HM
Hal Mohr
Director, Actor, Writer, Editor, Additional Credits
Born August 2, 1894Died May 10, 1974 (79 years)
Hal Mohr, A.S.C. (August 2, 1894 in San Francisco – May 10, 1974 in Santa Monica, California) was a famed movie cinematographer. He is known for his Oscar-winning work on the 1935 film, A Midsummer Night's Dream. He was awarded another Oscar for his work on The Phantom of the Opera in 1943, and received a nomination for The Four Poster in 1952. From a young age, Hal Mohr wanted to pursue a career in cinematography because he was curious to learn about how to make pictures move onscreen. He worked as a photo finisher in a photo lab to gain experience with the camera. When he was 19 years old, he filmed his first movie, Pam's Daughter, which, unfortunately, was never seen by the public because of problems with the motion picture distribution company.
Although Mohr mainly worked as a cinema portraitist on movies such as The Wedding March, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the Technicolor The Phantom of the Opera, he was passionate about exploring the limits of the camera. Mohr shot in deep focus years before Gregg Toland -- Bullets or Ballots and The Green Pastures were both shot in deep focus.
He was inspired by the moving shots in the Italian movie, Cabiria, and developed a camera with special tracking abilities for his 1914 film, Pan's Mountain.
Notably, Mohr is the only person to have won a competitive Academy Award without being nominated for it. In 1936, a write-in campaign won him the Best Cinematography Oscar for his work on A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935). The Academy later changed the Oscar rules, making write-in voting impossible. In 1944, Mohr became the first person to win an Oscar for both Black-and-White and Color cinematography when he won his second Academy Award, this time with W. Howard Greene for Best Cinematography in a Color Film, for their work on The Phantom of the Opera (1943).
Mohr was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematographer for his work on The Four Poster (1952), a film based on a play of the same name, written by Jan de Hartog. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Cinematography in a Black and White Film, for his work on the same movie.
Other film cinematographer credits include Little Annie Rooney (1925), The Big Gamble (1931), Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941), Another Part of the Forest (1948) and The Wild One (1953).
Mohr served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers from 1930 to 1931. Then, for two terms from 1963 to 1965 and finally from 1969 to 1970. He was one of the first members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a senior member of the Academy's Board of Directors. He headed the Academy's Cinematography Branch for over 20 years, and was also a part of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Before his death, he would travel the country promoting cameramen and the industry of cinematography.
For his many contributions to motion pictures and the film industry, Hal Mohr received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6433 Hollywood Blvd.
Although Mohr mainly worked as a cinema portraitist on movies such as The Wedding March, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the Technicolor The Phantom of the Opera, he was passionate about exploring the limits of the camera. Mohr shot in deep focus years before Gregg Toland -- Bullets or Ballots and The Green Pastures were both shot in deep focus.
He was inspired by the moving shots in the Italian movie, Cabiria, and developed a camera with special tracking abilities for his 1914 film, Pan's Mountain.
Notably, Mohr is the only person to have won a competitive Academy Award without being nominated for it. In 1936, a write-in campaign won him the Best Cinematography Oscar for his work on A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935). The Academy later changed the Oscar rules, making write-in voting impossible. In 1944, Mohr became the first person to win an Oscar for both Black-and-White and Color cinematography when he won his second Academy Award, this time with W. Howard Greene for Best Cinematography in a Color Film, for their work on The Phantom of the Opera (1943).
Mohr was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematographer for his work on The Four Poster (1952), a film based on a play of the same name, written by Jan de Hartog. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Cinematography in a Black and White Film, for his work on the same movie.
Other film cinematographer credits include Little Annie Rooney (1925), The Big Gamble (1931), Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941), Another Part of the Forest (1948) and The Wild One (1953).
Mohr served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers from 1930 to 1931. Then, for two terms from 1963 to 1965 and finally from 1969 to 1970. He was one of the first members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a senior member of the Academy's Board of Directors. He headed the Academy's Cinematography Branch for over 20 years, and was also a part of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Before his death, he would travel the country promoting cameramen and the industry of cinematography.
For his many contributions to motion pictures and the film industry, Hal Mohr received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6433 Hollywood Blvd.
Hal Mohr Filmography
| 1943 | |
| 1917 |
| 1938 | I Met My Love Again · as College Student (uncredited) |
| 1917 |
| 1979 | The Man You Loved to Hate · as Self (archive Audio) |
| 1914 |
| 1968 | The Bamboo Saucer · as Director Of Photography |
| 1967 | Jack and the Beanstalk · as Director Of Photography |
| 1963 | Breaking Point (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1963 | The Man from the Diners' Club · as Director Of Photography |
| 1962 | The Creation of the Humanoids · as Director Of Photography |
| 1961 | Father of the Bride (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1961 | Underworld U.S.A. · as Director Of Photography |
| 1960 | The Barbara Stanwyck Show (TV Series) · as Director Of Photography |
| 1960 | The Last Voyage · as Director Of Photography |
| 1958 | The Gun Runners · as Director Of Photography |
| 1958 | The Lineup · as Director Of Photography |
| 1957 | Baby Face Nelson · as Director Of Photography |
| 1957 | Panic (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1956 | The Boss · as Director Of Photography |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1955 | Screen Directors Playhouse (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1955 | The Bob Cummings Show (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1954 | Studio 57 (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1953 | The Wild One · as Director Of Photography |
| 1953 | Life With Father (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1952 | The Member of the Wedding · as Director Of Photography |
| 1952 | I Married Joan (TV Series) · as Cinematographer |
| 1952 | The Four Poster · as Director Of Photography |
| 1952 | Rancho Notorious · as Director Of Photography |
| 1951 | The Big Night · as Director Of Photography |
| 1950 | Woman on the Run · as Director Of Photography |
| 1950 | The Second Woman · as Director Of Photography |
| 1949 | Johnny Holiday · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | An Act of Murder · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | Another Part of the Forest · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | Pirates of Monterey · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | The Lost Moment · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | The Exile · as Cinematographer |
| 1947 | Song of Scheherazade · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | I'll Be Yours · as Director Of Photography |
| 1946 | Night in Paradise · as Director Of Photography |
| 1946 | Because of Him · as Director Of Photography |
| 1945 | Salome, Where She Danced · as Director Of Photography |
| 1945 | Her Lucky Night · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | Enter Arsene Lupin · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | The Climax · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | San Diego I Love You · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | This Is the Life · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | Ladies Courageous · as Director Of Photography |
| 1943 | Top Man · as Director Of Photography |
| 1943 | Phantom of the Opera · as Director Of Photography |
| 1943 | Watch on the Rhine · as Director Of Photography |
| 1942 | Lady in a Jam · as Director Of Photography |
| 1942 | Twin Beds · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | International Lady · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | Pot o' Gold · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | Cheers for Miss Bishop · as Director Of Photography |
| 1940 | When the Daltons Rode · as Director Of Photography |
| 1939 | Destry Rides Again · as Director Of Photography |
| 1939 | Back Door to Heaven · as Director Of Photography |
| 1939 | Rio · as Director Of Photography |
| 1939 | The Under-Pup · as Director Of Photography |
| 1938 | I Met My Love Again · as Director Of Photography |
| 1937 | Top of the Town · as Cinematographer |
| 1936 | Ladies in Love · as Director Of Photography |
| 1936 | The Green Pastures · as Director Of Photography |
| 1936 | Bullets or Ballots · as Director Of Photography |
| 1936 | The Walking Dead · as Director Of Photography |
| 1935 | Captain Blood · as Director Of Photography |
| 1935 | A Midsummer Night's Dream · as Director Of Photography |
| 1935 | Under Pressure · as Cinematographer |
| 1934 | Servants' Entrance · as Director Of Photography |
| 1934 | Charlie Chan's Courage · as Cinematographer |
| 1934 | Change of Heart · as Director Of Photography |
| 1934 | David Harum · as Director Of Photography |
| 1934 | Carolina · as Cinematographer |
| 1933 | The Worst Woman in Paris? · as Cinematographer |
| 1933 | The Devil's in Love · as Director Of Photography |
| 1933 | I Loved You Wednesday · as Director Of Photography |
| 1933 | The Warrior's Husband · as Director Of Photography |
| 1933 | State Fair · as Director Of Photography |
| 1932 | Tess of the Storm Country · as Director Of Photography |
| 1932 | The First Year · as Director Of Photography |
| 1932 | Lady with a Past · as Director Of Photography |
| 1932 | A Woman Commands · as Director Of Photography |
| 1931 | Devotion · as Director Of Photography |
| 1931 | The Big Gamble · as Director Of Photography |
| 1931 | A Woman of Experience · as Director Of Photography |
| 1931 | The Common Law · as Cinematographer |
| 1931 | The Front Page · as Cinematographer |
| 1930 | Outward Bound · as Director Of Photography |
| 1930 | The Cat Creeps · as Cinematographer |
| 1930 | Big Boy · as Director Of Photography |
| 1930 | King of Jazz · as Director Of Photography |
| 1929 | The Honeymoon · as Director Of Photography |
| 1929 | Broadway · as Director Of Photography |
| 1929 | The Last Performance · as Director Of Photography |
| 1928 | The Last Warning · as Director Of Photography |
| 1928 | Noah's Ark · as Director Of Photography |
| 1928 | The Wedding March · as Cinematographer |
| 1928 | Glorious Betsy · as Director Of Photography |
| 1928 | Tenderloin · as Director Of Photography |
| 1927 | The Jazz Singer · as Director Of Photography |
| 1927 | Old San Francisco · as Director Of Photography |
| 1926 | The Third Degree · as Director Of Photography |
| 1926 | Sparrows · as Director Of Photography |
| 1925 | Little Annie Rooney · as Director Of Photography |
| 1925 | The Monster · as Director Of Photography |
| 1917 | The Big Idea · as Director Of Photography |
| 1914 | Salomy Jane · as Cinematographer |