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John Alton (I) (1901–1996)

Cinematographer | Camera and Electrical Department | Director

Starting out in 1924 as a lab technician at MGM, John Alton left there for Paramount to become a cameraman. He traveled to France and then to South America, where he wrote, photographed and directed several Spanish-language films. Returning to Hollywood in 1937, he soon achieved a reputation as one of the industry's most accomplished cinematographers... See full bio »

Born:

Johann Altmann
in Sopron, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary)

Died:

(age 94) in Santa Monica, California, USA
4 videos | 23 news articles »

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Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideCinematographer (103 titles)
1966 Mission: Impossible (TV series)
– Pilot (1966)
 
1962 Birdman of Alcatraz (uncredited)
 
1960 12 to the Moon
 
1960 Elmer Gantry (photographed by)
 
1958 The Brothers Karamazov
 
1958 Lonelyhearts
 
1957 Designing Woman
 
1956 The Teahouse of the August Moon (director of photography)
 
1956 Tea and Sympathy
 
1956 The Catered Affair
 
1956 Slightly Scarlet
 
1955 Tennessee's Partner
 
1955 Pearl of the South Pacific
 
1955 Escape to Burma
 
1955 The Big Combo (director of photography)
 
1954 The Steel Cage
 
1954 Cattle Queen of Montana (director of photography)
 
1954 Passion
 
1954 Silver Lode
 
1954 Witness to Murder (director of photography)
 
1954 Duffy of San Quentin
 
1953 Take the High Ground!
 
1953 I, the Jury
 
1953 Count the Hours (director of photography)
 
1953 Battle Circus
 
1952 Apache War Smoke
 
1952 Washington Story
 
1952 Talk About a Stranger
 
1951 It's a Big Country
 
1951 The People Against O'Hara
 
1951 Father's Little Dividend
 
1951 Grounds for Marriage
 
1950 Devil's Doorway (director of photography)
 
1950 Mystery Street (director of photography)
 
1950 Father of the Bride
 
1950 Captain China
 
1949 Border Incident
 
1949 Reign of Terror
 
1949 Red Stallion in the Rockies (director of photography)
 
1949 The Crooked Way
 
1948 He Walked by Night (director of photography)
 
1948 Hollow Triumph (director of photography)
 
1948 The Amazing Mr. X
 
1948 Canon City
 
1948 Raw Deal (director of photography)
 
1947 T-Men (director of photography)
 
1947 Bury Me Dead
 
1947 Driftwood
 
1947 The Pretender
 
1947 Wyoming
 
1947 The Trespasser (director of photography)
 
1947 Winter Wonderland
 
1947 Hit Parade of 1947
 
1947 The Ghost Goes Wild
 
1946 Affairs of Geraldine
 
1946 The Magnificent Rogue
 
1946 One Exciting Week
 
1946 The Madonna's Secret
 
1946 A Guy Could Change
 
1945 Song of Mexico
 
1945 Girls of the Big House
 
1945 Love, Honor and Goodbye
 
1945 I Was a Criminal
 
1944 Lake Placid Serenade
 
1944 Enemy of Women
 
1944 Storm Over Lisbon
 
1944 Atlantic City
 
1944 The Lady and the Monster
 
1944 The Sultan's Daughter (director of photography)
 
1942 Johnny Doughboy
 
1942 Ice-Capades Revue
 
1942 Moonlight Masquerade
 
1942 The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
 
1942 Pardon My Stripes
 
1942 No Greater Power (short) (director of photography)
 
1941 Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case
 
1941 The Devil Pays Off
 
1941 Forced Landing
 
1941 Melody for Three
 
1941 Power Dive (director of photography)
 
1940 Dr. Christian Meets the Women
 
1940 Three Faces West (photography)
 
1940 The Courageous Dr. Christian
 
1940 Remedy for Riches
 
1939 Meet Dr. Christian (uncredited)
 
1939 Caminito de Gloria
 
1939 The Outlaw
 
1939 12 Women
 
1939 Closed Door
 
1938 Honeysuckle
 
1938 La vida bohemia
 
1938 The Last Meeting
 
1937 Cadets of St. Martin
 
1937 Poor Perez
 
1936 Amalia
 
1936 Crazy Dandy
 
1936 Compañeros
 
1936 Tararira
 
1936 Goal
 
1935 Crimen a las tres
 
1935 Escala en la ciudad
 
1934 El hijo de papá
 
1933 The Three Amateurs (uncredited)
 
Show ShowCamera and Electrical Department (7 titles)
1952 Singin' in the Rain (additional photographer - uncredited)
 
1951 An American in Paris (ballet photographer)
 
1946 Murder in the Music Hall (cinematographer: ice skating numbers)
 
1945 Mexicana (assistant camera - uncredited)
 
1931 Der Mann, der den Mord beging (cinematographer: Constantinople footage)
 
1930 The Song of the Flame (cinematographer: Paris footage - uncredited)
 
1927 The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (cinematographer: German footage - uncredited)
 
Show ShowDirector (3 titles)
1939 Closed Door
 
1934 El hijo de papá
 
1933 The Three Amateurs (uncredited)
 
Show ShowWriter (1 title)
Show ShowProducer (1 title)
1934 El hijo de papá (producer)
 
Show ShowSelf (1 title)
1997 The 69th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself - Memorial Tribute
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (2 titles)
2007 Mystery Street: Murder at Harvard (video short)
Himself
 
1998 Glorious Technicolor (TV documentary)
Himself - Cinematographer
 

Related Videos

Father's Little Dividend -- In this sequel to Father of the Bride (1950), newly married Kay Dunstan announces that she and her husband are going to have a baby, leaving her father having to come to grips with the fact that he will soon be a granddad. The Amazing Mr. X -- On the beach one night, Christine Faber, two years a widow, thinks she hears her late husband Paul calling out of the surf... Melody for Three -- Dr. Christian takes an interest in a young boy, a violin prodigy, whose mother is a divorced music teacher...
See all 4 »
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Personal Details

Other Works:

(1949) Book: "Painting with Light".

Publicity Listings:

2 Articles  | See more »
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

There is no doubt in my mind that the most beautiful music is sad, and the most beautiful photography is in a low-key, with rich blacks. See more »

Trivia:

In 1960, following his work on Elmer Gantry, he quit the movie business. He returned briefly in 1966 to direct photography for the pilot episode of the TV series Mission: Impossible. Afterwards, he virtually disappeared. For years, even his closest friends did not know his whereabouts. In 1984, his work was honored at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado... See more »

Star Sign:

Libra