John Alton (October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), born Johann Jacob Altmann, in

Sopron Sopron (; , ) is a city in Hungary on the Austrian border, near Lake Neusiedl/Lake Fertő. History Ancient times-13th century In the Iron Age a hilltop settlement with a burial ground existed in the neighbourhood of Sopron-Várhely. When ...

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

, 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 ...

of Hungarian-German origin. Alton photographed some of the most famous films noir of the classic period and won an

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 ...

for the cinematography of ''

An American in Paris ''An American in Paris'' is a jazz-influenced symphonic poem (or tone poem) for orchestra by American composer George Gershwin first performed in 1928. It was inspired by the time that Gershwin had spent in Paris and evokes the sights and en ...

'' (1951), becoming the first Hungarian-born person to do so in the cinematography category. He also worked as a director during the

Golden Age of Argentine cinema The Golden Age of Argentine cinema (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Época de Oro del cine argentino'' or other equivalent names), sometimes known interchangeably as the broader classical or classical-industrial period (Spanish: ''período clásico- ...

Career

Alton moved to the US to attend college and first became involved in the film industry when he was spotted by a gateman at Cosmopolitan Studios in New York looking for extras. He began as a lab technician in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in the 1920s, later becoming a cameraman within four years. He moved to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

with

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...

to film backgrounds for '' The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg'' (1927) and ended up staying for one year heading the camera department of

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

's Joinville Studios. He claimed he discovered

Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor, and entertainer. He is best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", " Louise", " Mimi", and " Thank Heaven f ...

. In 1932, he moved to Argentina where he shot many Spanish-language films and designed the country's first sound film studio for Lumiton and Argentina Sono Film. He intended to stay for a year but ended up staying for seven. He won a prize for best photography in Argentina in 1937. He returned to

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) * Hollywood ...

in the late 1930s, and shot 30 B-movies in seven years, mostly for

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

and RKO. He then worked with director

Anthony Mann Anthony Mann (born Emil Anton Bundsmann; June 30, 1906 – April 29, 1967) was an American film director and stage actor. He came to prominence as a skilled director of ''Film noirs, film noir'' and Western film, Westerns, and for his Epic film ...

to make '' T-Men'' (1947) and became one of the most sought-after cinematographers of the time being known for unconventional camera angles—especially low camera shots. His style is most notable in the films noir: '' He Walked by Night'' (1948), '' The Amazing Mr. X'' (1948), '' Raw Deal'' (1948) and ''

The Big Combo ''The Big Combo'' is a 1955 American crime film, crime film noir directed by Joseph H. Lewis, written by Philip Yordan and photographed by cinematographer John Alton, with music by David Raksin. The film stars Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte and Bria ...

'' (1955). Alton also photographed many color movies including '' Slightly Scarlet'' (a color film noir). He worked with

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (; born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American Theatre director, stage director and film director. From a career spanning over half a century, he is best known for his sophisticated innovat ...

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 ...

for 10 years including on '' Father of the Bride'' (1950) and ''

'' (1951), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Color Cinematography with Alfred Gilks. He also worked multiple times with

Richard Brooks Richard Brooks (born Reuben Sax; May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Nominated for eight Academy Awards in his career, he was best known for ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955), '' ...

including on '' Battle Circus'' (1953) and '' The Brothers Karamazov'' (1958). Alton resigned from 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) in January 1944, reportedly due to conflicts with ASC founding member and MGM camera department head John Arnold. He was reinstated at his request less than a year later, with the help of

Leon Shamroy Leon Shamroy, A.S.C. (July 16, 1901 – July 7, 1974) was an American film cinematographer known for his work in 20th Century Fox motion pictures shot in Technicolor. He and Charles Lang share the record for most Oscar nominations for Cinematog ...

, but ended up resigning a second and final time in March 1954 after a personal dispute with the president. Alton's last film was '' Elmer Gantry'' (1960). He worked with director

Charles Crichton Charles Ainslie Crichton (6 August 1910 – 14 September 1999) was an English film director and film editor, editor. Born in Wallasey, Cheshire, he became best known for directing many comedies produced at Ealing Studios and had a 40-yea ...

on '' Birdman of Alcatraz'' (1962) but both were fired after two weeks and Alton quit the industry.

Television

In 1966, Alton shot the

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

for '' Mission: Impossible'', which became a successful television series.

Book

Alton wrote ''Painting with Light'' (1949), one of the first books written by a working studio cinematographer. The book put forth several controversial theories for the day, such as depth is created by placing the brightest object in the scene furthest from the camera, and that studio lighting must always simulate natural light in texture and direction. It addresses both conventional and unconventional methods of studio motion-picture lighting. Despite the vast technical advances achieved within the motion picture industry much of the content is still pertinent. ''Painting with Light'' (1949) contains essential reading for any budding filmmaker with detailed information and ideas for lighting several difficult interior and exterior setups and situations. The table of contents includes chapters such as "Mystery Lighting", "Special Illumination", and "Visual Symphony".

Personal life

After quitting the movie industry, Alton and his wife Rozalia kept out of the public eye and traveled the world until the early 1980s living in Europe, South America, South Africa and Asia. They met while he was in Argentina and were married for 55 years until her death. In 1986, he married Billie, who died in the early 1990s.

Death

John Alton died June 2, 1996 in Santa Monica, California. He was 94.

Filmography

* '' The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg'' (1927) * ''

The Man Who Murdered ''The Man Who Murdered'' () is a 1931 German crime drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Conrad Veidt, Trude von Molo and Heinrich George. It is adapted from the 1906 novel ''L'homme qui assassina'' by Claude Farrère. The film's ...

'' (1930) * ' (1930) * '' Los tres berretines'' (1933) * ''El hijo de papá'' (1933) * '' Crimen a las tres'' (1935) * ''Big Calibre'' (1935) * '' Escala en la ciudad'' (1935) * ''Puerto Nuevo'' (1936) * ''Compañeros'' (1936) * '' Loco lindo'' (1936) * ''Tararira'' (1936) * ''

Goal A goal or objective is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan, and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is roughly similar to ...

'' (1936) * '' Amalia'' (1936) * ''El Pobre Pérez'' (1937) * ''

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

'' (1937) * ''La vida bohemia'' (1938) * ''

Honeysuckle Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or Vine#Twining vines, twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae. The genus includes 158 species native to northern latitudes in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. Widely kno ...

'' (1938) * '' Puerta cerrada'' (1938) * '' Cadetes de San Martín'' (1939) * ''El último encuentro'' (1939) * '' Caminito de Gloria'' (1939) * '' Puerta cerrada'' (1939) * '' Doce mujeres'' (1939) * ''El matrero'' (1939) * '' Remedy for Riches'' (1940) * '' Dr. Christian Meets the Women'' (1940) * '' Three Faces West'' (1940) * '' The Courageous Dr. Christian'' (1940) * '' The Devil Pays Off'' (1941) * '' Forced Landing'' (1941) * '' Melody for Three'' (1941) * ''Power Dive'' (1941) * ''Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case'' (1941) * '' The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine'' (1942) * ''Ice-Capades Revue'' (1942) * ''Johnny Doughboy'' (1942) * '' Moonlight Masquerade'' (1942) * ''Pardon My Stripes'' (1942) * ''

The Sultan's Daughter ''The Sultan's Daughter'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Arthur Dreifuss Arthur Dreifuss (sometimes credited as Dreyfuss; March 25, 1908 – December 31, 1993)

'' (1943) * ''

She's for Me ''She's for Me'' is a 1943 American musical film directed by Reginald LeBorg and starring Grace McDonald and David Bruce. Plot Two attorneys are attracted to the same client Cast * Grace McDonald as Jan Lawton * David Bruce as Michael ...

'' (1943) * '' The Lady and the Monster'' (1944) * '' Lake Placid Serenade'' (1944) * '' Storm Over Lisbon'' (1944) * ''Enemy of Women'' (1944) * ''

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

'' (1944) * '' The Captain from Köpenick'' (1945) * '' Girls of the Big House'' (1945) * '' Song of Mexico'' (1944) * ''Love, Honor and Goodbye'' (1945) * ''I Was a Criminal'' (1945) * ''Affairs of Geraldine'' (1946) * ''A Guy Could Change'' (1946) * ''The Madonna's Secret'' (1946) * '' Murder in the Music Hall'' (1946) * ''One Exciting Week'' (1946) * ''The Magnificent Rogue'' (1947) * ''The Ghost Goes Wild'' (1947) * ''Hit Parade of 1947'' (1947) * '' T-Men'' (1947) * ''

The Trespasser Trespasser is, in the law of tort, property law and criminal law, a person who commits the crime of trespassing on a property. Trespasser or ''variant'' may refer to: * Trespasser (video game), ''Trespasser'' (video game), a 1998 computer game ma ...

'' (1947) * ''

Winter Wonderland "Winter Wonderland" is a song written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith. Due to its seasonal theme, it is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere. Since its original recording by Richard Himb ...

'' (1947) * ''

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 ...

'' (1947) * '' Bury Me Dead'' (1947) * '' The Pretender'' (1947) * ''

Driftwood Driftwood is a wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves. It is part of beach wrack. In some waterfront areas, driftwood is a major nuisance. However, the driftwood provides ...

'' (1947) * '' He Walked by Night'' (1948) * '' Hollow Triumph'' (1948) * '' The Amazing Mr. X'' (1948) * '' Canon City'' (1948) * '' Raw Deal'' (1948) * ''

Border Incident ''Border Incident'' is a 1949 American film noir featuring Ricardo Montalbán, George Murphy, and Howard Da Silva. Directed by Anthony Mann, the MGM production was written by John C. Higgins from a story by John C. Higgins and George Zuckerman. ...

'' (1949) * ''

The Crooked Way ''The Crooked Way'' is a 1949 American film noir starring John Payne (actor), John Payne, Sonny Tufts and Ellen Drew. Directed by Robert Florey and shot by John Alton, the film has a similar plot (a war hero loses his memory from a combat wound) ...

'' (1949) * '' Captain China'' (1949) * ''

Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (French: ''La Terreur'', literally "The Terror") was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the French First Republic, First Republic, a series of massacres and Capital punishment in France, nu ...

'' (1949) * '' Red Stallion in the Rockies'' (1949) * '' Mystery Street'' (1950) * '' Father of the Bride'' (1950) * '' Grounds for Marriage'' (1950) * '' Devil's Doorway'' (1950) * ''

'' (1951) (ballet photography) * '' The People Against O'Hara'' (1951) * '' Father's Little Dividend'' (1951) * ''

It's a Big Country ''It's a Big Country: An American Anthology'' is a 1951 American anthology film consisting of eight segments by seven directors: Richard Thorpe, John Sturges, Charles Vidor, Don Weis, Clarence Brown, William A. Wellman and Don Hartman. Plot ...

'' (1951) * '' Talk About a Stranger'' (1952) * '' Washington Story'' (1952) * '' Apache War Smoke'' (1952) * '' Count the Hours'' (1952) * '' Battle Circus'' (1953) * '' Take the High Ground!'' (1953) * '' I, the Jury'' (1953) * '' Cattle Queen of Montana'' (1954) * '' Silver Lode'' (1954) * '' Witness to Murder'' (1954) * '' Duffy of San Quentin'' (1954) * '' Passion'' (1954) * '' Tennessee's Partner'' (1955) * ''

'' (1955) * '' Pearl of the South Pacific'' (1955) * '' Escape to Burma'' (1955) * '' The Teahouse of the August Moon'' (1956) * '' Slightly Scarlet'' (1956) * ''

The Catered Affair :''The article is about the film. For the stage adaptation, see A Catered Affair.'' ''The Catered Affair'' (also known as ''Wedding Party'') is a 1956 American comedy drama film directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Sam Zimbalist from a scr ...

'' (1956) * '' Tea and Sympathy'' (1956) * '' Designing Woman'' (1957) * '' The Brothers Karamazov'' (1958) * '' Lonelyhearts'' (1958) * '' 12 to the Moon'' (1960) * '' Elmer Gantry'' (1960) Sources:Steeman, Albert. Ibid.

Accolades

Wins *

Academy Awards 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 in ...

: Oscar, Best Cinematography, Color; ''An American in Paris,'' shared with: Alfred Gilks; 1951. Nominations * Laurel Awards: Golden Laurel, Top Cinematography, Color, ''The Brothers Karamazov,'' 4th place; 1959. Other honors *

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975. Background Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List ...

: Career Achievement Award; 1992.

References

Sources

* Harry Tomicek: Das grosse Schwarz. ''Border Incident,'' von Anthony Mann, Kamera: John Alton (1949). In: Christian Cargnelli, Michael Omasta (eds.): Schatten. Exil. ''Europäische Emigranten im Film noir.'' PVS, Vienna 1997. .

External links

*
John Alton
at ''Painting With Light''

images and analysis at ''Images Journal''

at Film Reference * (7min:41secs) {{DEFAULTSORT:Alton, John 1901 births 1996 deaths American cinematographers Best Cinematographer Academy Award winners Hungarian cinematographers Hungarian emigrants to the United States People from Sopron American expatriates in Argentina