Ric Waite (July 10, 1933 – February 18, 2012) was an American cinematographer whose numerous film and television credits included Red Dawn, Footloose, 48 Hrs., and The Long Riders. Waite received four Emmy nominations during his career. He won his only Emmy for his work on the 1976 television miniseries Captains and the Kings.
Life and career Waite was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force after graduation from high school and was a member of the Air Force's Photo Intelligence unit. He moved to New York City, where he owned a studio as a professional photographer. Waite specialized in advertising and fashion photography. His clients included Jaguar Cars, Glamour, Vogue, Hanes, DuPont, and GQ.
In 1970, Waite moved to Los Angeles. His earliest work as a cinematographer was in television, including the 1970s television series Emergency!, City of Angels, and Police Story. He also shot many television films including Tail Gunner Joe in 1977, in which he earned an Emmy nomination; The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish, released in 1977, for which he received another Emmy nomination; Dead of Night and Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill, which aired in 1979. Waite earned his fourth and final Emmy nomination in 1996 for the television film Andersonville.
Waite's feature film debut as a cinematographer was The Long Riders, a 1980 Western film directed by Walter Hill. His numerous film credits as director of photography included Footloose by Herbert Ross; Red Dawn by John Milius; Brewster's Millions, a 1985 film also by Hill; Summer Rental by director Carl Reiner; Volunteers by Nicholas Meyer; Cobra by George P. Cosmatos; and Adventures in Babysitting by Chris Columbus.
In 2002, Waite moved to the Denver metropolitan area. He taught lighting and cinematography within the film studies department at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
He also shot Best Ribs in Town and Assassins' Code. He had signed on as the cinematographer for the film Legacy.
Waite died from a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles on February 18, 2012, at the age of 78.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Notes 1971 The Day of the Wolves Ferde Grofe Jr.1974 A Time for Love Rick Jason Goodnight Jackie Jerry London 1978 The Other Side of the Mountain Part 2 Larry Peerce1980 Defiance John Flynn On the Nickel Ralph Waite The Long Riders Walter Hill1982 The Border Tony Richardson Tex Tim Hunter 48 Hrs. Walter Hill 1983 Class Lewis John Carlino1984 Footloose Herbert Ross Red Dawn John Milius1985 Brewster's Millions Walter Hill Summer Rental Carl Reiner Also 2nd unit director Volunteers Nicholas Meyer 1986 Cobra George P. Cosmatos 1987 Adventures in Babysitting Chris Columbus1988 Rambo III Peter MacDonald Uncredited The Great Outdoors Howard Deutch 1990 Marked for Death Dwight H. Little 1991 Out for Justice John Flynn 1992 Rapid Fire Dwight H. Little 1994 On Deadly Ground Steven Seagal 1997 Truth or Consequences, N.M.Kiefer Sutherland 1999 Woman Wanted 2004 Fallacy Jeff Jensen 2009 Best Ribs in Town David Mikalson 2011 Assassins' Code Lawrence Riggins With Richard Lerner
Television Year Title Director Notes 1973 Police Story David FriedkinJohn Llewellyn Moxey 2 episodes1974 Nakia Leonard J. Horn Pilot Temperatures Rising Herbert Kenwith 2 episodes 1974-1975 Emergency! Georg FenadyKevin TigheChristian I. Nyby IIJoseph PevneyDon RichardsonJames W. GavinRichard C. BennettWes McAfee 20 episodes 1975-1976 Medical Story Don MedfordPaul WendkosRalph SenenskyRobert L. Collins 4 episodes 1976 City of Angels Don MedfordSigmund Neufeld, Jr.Robert DouglasAlan ReisnerBarry ShearDouglas HeyesJerry LondonHy AverbackRalph Senensky 12 episodes 1976 Captains and the Kings Douglas HeyesAllen Reisner Miniseries1977 Most Wanted Virgil W. Vogel Episode "The Pirate" Wonder Woman Stuart MargolinBruce Bilson 2 episodes 1980 Freebie and the Bean Lawrence Dobkin Episode "The Seduction of the Bean" 1995 Nowhere Man Tobe HooperJames DarrenJames Whitmore Jr.Thomas J. Wright 4 episodes
TV movies Year Title Director Notes1977 Tail Gunner Joe Jud Taylor The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish Robert L. Collins Dead of Night Dan Curtis Red Alert William Hale1978 The Initiation of Sarah Robert Day A Question of Guilt Robert Butler Leave Yesterday Behind Richard Michaels A Guide for the Married Woman Hy Averback1979 Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill Joel Schumacher Charleston Karen Arthur Steeletown Robert L. Collins With Gil Hubbs And Baby Makes Six Waris Hussein Nero Wolfe Frank D. Gilroy1980 The Comeback Kid Peter Levin A Perfect Match Mel Damski Revenge of the Stepford Wives Robert Fuest Baby Comes Home Waris Hussein 1983 DempseyGus Trikonis With Sol Negrin 1985 Midas Valley 1987 You Ruined My Life David Ashwell Segment of The Magical World of Disney 1988 Police Story: Burnout Michael Switzer 1993 Last Light Kiefer Sutherland 1996 Andersonville John Frankenheimer1997 Last Stand at Saber River Dick Lowry Heart Full of Rain Roger Young Hope Goldie Hawn 1998 Money Plays Frank D. Gilroy 1999 Absence of the Good John Flynn 2000 Ratz Thom Eberhardt2001 A Mother's Fight for Justice Thomas Rickman Love and TreasonLewis Teague The Triangle
Awards and nominations Primetime Emmy Awards Year Title Category Result1977 Tail Gunner JoeOutstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish Captains and the Kings Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour) 1996 Andersonville Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
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