Karl Struss
Encyclopedia
Karl Struss, A.S.C. was a photographer and a cinematographer
of the 1920s through the 1950s. He was also one of the earliest pioneers of 3-D film
s. While he mostly worked on films, he was also one of the cinematographers for the television series Broken Arrow
.
He was born in New York, New York and studied photography with Clarence H. White. His first successes came selling photographs to magazines including Vogue
, Vanity Fair
, and Harper's Bazaar
. (However, he was quick to insist that he was not doing fashion photography.)
In 1919, he moved to Los Angeles
and signed on with Cecil B. DeMille
as a cameraman and subsequently worked on many films. He was later also admitted to the American Society of Cinematographers
.
In 1949, he began his work in "stereo cinematography", becoming one of the first proponents of that art form. Unfortunately, he did most of his 3D work in Italy
and none of his films were subsequently released in 3D in the United States
.
four times. The first time, and the only time he won, was for Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans in 1929, sharing that award with Charles Rosher
. He was nominated again in 1932 for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
, in 1934 for The Sign of the Cross
, and in 1942 for Aloma of the South Seas
with Wilfred M. Cline, A.S.C. and William E. Snyder, A.S.C.
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
of the 1920s through the 1950s. He was also one of the earliest pioneers of 3-D film
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
s. While he mostly worked on films, he was also one of the cinematographers for the television series Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow (TV series)
Broken Arrow is a Western series which ran on ABC-TV in prime time from 1956 through 1958 on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Repeat episodes were shown by ABC on Sunday afternoons during the 1959–60 season...
.
He was born in New York, New York and studied photography with Clarence H. White. His first successes came selling photographs to magazines including Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, and Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
. (However, he was quick to insist that he was not doing fashion photography.)
In 1919, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and signed on with Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
as a cameraman and subsequently worked on many films. He was later also admitted to the American Society of Cinematographers
American Society of Cinematographers
The American Society of Cinematographers is an educational, cultural, and professional organization. It is not a labor union, and it is not a guild. Membership is by invitation and is extended only to directors of photography and special effects experts with distinguished credits in the film...
.
In 1949, he began his work in "stereo cinematography", becoming one of the first proponents of that art form. Unfortunately, he did most of his 3D work in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and none of his films were subsequently released in 3D in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Awards
In his career, Struss was nominated for an Academy Award for Best CinematographyAcademy Award for Best Cinematography
The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture.-History:...
four times. The first time, and the only time he won, was for Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans in 1929, sharing that award with Charles Rosher
Charles Rosher
Charles Rosher, A.S.C. was a two-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer who worked from the early days of silent films through the 1950s...
. He was nominated again in 1932 for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 film)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Fredric March. The film is an adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , the Robert Louis Stevenson tale of a man who takes a potion which turns him from a mild-mannered man of...
, in 1934 for The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross (film)
The Sign of the Cross is a pre-Code epic film released by Paramount Pictures, produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille from a screenplay by Waldemar Young and Sidney Buchman, and based on the original 1895 play by Wilson Barrett....
, and in 1942 for Aloma of the South Seas
Aloma of the South Seas (1941 film)
Aloma of the South Seas is a 1941 island romance adventure starring Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall and directed by Alfred Santell. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is based on the 1925 Broadway play by LeRoy Clemens and John B. Hymer. It is a remake of the 1926 film of the same name...
with Wilfred M. Cline, A.S.C. and William E. Snyder, A.S.C.
External links
- Biography on 3D Gear website
- Karl Struss in 1912(portrait by Clarence H. White)
- Karl Struss 1912(by Clarence H. White, courtesy the Amer.Society of Cinematographers)
