JA
John Alton
Director, Additional Credits
Born October 5, 1901Died June 2, 1996 (94 years)
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).
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).
John Alton Filmography
| 2006 | Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light · as Self |
| 1998 | Glorious Technicolor · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1997 | The 69th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Memorial Tribute |
| 1939 | |
| 1933 |
| 1966 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) · as Director Of Photography |
| 1962 | Birdman of Alcatraz · as Director Of Photography |
| 1960 | Elmer Gantry · as Director Of Photography |
| 1960 | 12 to the Moon · as Director Of Photography |
| 1958 | Lonelyhearts · as Director Of Photography |
| 1958 | The Brothers Karamazov · as Director Of Photography |
| 1957 | Designing Woman · as Director Of Photography |
| 1956 | Tea and Sympathy · as Director Of Photography |
| 1956 | The Catered Affair · as Director Of Photography |
| 1956 | Slightly Scarlet · as Director Of Photography |
| 1956 | The Teahouse of the August Moon · as Director Of Photography |
| 1955 | Tennessee's Partner · as Director Of Photography |
| 1955 | Pearl of the South Pacific · as Director Of Photography |
| 1955 | Escape to Burma · as Director Of Photography |
| 1955 | The Big Combo · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | The Steel Cage · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | Cattle Queen of Montana · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | Passion · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | Silver Lode · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | Witness to Murder · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | Duffy of San Quentin · as Director Of Photography |
| 1953 | Take the High Ground! · as Director Of Photography |
| 1953 | I, the Jury · as Director Of Photography |
| 1953 | Count the Hours! · as Director Of Photography |
| 1953 | Battle Circus · as Director Of Photography |
| 1952 | Apache War Smoke · as Director Of Photography |
| 1952 | Washington Story · as Director Of Photography |
| 1952 | Talk About a Stranger · as Director Of Photography |
| 1951 | It's a Big Country: An American Anthology · as Director Of Photography |
| 1951 | The People Against O'Hara · as Director Of Photography |
| 1951 | Father's Little Dividend · as Director Of Photography |
| 1951 | Grounds for Marriage · as Director Of Photography |
| 1950 | Devil's Doorway · as Director Of Photography |
| 1950 | Mystery Street · as Director Of Photography |
| 1950 | Father of the Bride · as Director Of Photography |
| 1950 | Captain China · as Director Of Photography |
| 1949 | Border Incident · as Director Of Photography |
| 1949 | Reign of Terror · as Director Of Photography |
| 1949 | The Crooked Way · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | He Walked by Night · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | Hollow Triumph · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | The Amazing Mr. X · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | Canon City · as Director Of Photography |
| 1948 | Raw Deal · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | T-Men · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | Bury Me Dead · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | Driftwood · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | The Pretender · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | |
| 1947 | The Trespasser · as Director Of Photography |
| 1947 | The Ghost Goes Wild · as Director Of Photography |
| 1946 | The Magnificent Rogue · as Director Of Photography |
| 1946 | Winter Wonderland · as Cinematographer |
| 1946 | The Madonna's Secret · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | Lake Placid Serenade · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | Enemy of Women · as Cinematographer |
| 1944 | Storm Over Lisbon · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | Atlantic City · as Director Of Photography |
| 1944 | The Lady and the Monster · as Director Of Photography |
| 1943 | The Sultan's Daughter · as Director Of Photography |
| 1942 | Johnny Doughboy · as Director Of Photography |
| 1942 | The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | The Devil Pays Off · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | Forced Landing · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | Power Dive · as Director Of Photography |
| 1941 | Melody for Three · as Director Of Photography |
| 1940 | Remedy for Riches · as Director Of Photography |
| 1940 | Dr. Christian Meets the Women · as Director Of Photography |
| 1940 | Three Faces West · as Director Of Photography |
| 1940 | The Courageous Dr. Christian · as Director Of Photography |
| 1939 | Meet Dr. Christian · as Cinematographer |
| 1939 | Closed Door · as Director Of Photography |
| 1938 | Honeysuckle · as Director Of Photography |
| 1933 | The Three Amateurs · as Cinematographer |