James Crawford Van Trees (August 13, 1890 – April 11, 1973)grave of James Van Trees; findagrave.com
Retrieved April 10, 2017 was an American

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 ...

in Hollywood whose career spanned the silent and sound eras.

Biography

His father was Franklin S. Van Trees (1866-1914), a society architect, best known for his mansions in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco, such as the Baron Edward S. Rothschild house on Jackson Street. His mother was silent era scriptwriter

Julia Crawford Ivers Julia Crawford Ivers (October 3, 1869 – May 8, 1930) was an American motion picture pioneer. Biography Born in Boonville, Missouri in 1869, her family arrived a year later in Los Angeles. Her father was a dentist. Her mother died in 1876, when ...

. Mother and son worked together on a few films more than likely becoming the first mother and son to direct and film productions. Van Trees was the President 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 ...

(ASC) during 1923–1924. His son James Van Trees, Jr. was a cameraman and worked for

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 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 ...

with his father.

Partial filmography

*''

The Wild Olive ''The Wild Olive'' is a lost 1915 American drama silent film directed by Oscar Apfel and written by Elmer Blaney Harris, Basil King and Oliver Morosco. The film stars Myrtle Stedman, Forrest Stanley, Mary Ruby, Charles Marriott, Edmund Lowe and ...

'' (1915) *''

The Code of Marcia Gray ''The Code of Marcia Gray'' is a 1916 silent romantic crime drama produced by Oliver Morosco, distributed through Paramount Pictures and directed by Frank Lloyd. Cast *Constance Collier as Marcia Gray *Harry De Vere as Harry Gray *Forrest Stanl ...

'' (1916) *''

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

'' (1916) * '' The Shuttle'' (1918) * ''

Sauce for the Goose ''Sauce for the Goose'' is a 1918 American silent comedy film directed by Walter Edwards and starring Constance Talmadge, Harrison Ford, and Vera Doria.Basinger p. 163 Cast * Constance Talmadge as Kitty Constable * Harrison Ford as John Const ...

'' (1918) * '' Mrs. Leffingwell's Boots'' (1918) *'' Widow by Proxy'' (1919) *''

Happiness a la Mode ''Happiness a la Mode'' is a 1919 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Walter Edwards and starring Harrison Ford and Constance Talmadge Constance Alice Talmadge (April 19, 1898 – November 23, 1973) was an American silent ...

'' (1919) *''

The Thirteenth Commandment ''The Thirteenth Commandment'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Robert G. Vignola and written by Alice Eyton. The film stars Ethel Clayton, Charles Meredith, Monte Blue, Anna Q. Nilsson, Irving Cummings and Winter Hall. It is ...

'' (1920) *'' Judy of Rogue's Harbor'' (1920) *'' Jenny Be Good'' (1920) *'' The Furnace'' (1920) *'' Sacred and Profane Love'' (1921) *''

Wealth Wealth is the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating Old English word , which is from an ...

'' (1921) *''

The Young Rajah ''The Young Rajah'' is a 1922 silent film starring Rudolph Valentino. The film was based on the book ''Amos Judd'' by John Ames Mitchell. Plot After fifteen years, Joshua Judd ( Charles Ogle) tells his adopted son, Amos (Valentino), that his ...

'' (1922) *''

The White Flower ''The White Flower'' is a 1923 American silent romantic drama film written and directed by Julia Crawford Ivers and starring Betty Compson and Edmund Lowe. Ivers' son, James Van Trees, was the film's cinematographer. Set in Hawaii, the film ...

'' (1923) *'' Lilies of the Field'' (1924) *''

Single Wives ''Single Wives'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and produced by and starring Corinne Griffith. It was distributed by First National Pictures. Cast Preservation status ''Single Wives'' is preserved at the ...

'' (1924) * ''

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

'' (1926) *''

The Prince of Pilsen ''The Prince of Pilsen'' is a lost 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Paul Powell and starring Anita Stewart and George Sidney. David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical prod ...

'' (1926) *''

Don Juan's Three Nights ''Don Juan's Three Nights'' also known as ''Don Juan's 3 Nights'' is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by John Francis Dillon and starring Lewis Stone, Shirley Mason, and Malcolm McGregor. It was produced by Henry Hobart and ...

'' (1926) *'' Midnight Lovers'' (1926) *''

The Prince of Headwaiters ''The Prince of Headwaiters'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by John Francis Dillon. Premise A maitre d' at the Hôtel Ritz Paris finds out his son, wealthy thanks to his mother, might be blackmailed by Mae Morin (played by Lily ...

'' (1927) *'' The Noose'' (1928) *'' Sinner's Parade'' (1928) *'' The Whip'' (1928) *'' The Lone Wolf's Daughter'' (1929) *'' So Long Letty'' (1929) * '' The Sacred Flame'' (1929) *'' The Green Goddess'' (1930) *''

The Man from Blankley's ''The Man from Blankley's'' is a lost 1930 American pre-Code comedy film, directed by Alfred E. Green. It starred John Barrymore and Loretta Young. The film was based on the 1903 play by Thomas Anstey Guthrie, writing under the pseudonym "F. ...

'' (1930) *''

Viennese Nights ''Viennese Nights'' is a 1930 American all-talking pre-Code musical operetta film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Alexander Gray, Vivienne Segal, Walter Pidgeon, Jean Hersholt, Bela Lugosi and Louise Fazenda. It was photographed en ...

'' (1930) *'' Star Witness'' (1931) *'' The Heart of New York'' (1932) *'' Heroes for Sale'' (1933) *''

Midnight Mary ''Midnight Mary'' is a 1933 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Loretta Young, Ricardo Cortez, and Franchot Tone. Plot The story begins with an indifferent Mary Martin (Young) sitting in a courtroo ...

'' (1933) *''

Baby Face Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt Baby Face Willette, "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Fa ...

'' (1933) *''

The Girl from 10th Avenue ''The Girl from 10th Avenue'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Alfred E. Green. The screenplay by Charles Kenyon is based on the 1914 play ''Outcast'' by Hubert Henry Davies. The film was released in the United Kingdom as ''Men on Her M ...

'' (1935) *'' The Bishop Misbehaves'' (1935) *''

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

'' (1935) *''

Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

'' (1936) *'' Her Master's Voice'' (1936) *''

The Gorilla Man ''The Gorilla Man'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman. Despite the title and marketing, it is not a horror film, but a World War II espionage thriller. Plot Military officer Captain Craig Killian is wounded in the lin ...

'' (1943) * ''

Nine Girls ''Nine Girls'' is a 1944 American mystery film directed by Leigh Jason from a screenplay by Karen DeWolf and Connie Lee, based on the 1943 play of the same name by Wilfred H. Petitt. The film stars Ann Harding, Evelyn Keyes, Jinx Falkenburg, A ...

'' (1944)

References

External links

*
1961 audio interview
for the ASC {{DEFAULTSORT:Trees, James Van 1890 births 1973 deaths American cinematographers Presidents of the American Society of Cinematographers