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1-10 of 10
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Robert L. Surtees began his working life as a portrait photographer and retoucher, before becoming camera assistant at Universal in 1927. He spent a lengthy apprenticeship (15 years) working under such experienced cinematographers as Hal Mohr, Joseph Ruttenberg and Gregg Toland. Between 1929 and 1930, he was seconded to the Universal studios in Berlin, subsequently spending the remainder of the decade at First National, Warner Brothers and Pathe. He settled at MGM in 1943 (remaining under contract until 1962), and soon developed a reputation as one of Hollywood's foremost lighting cameramen.
In keeping with the glamorous, lavish look of MGM product of the time, Surtees typically employed high-key lighting. This particularly suited big budget colour epics, like Quo Vadis (1951) and Ben-Hur (1959) (filmed in the large screen Camera 65 process with anamorphic lenses, which greatly enhanced colour definition and sharpness); expansive outdoor musicals like Oklahoma! (1955) (the first picture shot in 70 mm Todd-AO ultra wide- screen format); or lush, romantic period drama like Raintree County (1957). Forever at the cutting edge of technological innovation, Surtees was an extremely versatile craftsman. He excelled at every genre and photographic process, superb at shooting sweeping scenery (for example, his Technicolor lensing of King Solomon's Mines (1950)on location in Africa), or bringing the best out of his close-ups. An undoubted high point in his career would have to be the 9-minute chariot race from "Ben-Hur".
Surtees received the first of his 16 Oscar nominations for Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) (when the studio system was at its peak), and his last - some 33 years later - for The Turning Point (1977). Testimony to his ageless endurance was being picked by director Peter Bogdanovich to shoot The Last Picture Show (1971). In the same nostalgic vein, his work on The Sting (1973), photographed in subtle sepia tones (the film was deemed by the Library of Congress as 'aesthetically significant'), contributed greatly to its winning 7 Academy Awards.- Writer
- Producer
John Paxton was born on 21 May 1911 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Murder, My Sweet (1944), Crossfire (1947) and Kotch (1971). He died on 5 January 1985 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Actor
Kiki was a circus dwarf, appearing in various circuses in Sweden and Europe before, during and after World War II, such as Circus Schumann, Circus Zoo etc. He also appeared in movies made by Svensk Filmindustri, where the famous Swedish director Ingmar Bergman found him for a serious role in Gycklarnas afton.- Actress
Pamela Drake was born on 21 August 1923 in California, USA. She was an actress. She died on 5 January 1985 in Tucson, Arizona, USA.- Dan Stowell was born on 26 November 1912 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for I Was a Criminal (1945) and Reg'lar Fellers (1941). He died on 5 January 1985 in Alameda, California, USA.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jean-Claude Rémoleux was born on 8 February 1923 in Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. He was an actor, known for Band of Outsiders (1964), The Trial (1962) and The Big Scare (1964). He died on 5 January 1985 in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, France.- Jaakko Jokelin was born on 5 September 1923 in Kuusankoski, Finland. He was an actor, known for Syksyllä kaikki on toisin (1978), Sissit (1963) and Matleena (1970). He was married to Aili Maria Lindh. He died on 5 January 1985.
- Tine Medema was born on 5 February 1909 in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. She was an actress, known for De vergeten medeminnaar (1963). She was married to Fred Sterneberg. She died on 5 January 1985 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.
- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Ryû Kuze was born on 19 January 1908 in Ehime, Japan. He was an actor, known for Yojimbo (1961), Sanjuro (1962) and The Hidden Fortress (1958). He died on 5 January 1985.- Lizzy Valesco was born on 13 December 1907 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. She was an actress, known for Kermisgasten (1936). She died on 5 January 1985 in Noordwijkerhout, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands.