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John F. Seitz

Camera

John F. Seitz

John F. Seitz is a cinematographer born on June 23, 1892 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He died on February 27, 1979, aged 86. He is known for Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity and The Lost Weekend. GloboWatch shows where to watch one of his movies and TV shows, country by country.

Known for
Camera
Born
June 23, 1892
Place of birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died
February 27, 1979
Also known as
John Seitz · Jack Seitz · John Francis Seitz

Biography

John Francis Seitz, A.S.C. (June 23, 1892 – February 27, 1979) was an American cinematographer and inventor. He was nominated for seven Academy Awards. Seitz's Hollywood career began in 1909 as a lab assistant with the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company in Chicago. He went to work as a lab technician for the American Film Manufacturing Company (known as "Flying A"), also in Chicago. In 1916, during the silent era, he established himself, achieving great successes with the Rudolph Valentino film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921). Highly regarded by director Billy Wilder, Seitz worked with him on the film noirs Double Indemnity (1944), The Lost Weekend (1945), and Sunset Blvd. (1950), receiving Academy Award nominations for each. In 1929, he served a year as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (A.S.C.) for which he had been a member since 1923. The A.S.C. named its 2002 Heritage Award after Seitz. Besides one Golden Globe and seven Oscar nominations, he also received the Look Magazine Award for The Lost Weekend, the A.S.C. Award for Sunset Blvd., and was among the winners of the inaugural George Award from the George Eastman House for outstanding contributions to the art of cinema for the years 1915 to 1925. He retired in 1960 and devoted himself to photographic inventions, for which he held 18 patents. An example of one Seitz invention is the matte shot: a large painting is photographed separately and later added to a scene to expand it, add effects, and/or create a sense of depth in backgrounds. He was also noted for his innovations with low-key lighting, which enhanced the film noir style. A widower, he married screenwriter Marie Boyle in 1934 who raised his daughter Margaret Alice Marhoefer and later gave birth to a son, John Lawrence Seitz.

Filmography

  1. 1960Guns of the TimberlandCinematography
  2. 1959The Man in the NetCinematography
  3. 1959Island of Lost WomenCinematography
  4. 1958The BadlandersCinematography
  5. 1958The Deep SixCinematography
  6. 1957The Big LandCinematography
  7. 1956A Cry in the NightCinematography
  8. 1955Hell on Frisco BayCinematography
  9. 1955Many Rivers to CrossCinematography
  10. 1954Rogue CopCinematography
  11. 1954The Rocket ManCinematography
  12. 1954SaskatchewanCinematography
  13. 1953Fort AlgiersCinematography
  14. 1953Invaders from MarsCinematography
  15. 1952Botany BayCinematography
  16. 1952The Iron MistressCinematography
  17. 1952The SavageCinematography
  18. 1951When Worlds CollideCinematography
  19. 1950Sunset BoulevardCinematography
  20. 1950Appointment with DangerCinematography
  21. 1950Captain Carey, U.S.A.Cinematography
  22. 1949Chicago DeadlineCinematography
  23. 1949The Great GatsbyCinematography
  24. 1948Night Has a Thousand EyesCinematography
  25. 1948The Big ClockCinematography
  26. 1948On Our Merry WayCinematography
  27. 1947SaigonCinematography
  28. 1946CalcuttaCinematography
  29. 1945The Lost WeekendCinematography
  30. 1945The UnseenCinematography
  31. 1944The Miracle of Morgan's CreekCinematography
  32. 1944Casanova BrownCinematography
  33. 1944Hail the Conquering HeroCinematography
  34. 1944Double IndemnityCinematography
  35. 1943Five Graves to CairoCinematography
  36. 1942The Moon and SixpenceCinematography
  37. 1942This Gun for HireCinematography
  38. 1941Sullivan's TravelsCinematography
  39. 1940Dr. Kildare's Strange CaseCinematography
  40. 1939Prophet Without HonorCinematography
  41. 1939The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnCinematography
  42. 1937Navy Blue and GoldCinematography
  43. 1936Poor Little Rich GirlCinematography
  44. 1936Captain JanuaryCinematography
  45. 1935The Littlest RebelCinematography
  46. 1935Curly TopCinematography
  47. 1934Marie GalanteCinematography
  48. 1933Ladies They Talk AboutCinematography
  49. 1931East LynneCinematography
  50. 1930Road to ParadiseCinematography
  51. 1928The Divine LadyCinematography
  52. 1928The PatsyCinematography
  53. 1928Across to SingaporeCinematography
  54. 1928The Trail of '98Cinematography
  55. 1926The MagicianCinematography
  56. 1926Mare NostrumCinematography
  57. 1923ScaramoucheCinematography
  58. 1922The Prisoner of ZendaCinematography
  59. 1921The Conquering PowerCinematography
  60. 1921The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseCinematography