Camera
John F. Seitz
EN cinema · 158 credits
Born
23 June 1892
Died
27 February 1979 (aged 86)
Birthplace
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Also known as John Seitz · Jack Seitz · John Francis Seitz · John B. Sietz
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.
Known for
Filmography
Guns of the Timberland
Director of Photography
The Man in the Net
Director of Photography
Island of Lost Women
Director of Photography
The Badlanders
Director of Photography
The Deep Six
Director of Photography
The Big Land
Director of Photography
A Cry in the Night
Director of Photography
Santiago
Director of Photography
Hell on Frisco Bay
Director of Photography
Many Rivers to Cross
Director of Photography
The McConnell Story
Director of Photography
Rogue Cop
Director of Photography
Saskatchewan
Director of Photography
The Rocket Man
Director of Photography
Invaders from Mars
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Desert Legion
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Fort Algiers
Director of Photography
The Savage
Director of Photography
Botany Bay
Director of Photography
The Iron Mistress
Director of Photography
The San Francisco Story
Director of Photography
When Worlds Collide
Director of Photography
Detective Story
Additional Photography
Dear Brat
Director of Photography
Sunset Boulevard
Director of Photography
Appointment with Danger
Director of Photography
Captain Carey, U.S.A.
Director of Photography
The Goldbergs
Director of Photography
Chicago Deadline
Director of Photography
The Great Gatsby
Director of Photography
Night Has a Thousand Eyes
Director of Photography
On Our Merry Way
Director of Photography
The Big Clock
Director of Photography
Beyond Glory
Director of Photography
Saigon
Director of Photography
Wild Harvest
Director of Photography
Calcutta
Director of Photography
The Imperfect Lady
Director of Photography
The Well Groomed Bride
Director of Photography
Home Sweet Homicide
Director of Photography
The Lost Weekend
Director of Photography
The Unseen
Director of Photography
Double Indemnity
Director of Photography
Hail the Conquering Hero
Director of Photography
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
Director of Photography
Casanova Brown
Director of Photography
The Hour Before the Dawn
Director of Photography
Five Graves to Cairo
Director of Photography
Fly By Night
Director of Photography
This Gun for Hire
Director of Photography
The Moon and Sixpence
Director of Photography
Lucky Jordan
Director of Photography
Winning Your Wings
Cinematography
Sullivan's Travels
Director of Photography
A Little Bit of Heaven
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Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
Director of Photography
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
Director of Photography
Bad Little Angel
Director of Photography
6,000 Enemies
Director of Photography
Let's Talk Turkey
1939
Let's Talk Turkey
Director of Photography
Sergeant Madden
Director of Photography
Prophet Without Honor
Director of Photography
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Director of Photography
Thunder Afloat
Director of Photography
Culinary Carving
Cinematography
Stablemates
Director of Photography
The Crowd Roars
Director of Photography
Young Dr. Kildare
Director of Photography
Lord Jeff
Director of Photography
Love Is a Headache
Director of Photography
Carnival in Paris
1937
Carnival in Paris
Director of Photography
Between Two Women
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Navy Blue and Gold
Director of Photography
Madame X
Director of Photography
Poor Little Rich Girl
Director of Photography
Captain January
Director of Photography
15 Maiden Lane
Director of Photography
The Country Doctor
Director of Photography
The Littlest Rebel
Director of Photography
Curly Top
Director of Photography
Our Little Girl
Director of Photography
One More Spring
Director of Photography
Navy Wife
Director of Photography
Redheads on Parade
Director of Photography
Helldorado
Director of Photography
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Director of Photography
Springtime for Henry
Director of Photography
Marie Galante
Director of Photography
All Men Are Enemies
Director of Photography
Coming Out Party
Director of Photography
Mr. Skitch
Director of Photography
Ladies They Talk About
Director of Photography
Adorable
Director of Photography
Dangerously Yours
Director of Photography
Paddy the Next Best Thing
Director of Photography
She Wanted a Millionaire
Director of Photography
The Woman in Room 13
Director of Photography
6 Hours to Live
Director of Photography
Careless Lady
Director of Photography
A Passport to Hell
Director of Photography
Over the Hill
Director of Photography
The Age for Love
Director of Photography
East Lynne
Director of Photography
Merely Mary Ann
Director of Photography
Misbehaving Ladies
Director of Photography
Hush Money
Director of Photography
Men of the Sky
Director of Photography
Young Sinners
Director of Photography
The Right of Way
Director of Photography
Kismet
Director of Photography
The Bad Man
Director of Photography
Road to Paradise
Director of Photography
Sweethearts and Wives
1930
Sweethearts and Wives
Director of Photography
Back Pay
Director of Photography
In the Next Room
Director of Photography
Murder Will Out
Director of Photography
Saturday's Children
Director of Photography
The Squall
Director of Photography
The Painted Angel
Director of Photography
Careers
Director of Photography
A Most Immoral Lady
Director of Photography
Her Private Life
Director of Photography
Hard to Get
Director of Photography
The Patsy
Director of Photography
Across to Singapore
Director of Photography
Outcast
Director of Photography
The Divine Lady
Director of Photography
The Trail of '98
Director of Photography
Adoration
Director of Photography
The Fair Co-Ed
Director of Photography
The Magician
Director of Photography
Mare Nostrum
Director of Photography
Classmates
1924
Classmates
Director of Photography
The Arab
Director of Photography
The Price of a Party
Director of Photography
Scaramouche
Director of Photography
Where the Pavement Ends
Director of Photography
The Prisoner of Zenda
Director of Photography
Turn to the Right
Director of Photography
Trifling Women
Director of Photography
The Conquering Power
Director of Photography
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Director of Photography
Uncharted Seas
Director of Photography
Shore Acres
Director of Photography
The Sagebrusher
Director of Photography
Hearts Are Trumps
1920
Hearts Are Trumps
Director of Photography
The Westerners
Director of Photography
Beauty and the Rogue
Director of Photography
Powers That Prey
Director of Photography
Up Romance Road
Director of Photography
The Mate of the Sally Ann
Director of Photography
Whose Wife?
Director of Photography
A Game of Wits
1917
A Game of Wits
Director of Photography
Souls in Pawn
Director of Photography
The Serpent's Tooth
Director of Photography
The Bride's Silence
1917
The Bride's Silence
Director of Photography
The Ranger of Lonesome Gulch
1916
The Ranger of Lonesome Gulch
Director of Photography
The Quagmire
1916
The Quagmire
Director of Photography