Conrad Wells (1892

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

– January 2, 1930

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

) 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 c ...

and

film editor Film editing is both a creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film which increasingly involves the use of digital technology. The film edi ...

Biography

Wells began his film career as a camera assistant, becoming a full cameraman in 1919. He specialized in outdoor cinematography often on

Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

and action-adventure films. Conrad Wells was born as Abraham Fried but began using "Conrad Wells" in 1927. On January 2, 1930, while filming aerial scenes for the film ''

Such Men Are Dangerous ''Such Men Are Dangerous'' (a.k.a. ''The Mask of Love'') is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Kenneth Hawks and written by Ernest Vajda. The film is based on a novella by Elinor Glyn who based her story on the 1928 real-life disa ...

'', he was killed in a plane crash over the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

along with 9 others: pilot Walter Ross Cook, cameraman George Eastman, assistant director Ben Frankel, assistant director Max Gold, Tom Harris, Harry Johannes, Otho Jordan, director Kenneth Hawks, and pilot Halleck Rouse. The planes that crashed into each other were identical Stinson SM-1F

Detroiters ''Detroiters'' is an American television comedy series created by Sam Richardson, Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin, and Joe Kelly. The series, filmed on location in Detroit, starred native Michiganders Sam Richardson (of Detroit) and Tim Robinson (of ...

, sun glare was listed as a probable cause. He is buried at the Home of Peace Memorial Park in East

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wo ...

Filmography

* '' The Lost Battalion'' (1919) * ''

Even as Eve ''Even as Eve'' is a 1920 American silent drama film by A. H. Fischer Features and distributed by Associated First National Pictures. Produced by B. A. Rolfe, the film was directed by Rolfe and Chester De Vonde, with Arthur A. Cadwell and Co ...

'' (1920) * ''The Good-Bad Wife'' (1920) * '' Man and Woman'' (1920) * '' The Man from Hell's River'' (1922) * '' The Woman Who Fooled Herself'' (1922) * ''

The Tents of Allah ''The Tents of Allah'' is a 1923 American silent drama film written and directed by Charles A. Logue and starring Monte Blue, Mary Alden, and Frank Currier. Synopsis While visiting her uncle, the American consul in Tangier, Morocco, a yo ...

'' (1923) * '' The Galloping Fish'' (1924) * '' His Forgotten Wife'' (1924) * '' Three in Exile'' (1925) * '' With This Ring'' (1925) * '' Wreckage'' (1925) * '' The Silent Guardian'' (1925) * ''

The Phantom Express The Phantom Express is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery crime-drama directed by Emory Johnson and based on the Emory Johnson story. The film stars William Collier, Jr. as Bruce Harrington, Sally Blane as Carolyn Nolan and Hobart Bosworth ...

'' (1925) * '' Rustling for Cupid'' (1926) * ''

The Midnight Kiss ''The Midnight Kiss'' is a lost 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Janet Gaynor. It was produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. Cast *Richard Walling as Thomas H. Atkins Jr. *Janet Gaynor as Mild ...

'' (1926) * '' The Country Beyond'' (1926) * ''

Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl ''Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl'' is a 1926 American drama film directed by Irving Cummings and written by Gertrude Orr. It is based on the 1906 play ''Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl'' by Theodore Kremer. The film stars Madge Bellamy, Allan ...

'' (1926) * '' The Brute'' (1927) * '' The Black Diamond Express'' (1927) * '' The Swell-Head'' (1927) * ''

The Desired Woman ''The Desired Woman'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Irene Rich, William Russell and William Collier Jr. It is now considered to be lost. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film ...

'' (1927) *'' Dressed to Kill (1928) * ''

Chicken a La King The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

'' (1928) * ''

Dry Martini The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. A popular variation, the vodka martini, uses vodka inst ...

'' (1928) * '' Romance of the Underworld'' (1928) * '' Captain Lash'' (1929) * '' True Heaven'' (1929) * ''

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the December 31, last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly ...

'' (1929) * '' The Woman from Hell'' (1929) * '' Behind That Curtain'' (1929) * '' The Sky Hawk'' (1929) * '' Let's Go Places'' (1930) * ''

'' (1930)

References

* *

External links

Parker v. Granger case details plane crash that killed Conrad Wells, Kenneth Hawks et al
* ttp://mlsandy.home.tsixroads.com/Corinth_MLSANDY/rt066.html An account of the plane crash that killed Conrad Wells, Kenneth Hawks et al
Conrad Wells
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Conrad 1892 births 1930 deaths Accidental deaths in California Artists from New York City American cinematographers Burials at Home of Peace Cemetery Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1930 Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States