Joseph Ruttenberg, A.S.C. (July 4, 1889 – May 1, 1983) was a Ukrainian-born American

photojournalist Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (suc ...

and

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 ...

. Ruttenberg was accomplished at winning accolades. At MGM, Ruttenberg was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography 10 times, winning four. In addition, he won the 1954

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...

for his camera work on the film '' Brigadoon''.

Career

Born into a Jewish family in Berdychiv

Zhytomyr oblast Zhytomyr Oblast (), also referred to as Zhytomyrshchyna (), is an Administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) in northwestern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Zhytomyr. Its population is approximately H ...

, Ukraine, Joseph Ruttenberg emigrated to the United States, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts on 7 January 1895. As a young man he went to work at the ''Boston Globe'' as a photojournalist but left in 1915 to accept a job with the

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox (producer), William Fox. It was the corporate successor to ...

in New York City to train as a cinematographer. Two years later, he was behind the camera for ''The Painted Madonna'' (1917), which marked the start of a remarkably successful career. In the late 1920s, Ruttenberg went to work for

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 ...

in New York. His first assignment for a sound film was '' The Struggle'' (1931), D.W. Griffith's final film. In 1934, Ruttenberg signed with

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 ...

, moving to Hollywood where he was invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers. Joseph Ruttenberg retired from

in 1968 and died in Los Angeles on May 1, 1983.

Filmography

* ''The Painted Madonna'' (1917) *'' The Blue Streak'' (1917) * '' The Slave'' (1917) * '' Wife Number Two'' (1917) * '' Thou Shalt Not Steal'' (1917) * ''A Heart's Revenge'' (1917) * ''The Debt of Honor'' (1918) * ''Peg of the Pirates'' (1918) * ''Doing Their Bit'' (1918) * ''The Woman Who Gave'' (1918) * ''The Yellow Dog'' (1918) * ''Woman, Woman!'' (1919) * ''A Fallen Idol'' (1919) * ''My Little Sister'' (1919) * '' The Shark'' (1920) * ''From Now On'' (1920) * ''The Tiger's Club'' (1920) * ''The Thief'' (1920) * '' The Mountain Woman'' (1921) * '' Know Your Men'' (1921) * '' A Virgin Paradise'' (1921) * ''

Beyond Price ''Beyond Price'' is a 1921 American silent film, silent drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring Pearl White, Vernon Steele and Ottola Nesmith.Munden p.54 Plot Cast * Pearl White as Sally Marrio * Vernon Steele as Philip Marrio * ...

'' (1921) * '' Silver Wings'' (1922) * '' The Town That Forgot God'' (1922) * '' Who Are My Parents?'' (1922) * '' My Friend the Devil'' (1922) * '' If Winter Comes'' (1923) * '' Does It Pay?'' (1923) * '' The Fool'' (1925) * '' School for Wives'' (1925) * '' Summer Bachelors'' (1926) * '' The Struggle'' (1931) * '' The Knife of the Party'' (1934) * '' Woman in the Dark'' (1934) * '' The People's Enemy'' (1935) * ''Frankie and Johnnie'' (1935) * ''Gigolette'' (1935) * '' Three Godfathers'' (1936) * ''Mad Holiday'' (1936) * '' Fury'' (1936) * ''Man Hunt'' (1936) * '' Piccadilly Jim'' (1936) * '' Big City'' (1937) * '' Everybody Sing'' (1937) * '' A Day at the Races'' (1937) * '' Dramatic School'' (1938) * '' The Great Waltz'' (1938) * '' Three Comrades'' (1938) * ''Spring Madness'' (1938) * '' The First Hundred Years'' (1938) * ''

The Shopworn Angel ''The Shopworn Angel'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Walter Pidgeon. The MGM release featured the second screen pairing of Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart followi ...

'' (1938) * '' On Borrowed Time'' (1939) * ''

Balalaika The balalaika (, ) is a Russian string instrument, stringed musical instrument with a characteristic triangular wooden, hollow body, fretted neck, and three strings. Two strings are usually tuned to the same note and the third string is a perf ...

'' (1939) * '' The Women'' (1939) * '' The Ice Follies of 1939'' (1939) * '' Tell No Tales'' (1939) * '' Comrade X'' (1940) * '' Broadway Melody of 1940'' (1940) * '' The Philadelphia Story'' (1940) * ''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at the ...

'' (1940) * ''

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is an 1886 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series ...

'' (1941) * '' Ziegfeld Girl'' (1941) * '' Two-Faced Woman'' (1941) * '' Woman of the Year'' (1942) * '' Crossroads'' (1942) * '' Random Harvest'' (1942) * ''

Mrs. Miniver ''Mrs. Miniver'' is a 1942 American romantic war drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. Inspired by the 1940 novel '' Mrs. Miniver'' by Jan Struther, it shows how the life of an unassuming Britis ...

'' (1942) * '' Presenting Lily Mars'' (1943) * '' Madame Curie'' (1943) * '' Mrs. Parkington'' (1944) * '' Gaslight'' (1944) * '' The Valley of Decision'' (1945) * ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...

'' (1945) * '' My Brother Talks to Horses '' (1946) * '' Killer McCoy'' (1947) * ''Beloved Stranger'' (1947) * '' Julia Misbehaves'' (1948) * '' B.F.'s Daughter'' (1948) * '' That Forsyte Woman'' (1949) * ''

The Bribe ''The Bribe'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Robert Z. Leonard and written by Marguerite Roberts, based on a story written by Frederick Nebel. The film stars Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, and Vincent Price. Plot I ...

'' (1949) * '' Side Street'' (1949) * '' The Miniver Story'' (1950) * '' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950) * ''

The Big Hangover ''The Big Hangover'' is a 1950 American comedy film released by MGM. The film starred Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor and was written and directed by Norman Krasna. Supporting players include Percy Waram, Fay Holden, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, Se ...

'' (1950) * '' Cause for Alarm!'' (1950) * '' Kind Lady'' (1951) * '' It's a Big Country'' (1951) * ''

Too Young to Kiss ''Too Young to Kiss'' (also ''All Too Young'') is a 1951 American comedy film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Van Johnson and June Allyson. The film, in which the 34-year-old Allyson's Cynthia Potter masquerades as a 14-year-old child prodigy ...

'' (1951) * '' The Great Caruso'' (1951) * '' The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1952) * ''Young Man With Ideas'' (1952) * '' Because You're Mine'' (1952) * '' Small Town Girl'' (1952) * ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

'' (1953) * '' The Great Diamond Robbery'' (1953) * '' Latin Lovers'' (1953) * '' Invitation to the Dance'' (1954) * '' Her Twelve Men'' (1954) * '' The Last Time I Saw Paris'' (1954) * '' Brigadoon'' (1954) * '' Interrupted Melody'' (1955) * '' The Prodigal'' (1955) * '' Kismet'' (1955) * '' Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) * '' The Swan'' (1956) * '' Until They Sail'' (1957) * '' Man On Fire'' (1957) * '' The Vintage'' (1957) * '' Gigi'' (1958) * '' The Reluctant Debutante'' (1958) * '' Green Mansions'' (1959) * '' The Wreck of the Mary Deare'' (1959) * ''

BUtterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same ...

'' (1960) * ''The Subterraneans'' (1960) * '' Two Loves'' (1961) * '' Bachelor in Paradise'' (1961) * '' Ada'' (1961) * '' Who's Got the Action?'' (1962) * '' The Hook'' (1962) * '' A Global Affair'' (1963) * ''

It Happened at the World's Fair ''It Happened at the World's Fair'' is a 1963 American musical film, musical comedy film starring Elvis Presley as a Aerial application, crop-dusting pilot. It was filmed in Seattle, Washington, site of the Century 21 Exposition. The governor of ...

'' (1963) * '' Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?'' (1963) * ''

Harlow Harlow is a town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a Planned community, new town in 1947, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire, and occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the ...

'' (1965) * '' Sylvia'' (1965) * '' Love Has Many Faces'' (1965) * '' The Oscar'' (1966) * ''

Speedway Speedway may refer to: Racing Race tracks *Daytona International Speedway, a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida. *Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta. *Indianapolis Motor Spe ...

'' (1968) Source:

Accolades

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 ...

wins: * '' The Great Waltz'' (1938) * ''

'' (1942) * '' Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) * '' Gigi'' (1958)

win: * '' Brigadoon'' (1954) Academy Award nominations: * ''

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1941) * '' Madame Curie'' (1943) * '' Gaslight'' (1944) * ''

'' (1953) * ''

'' (1960)

Publications

* "Photographing Pre-Production Tests," in ''

American Cinematographer 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 ...

'' (Hollywood), January 1956. * "Sound-Stage Sea Saga," in ''American Cinematographer'' (Hollywood), April 1960. * ''Positif'' (Paris), September 1972. * Seminar in ''American Cinematographer'' (Hollywood), July 1975. * ''Focus on Film'' (London), Spring 1976. * In ''Dance in the Hollywood Musical,'' by Jerome Delamater, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981. * ''Film History'' (Philadelphia), vol. 1, no. 1, 1987.Film Reference
Joseph Ruttenberg publications section, 2007. Last accessed: December 22, 2007.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruttenberg, Joseph 1889 births 1983 deaths American cinematographers American male journalists American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent American photojournalists Best Cinematographer Academy Award winners Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery