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).
Camera 85
1960s
- 1966
- 1962
- 1960
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
The Brothers Karamazov
Director of Photography
- 1957
Designing Woman
Director of Photography
The Teahouse of the August Moon
Director of Photography
- 1956
The Catered Affair
Director of Photography
- 1955
Escape to Burma
Director of Photography
- 1954
The Steel Cage
Director of Photography
- 1953
Take the High Ground!
Director of Photography
I, the Jury
Director of Photography
Count the Hours!
Director of Photography
- 1952
Apache War Smoke
Director of Photography
Washington Story
Director of Photography
Talk About a Stranger
Director of Photography
- 1951
The People Against O'Hara
Director of Photography
Grounds for Marriage
Director of Photography
- 1950
1940s
- 1949
Border Incident
Director of Photography
Red Stallion In The Rockies
Director of Photography
- 1948
Canon City
Director of Photography
- 1947
Bury Me Dead
Director of Photography
Driftwood
Director of Photography
The Pretender
Director of Photography
The Ghost Goes Wild
Director of Photography
Wyoming
Director of Photography
The Trespasser
Director of Photography
- 1946
Affairs of Geraldine
Director of Photography
The Magnificent Rogue
Director of Photography
One Exciting Week
Director of Photography
The Madonna's Secret
Director of Photography
A Guy Could Change
Director of Photography
- 1945
Song of Mexico
Director of Photography
Girls of the Big House
Director of Photography
Love, Honor and Goodbye
Director of Photography
- 1944
Lake Placid Serenade
Director of Photography
Storm Over Lisbon
Director of Photography
Atlantic City
Director of Photography
The Lady and the Monster
Director of Photography
- 1943
The Sultan's Daughter
Director of Photography
- 1942
Johnny Doughboy
Director of Photography
Ice Capades Revue
Director of Photography
Moonlight Masquerade
Director of Photography
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Director of Photography
- 1941
Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case
Director of Photography
Devil Pays Off
Director of Photography
Forced Landing
Director of Photography
Melody for Three
Director of Photography
I Was a Criminal
Director of Photography
- 1940
Remedy for Riches
Director of Photography
Dr. Christian Meets the Women
Director of Photography
Three Faces West
Director of Photography
The Courageous Dr. Christian
Director of Photography
1930s
- 1939
Caminito de Gloria
Director of Photography
- 1938
The Bohemian Life
Director of Photography
- 1937
El pobre Pérez
Director of Photography
- 1936
¡Goal!
Director of Photography
- 1935
Escala en la ciudad
Director of Photography
Other crew 8
1950s
- 1953
1940s
- 1947
Hit Parade of 1947
Cinematography
1930s
- 1939
El matrero
Cinematography
- 1937
Cadetes de San Martín
Cinematography
- 1936
Amalia
Cinematography
- 1935
Crimen a las tres
Cinematography
- 1933
El hijo de papá
Cinematography
The Three Amateurs
Cinematography
Directed 2
1930s
- 1939
- 1933
El hijo de papá
Director
Wrote 1
1930s
- 1933
El hijo de papá
Writer
Appearances4
2000s
- 2008
'S Wonderful: Creating An American in Paris
Self (archival footage)
- 2006
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light
Self
1990s
- 1998
Glorious Technicolor
Self (archive footage)
- 1995
Dark and Deadly: Fifty Years of Film Noir
Self