John Richard Moore, ASC (October 4, 1925 - August 16, 2009) was an American cinematographer and film director. He was known for his innovations in widescreen photography, co-founding Panavision in 1954 and co-creating the MGM Camera 65 process. He received a Scientific and Engineering Oscar for the latter.
Early life and education Moore was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, on October 4, 1925. He received a bachelor's degree in cinema from the University of Southern California. Following graduation, Moore began working on travelogues and documentaries.
Career
Panavision Moore collaborated with Robert Gottschalk in 1953 to co-found Panavision, a motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses. Among the company's innovations, Panavision developed a specific camera lens for use in the Cinemascope widescreen format, and the Panaflex lightweight film camera.
In a 2005 interview with Daily Variety, Moore explained that his connections with Panavision seemed to him to be purely by chance, "Becoming a cameraman and becoming part of Panavision was strictly -- I don't know what you'd call it -- luck or fate. It's something that I didn't plan on. It just happened."
He shared the Scientific and Engineering Award (with Douglas Shearer) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1959, for the development of the MGM Camera 65 widescreen process.
Moore left Panavision nine years after the company was founded. His daughter, Marina Moore, explained that he departed Panavision because he "didn't want a desk job."
Cinematographer Moore's first director-of-photography credit was 1965's Operation C.I.A., a low-budget spy film shot in the Philippines, starring Burt Reynolds and Kieu Chinh. During the 1960's and 70's, Moore shot a variety of films including The Wild Angels, Devil's Angels, and Wild in the Streets for American International Pictures; Sydney Pollack's The Scalphunters, and Myra Breckinridge. He also shot several episodes of the television series Daktari, and the documentary Young Americans.
He had several collaborations with Paul Newman, beginning as an uncredited camera operator on Harper and finally shooting Newman's 1971 directorial effort Sometimes a Great Notion. He also had a partnership with John Huston, shooting The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) and Annie (1982), as well as additional photography on Fat City (also 1972).
In 2004, Moore received the American Society of Cinematographers' President's Award.
Director Moore directed the 1978 martial arts film Circle of Iron, which co-starred David Carradine and Christopher Lee. He produced, directed and shot television commercials throughout his career.
Personal life Moore was married three times. His first marriage, to singer Margaret Whiting, ended in divorce in 1958. He had a son, Stephen, and two daughters, Marina Lisa and Martita Laura (died 1994). Marina was born in the Bahamas while Moore was shooting underwater scenes for the 1965 James Bond film, Thunderball.
Death Moore died at his home in Palm Springs, California, on August 16, 2009, aged 83.
Filmography
Film
Director +YearTitle1978Circle of Iron
Cinematographer +YearTitleDirectorNotes1965Operation C.I.A.Christian Nyby1966The Wild AngelsRoger Corman1967Devil's AngelsDaniel HallerYoung AmericansAlex GrasshoffDocumentary1968MaryjaneMaury DexterWild in the StreetsBarry ShearThe ScalphuntersSydney Pollack1969ChangesHall BartlettWinningJames GoldstoneMackenna's GoldJ. Lee ThompsonAdditional photographyThe ReiversMark Rydell1970Myra BreckinridgeMike SarneWUSAStuart Rosenberg1971Sometimes a Great NotionPaul Newman1972The Life and Times of Judge Roy BeanJohn HustonFat CityAdditional photography1973The Stone KillerMichael Winner1982AnnieJohn Huston
Television
Cinematographer +YearTitleNotes1966ABC Stage 67Episode: "The People Trap"1966-69Daktari1971Aesop's FablesTV movie1975Hey, I'm Alive
References
External links