma ...
'' (1937) * '' Of Human Hearts'' (1938) * ''
Fast Company ''Fast Company'' is an American business magazine published monthly in print and online, focusing on technology, business, and design. It releases six print issues annually. History ''Fast Company'' was founded in November 1995 by Alan Webb ...
'' (1938) * '' Passing Parade'' (1938) * '' Too Hot to Handle'' (1938) * '' Football Romeo'' (1938) * '' New Roadways'' (1939) * '' Bridal Suit'' (1939) * '' Unseen Guardians'' (1939) * '' All About Hash'' (1940) * '' The Hidden Master'' (1940) * ''
20 Mule Team ''20 Mule Team'' (also known as ''Twenty Mule Team'') is a 1940 American western film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Marjorie Rambeau, Anne Baxter and Wallace Beery, who appears with his nephew Noah Beery Jr. The film was originally ...
'' (1940) * '' Bubbling Troubles'' (1940) * '' Phantom Raiders'' (1940) * ''
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
'' (1940) * '' American Spoken Here'' (1940) * '' Fightin' Fools'' (1941) * '' The Bad Man'' (1941) * '' The Penalty'' (1941) * '' Barnacle Bill'' (1941) * '' The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' (1941) * ''
Come Back, Miss Pipps ''Come Back Miss Pipps'' is a 1941 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 198th ''Our Gang'' short to be released. The tile evokes MGM's British schoolteacher film ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939) and was Clarence Wilson' ...
'' (1941) * '' Tarzan's Secret Treasure'' (1941) * '' The Bugle Sounds'' (1942) * '' A Yank on the Burma Road'' (1942) * '' Jackass Mail'' (1942) * '' Whistling in Dixie'' (1942) * '' Rio Rita'' (1942) * '' Ship Ahoy'' (1942) * '' The Omaha Trail'' (1942) * ''
A Yank at Eton ''A Yank at Eton'' is an American comedy-drama film directed by Norman Taurog for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Mickey Rooney, Ian Hunter, and Peter Lawford. Released in 1942, it is a kind of junior thematic sequel to MGM's British-made film ...
'' (1942) * '' The Battle for the Marianas'' (1944) * '' The Caribbean Mystery'' (1945) * ''
Within These Walls ''Within These Walls'' is a British television drama programme made by London Weekend Television for ITV and shown between 1974 and 1978. It portrayed life in HMP Stone Park, a fictional women's prison. Unlike later women-in-prison TV series ...
'' (1945) * ''
It's a Joke, Son! ''It's a Joke, Son!'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff (in his final directorial role in a film) featuring radio comedian Kenny Delmar as Senator Claghorn, Senator Beauregard Claghorn, a character on Fred Allen's radio ...
'' (1947) * '' Sword of the Avenger'' (1948) * ''
The Jungle ''The Jungle'' is a novel by American author and muckraking-journalist Upton Sinclair, known for his efforts to expose corruption in government and business in the early 20th century. In 1904, Sinclair spent seven weeks gathering information ...
'' (1952) * '' Air Cadet'' (1951)


Television credits

* ''
The Silver Theatre ''The Silver Theatre'' is an American television program, television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 3, 1949, to June 26, 1950, and was hosted by Conrad Nagel. It was also known as ''Silver Theater''. Most of the show's episodes ...
'' (2 episodes, 1950) * '' The Roy Rogers Show'' (2 episodes, 1951–1952) * '' I Married Joan'' (3 episodes, 1953)


Awards


References


External links

*
1922 passport photo of De Vinna, for travel to Tahiti
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Vinna, Clyde 1890 births 1953 deaths People from Sedalia, Missouri Film people from Los Angeles University of Arkansas alumni American cinematographers Best Cinematographer Academy Award winners