Thomas Del Ruth (born May 1, 1942) is a retired American cinematographer.
Early life Del Ruth was born in 1942 in Beverly Hills, California, as the son of film director Roy Del Ruth, {Star on Hollywood Blvd} and Singer and Musical star Winnie Lightner.
He was educated at Van Nuys High School and the University of Southern California and began working in the Motion Picture business as a Messenger at WB in 1959 and again at Disney Studios in 1965,{after serving in the US Army (1961-1965). Del Ruth was selected for the Disney Management program and through the program, becoming a second assistant director. Del Ruth was a Member of SAG and performed as a commercial actor and print model until his desired transition to the Camera Dept. in 1967.
Career Del Ruth switched from being in front of the camera to being behind it in 1967 and was promoted to director of photography in 1979 by Universal Studios.
He has received two Emmy Awards for outstanding cinematography as well as six additional Emmy nominations. In addition, he has won four American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Cinematography Awards as well as an additional seven ASC nominations.
Del Ruth is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), as well as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
He has experience as assistant director, producer and director.
Filmography
Film Year Title Director 1980 Motel Hell Kevin Connor 1981 Underground Aces Robert Butler 1982 Death Wish II Michael Winner1983 Hysterical Chris Bearde Get Crazy Allan Arkush 1984 Impulse Graham Baker1985 Fandango Kevin Reynols The Breakfast Club John Hughes1986 Quicksilver Thomas Michael Donnelly Stand by Me Rob Reiner1987 Cross My Heart Armyan Bernstein The Running Man Paul Michael Glaser 1988 Satisfaction Joan Freeman 1989 Look Who's TalkingAmy Heckerling 1990 Look Who's Talking Too1992 Kuffs Bruce A. Evans Little Sister Jimmy Zeilinger The Mighty Ducks Stephen Herek 1993 Amore! Lorenzo Doumani 1997 Leave It to Beaver Andy Cadiff 1998 Kissing a Fool Doug Ellin 2010 Flipped Rob Reiner
Television Year Title Director Notes 1973-1974 ABC's Wide World of Sports 6 episodes 1976 The Olympiad Bud Greenspan 2 episodes1979 Mrs. Columbo Don MedfordEdward M. AbromsSam Wanamaker 4 episodes The Last Convertible Gus Trikonis Part 3 1981 The Wonderful World of Phillip Malley Harry Falk Pilot 1981–1983 Simon & Simon Corey Allen 3 episodes 1986 Outlaws Peter Werner Pilot episode 1987 Spies 1989-1990 Wolf 11 episodes;Also credited as producer 1993 The X-Files Robert Mandel Episode "Pilot" 1994 ER Rod HolcombMimi LederMark Tinker 3 episodes (Including "24 Hours") 1995 Courthouse Ron Lagomarsino Episode "Pilot" 1995-1996 JAG 7 episodes;Also directed episode "Sightings" 1998 Charmed 7 episodes 1999-2004 The West Wing 96 episodes 2006 The Book of Daniel James Frawley Episode "Temptation" 2006-2007 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 14 episodes 2007-2008 Moonlight Rod Holcomb Episode "No Such Thing as Vampires"
TV movies Year Title Director Notes 1979 She's Dressed to Kill Gus Trikonis 1980 Mark, I Love You Gunnar Hellström1981 This House Possessed William Wiard Elvis and the Beauty Queen Gus Trikonis1982 Help Wanted: Male William Wiard Million Dollar Infield Hal Cooper Paper Dolls Edward Zwick In Love with an Older Woman Jack Bender1983 Who Will Love My Children? John Erman Intimate Agony Paul Wendkos 1984 Best Kept Secrets Jerrold Freedman1986 Blind Justice Rod Holcomb Who Is Julia? Walter Grauman 1988 Ladykillers Robert Michael Lewis 1989 Dream Breakers Stuart Millar 1992 T Bone N Weasel Lewis Teague1993 Barbarians at the Gate Glenn Jordan With Nicholas D. Knowland Donato and Daughter Rod Holcomb House of Secrets Mimi Leder1994 Shattered Image Fritz Kiersch Royce Rod Holcomb Next DoorTony Bill One Christmas With Donald M. Morgan1995 My Brother's Keeper Glenn Jordan Abandoned and Deceived Joseph Dougherty1996 Chasing the Dragon Ian Sander Full Circle Bethany Rooney1997 Asteroid Bradford May With David Hennings When the Cradle Falls Paul Schneider The Underworld Rod Holcomb1999 Down Will Come Baby Gregory Goodell It Came from the Sky Jack Bender2005 Heartless Robert Markowitz Code Breakers Rod Holcomb
Awards and nominations American Society of Cinematographers Year Category Title Result Ref. 1994Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Pilots The X-Files Unknown 1995 ER 1999 The West Wing 2005 Code Breakers 2006 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 1995Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series ER 1999The West Wing 2000 2001 2002 2003
Primetime Emmy Awards Year Category Title Result 1995 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special My Brother's Keeper 2000Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera SeriesThe West Wing 2001 2002 2003 2004 2007 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
References
External links Archive of American Television Thomas Del Ruth interview