John Alton
- Known for
- Camera
- Born
- October 5, 1901
- Died
- June 2, 1996 (aged 94)
- Birthplace
- Sopron, Austria-Hungary
Biography
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
Mission: Impossible
TV · Director of Photography · 1 ep
Birdman of Alcatraz
Movie · Director of Photography
Elmer Gantry
Movie · Director of Photography
12 to the Moon
Movie · Director of Photography
Lonelyhearts
Movie · Director of Photography
The Brothers Karamazov
Movie · Director of Photography
The Teahouse of the August Moon
Movie · Director of Photography
Designing Woman
Movie · Director of Photography
Slightly Scarlet
Movie · Director of Photography
The Catered Affair
Movie · Director of Photography
Tea and Sympathy
Movie · Director of Photography
The Big Combo
Movie · Director of Photography
Escape to Burma
Movie · Director of Photography
Pearl of the South Pacific
Movie · Director of Photography
Tennessee's Partner
Movie · Director of Photography
Silver Lode
Movie · Director of Photography
Cattle Queen of Montana
Movie · Director of Photography
The Steel Cage
Movie · Director of Photography
Duffy of San Quentin
Movie · Director of Photography
Witness to Murder
Movie · Director of Photography
Passion
Movie · Director of Photography
Count the Hours!
Movie · Director of Photography
I, the Jury
Movie · Director of Photography
Take the High Ground!
Movie · Director of Photography
Talk About a Stranger
Movie · Director of Photography
Apache War Smoke
Movie · Director of Photography
Washington Story
Movie · Director of Photography
The People Against O'Hara
Movie · Director of Photography
Father's Little Dividend
Movie · Director of Photography
An American in Paris
Movie · Additional Photography
Grounds for Marriage
Movie · Director of Photography
Father of the Bride
Movie · Director of Photography
Devil's Doorway
Movie · Director of Photography
Mystery Street
Movie · Director of Photography
Captain China
Movie · Director of Photography
He Walked by Night
Movie · Director of Photography
Border Incident
Movie · Director of Photography
Reign of Terror
Movie · Director of Photography
The Crooked Way
Movie · Director of Photography
Red Stallion In The Rockies
Movie · Director of Photography
Hollow Triumph
Movie · Director of Photography
The Amazing Mr. X
Movie · Director of Photography
Canon City
Movie · Director of Photography
Raw Deal
Movie · Director of Photography
The Pretender
Movie · Director of Photography
T-Men
Movie · Director of Photography
Bury Me Dead
Movie · Director of Photography
Driftwood
Movie · Director of Photography
The Trespasser
Movie · Director of Photography
The Ghost Goes Wild
Movie · Director of Photography
Wyoming
Movie · Director of Photography
The Madonna's Secret
Movie · Director of Photography
A Guy Could Change
Movie · Director of Photography
One Exciting Week
Movie · Director of Photography
The Magnificent Rogue
Movie · Director of Photography
Affairs of Geraldine
Movie · Director of Photography
Love, Honor and Goodbye
Movie · Director of Photography
Song of Mexico
Movie · Director of Photography
Girls of the Big House
Movie · Director of Photography
Atlantic City
Movie · Director of Photography
Lake Placid Serenade
Movie · Director of Photography
Storm Over Lisbon
Movie · Director of Photography
The Lady and the Monster
Movie · Director of Photography
The Sultan's Daughter
Movie · Director of Photography
Ice Capades Revue
Movie · Director of Photography
Moonlight Masquerade
Movie · Director of Photography
Johnny Doughboy
Movie · Director of Photography
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Movie · Director of Photography
Forced Landing
Movie · Director of Photography
Melody for Three
Movie · Director of Photography
Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case
Movie · Director of Photography
Power Dive
Movie · Director of Photography
Devil Pays Off
Movie · Director of Photography
I Was a Criminal
Movie · Director of Photography
The Courageous Dr. Christian
Movie · Director of Photography
Three Faces West
Movie · Director of Photography
Dr. Christian Meets the Women
Movie · Director of Photography
Remedy for Riches
Movie · Director of Photography
Puerta cerrada
Movie · Director of Photography
Caminito de Gloria
Movie · Director of Photography
Honeysuckle
Movie · Director of Photography
The Bohemian Life
Movie · Director of Photography
El pobre Pérez
Movie · Director of Photography
¡Goal!
Movie · Director of Photography
Loco lindo
Movie · Director of Photography
Escala en la ciudad
Movie · Director of Photography