Camera
John Alton
EN, ES cinema · 103 credits
Born
5 October 1901
Died
2 June 1996 (aged 94)
Birthplace
Sopron, Austria-Hungary
John Alton A.S.C. (October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), born Johann Altmann, in Sopron/Ödenburg, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary, was an American cinematographer. Alton won an Academy Award for the cinematography of An American in Paris (1951), becoming the first Hungarian-born person to do so. He photographed some of the most famous film noirs of the classic period. He started out in Los Angeles as a lab technician in the 1920s, later becoming a cameraman within four years. He moved to France with Ernst Lubitsch to film backgrounds for The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927) and ended up staying for one year heading the camera department of Paramount Pictures's Joinville Studios. In 1932 he moved to Argentina where he shot many Spanish-language films and designed the country's first sound film studio for Lumiton and Argentina Sono Film. He returned to Hollywood in the late 1930s, with two dozen film credits, and became one of the most sought after cinematographers in American cinema. Alton was known for unconventional camera angles—especially low camera shots. His style is most notable in the film noirs: He Walked by Night, The Big Combo, The Amazing Mr. X, T-Men, and Raw Deal. Alton also photographed many color movies including Slightly Scarlet (a color film noir).
Known for
Filmography
'S Wonderful: Creating An American in Paris
as Self (archival footage)
Glorious Technicolor
as Self (archive footage)
Birdman of Alcatraz
Director of Photography
Elmer Gantry
Director of Photography
12 to the Moon
Director of Photography
Lonelyhearts
Director of Photography
The Brothers Karamazov
Director of Photography
Designing Woman
Director of Photography
The Teahouse of the August Moon
Director of Photography
Slightly Scarlet
Director of Photography
Tea and Sympathy
Director of Photography
The Catered Affair
Director of Photography
The Big Combo
Director of Photography
Tennessee's Partner
Director of Photography
Pearl of the South Pacific
Director of Photography
Escape to Burma
Director of Photography
Silver Lode
Director of Photography
The Steel Cage
Director of Photography
Cattle Queen of Montana
Director of Photography
Passion
Director of Photography
Witness to Murder
Director of Photography
Duffy of San Quentin
Director of Photography
Count the Hours!
Director of Photography
I, the Jury
Director of Photography
Battle Circus
Cinematography
Take the High Ground!
Director of Photography
Talk About a Stranger
Director of Photography
Apache War Smoke
Director of Photography
Washington Story
Director of Photography
The People Against O'Hara
Director of Photography
Father's Little Dividend
Director of Photography
An American in Paris
Additional Photography
Grounds for Marriage
Director of Photography
Father of the Bride
Director of Photography
Devil's Doorway
Director of Photography
Mystery Street
Director of Photography
Captain China
Director of Photography
He Walked by Night
Director of Photography
Border Incident
Director of Photography
Reign of Terror
Director of Photography
The Crooked Way
Director of Photography
Red Stallion In The Rockies
Director of Photography
Hollow Triumph
Director of Photography
The Amazing Mr. X
Director of Photography
Canon City
Director of Photography
Raw Deal
Director of Photography
The Pretender
Director of Photography
T-Men
Director of Photography
Bury Me Dead
Director of Photography
Hit Parade of 1947
Cinematography
Driftwood
Director of Photography
The Trespasser
Director of Photography
The Ghost Goes Wild
Director of Photography
Wyoming
Director of Photography
The Madonna's Secret
Director of Photography
A Guy Could Change
Director of Photography
One Exciting Week
Director of Photography
The Magnificent Rogue
Director of Photography
Affairs of Geraldine
Director of Photography
Love, Honor and Goodbye
Director of Photography
Song of Mexico
Director of Photography
Girls of the Big House
Director of Photography
Atlantic City
Director of Photography
Lake Placid Serenade
Director of Photography
Storm Over Lisbon
Director of Photography
The Lady and the Monster
Director of Photography
The Sultan's Daughter
Director of Photography
Ice Capades Revue
Director of Photography
Moonlight Masquerade
Director of Photography
Johnny Doughboy
Director of Photography
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Director of Photography
Power Dive
Director of Photography
Melody for Three
Director of Photography
Forced Landing
Director of Photography
Devil Pays Off
Director of Photography
Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case
Director of Photography
I Was a Criminal
Director of Photography
The Courageous Dr. Christian
Director of Photography
Three Faces West
Director of Photography
Dr. Christian Meets the Women
Director of Photography
Remedy for Riches
Director of Photography
Doce mujeres
1939
Doce mujeres
Cinematography
El matrero
Cinematography
Puerta cerrada
Director, Director of Photography
Caminito de Gloria
Director of Photography
Honeysuckle
Director of Photography
El último encuentro
1938
El último encuentro
Cinematography
The Bohemian Life
Director of Photography
Palermo
1937
Palermo
Cinematography
Cadetes de San Martín
Cinematography
El pobre Pérez
Director of Photography
Compañeros
1936
Compañeros
Cinematography
Amalia
Cinematography
¡Goal!
Director of Photography
Loco lindo
1936
Loco lindo
Director of Photography
Crimen a las tres
Cinematography
Escala en la ciudad
Director of Photography
El hijo de papá
Director, Writer, Cinematography
The Three Amateurs
Cinematography