Richard Howard Kline, (November 15, 1926 - August 7, 2018) was an American cinematographer. He was a second-generation filmmaker, being the son of cinematographer Benjamin H. Kline and the nephew of ASC co-founder Phil Rosen and cinematographer Sol Halperin. He was twice Oscar nominated, for Camelot (1967) and King Kong (1976).Richard H. Kline, Cinematographer on 'Camelot,' 'Body Heat' and 'King Kong,' Dies at 91
Other notable films he shot included The Boston Strangler (1968), The Andromeda Strain (1971), The Mechanic (1972), Soylent Green (1973), Mandingo (1975), The Fury (1978), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), Body Heat (1981), and Howard the Duck (1986). He often worked with directors Richard Fleischer and Michael Winner.
Early life
Kline was born in Los Angeles, California in 1926; his father was cinematographer Benjamin H. Kline, and his uncles were cinematographers Sol Halperin and Phil Rosen, the latter being a co-founder of the American Society of Cinematographers.
After Kline graduated from high school in 1943 at the age of 16, his father got him a job as a slate boy working for Columbia Pictures the same year, and one of the films he worked on as a slate boy was Cover Girl. He originally had aspiration of being a lawyer.
A year later, in 1944, Kline joined the U.S. Navy, serving from 1944 to 1946. He initially worked at the Naval Photographic Science Laboratory. By the time he had joined the Navy, he was already a first assistant cameraman. Kline was shipped out to the Pacific Theatre about the USS Los Angeles, where he would film battles out on the ocean.
Kline left the Navy in 1946, and went to Paris in 1948 to study art history at the Sorbonne, after he could not find a job in Hollywood.
Career After graduating from Sorbonne with a degree in Fine Art and Fine History, he married and returned to Hollywood, and returned to Columbia in 1951, working first as a camera assistant, and then a camera operator.
With the help of Sol Halperin, Kline began working as a cinematographer in 1963, and in 1967, he became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers. Kline worked extensively with director Richard Fleischer, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography on two occasions. Much of his work was in the realm of genre cinema, and he collaborated with directors like Fleischer, Michael Winner, Robert Wise, and Brian De Palma. Kline also worked alongside other cinematographers such as Charles Lawton Jr., Burnett Guffey, James Wong Howe, and Philip H. Lathrop.
He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on Camelot in 1967, and for another Oscar for his work on King Kong in 1976, and was the recipient of the 20th annual ASC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
Death A lifelong resident of Los Angeles, Kline died from natural causes at his home in Brentwood, at the age of 91, on August 7, 2018, the 51st anniversary of when he joined the A.S.C.
Filmography
Film Year TitleDirector Notes1966Chamber of HorrorsHy Averback1967CamelotJoshua Logan1968Hang 'Em HighTed Postwith Leonard J. SouthThe Boston StranglerRichard Fleischer1969A Dream of KingsDaniel MannGaily, GailyNorman Jewison1970The Moonshine WarRichard Quine1971The Andromeda StrainRobert WiseKotchJack Lemmon1972Hammersmith Is OutPeter UstinovWhen the Legends DieStuart MillarThe MechanicMichael Winnerwith Robert PaynterBlack GunnRobert Hartford-Davis1973Soylent GreenRichard FleischerThe Harrad ExperimentTed PostBattle for the Planet of the ApesJ. Lee ThompsonThe Don Is DeadRichard Fleischer1974The Terminal ManMike HodgesMr. MajestykRichard Fleischer1975MandingoI Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?Steven Hilliard Stern1976Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved HollywoodMichael WinnerKing KongJohn Guillermin1978The FuryBrian De PalmaWho'll Stop the RainKarel Reisz1979TiltRudy DurandStar Trek: The Motion PictureRobert Wise1980Touched by LoveGus TrikonisThe CompetitionJoel Oliansky1981Body HeatLawrence KasdanLovespellTom Donovan1982Death Wish IIMichael Winnerwith Thomas Del Ruth1983Man, Woman and Child Dick RichardsDeal of the CenturyWilliam FriedkinBreathlessJim McBride1984Hard to HoldLarry PeerceAll of MeCarl Reiner1985The Man with One Red ShoeStan Dragoti1986Howard the DuckWillard HuyckTouch and GoRobert Mandel1988My Stepmother Is an AlienRichard Benjamin1990DowntownRichard Benjamin1991Double ImpactSheldon Lettich1997Meet Wally SparksPeter Baldwin
Television Year Title Notes1960Shotgun Slade1 episode1963Mr. Novak14 episode1965Honey West3 episodes1966T.H.E. Cat1 episodeTwelve O'Clock HighThe MonkeesPilot episode1975Kate McShane1 episode1982Coming Out of the IceTV movie1996Home Song
Awards and nominations AwardYearCategoryWorkResultRef.Academy Award1968Best CinematographyCamelot1977King KongAmerican Society of Cinematographers Award2006Lifetime Achievement Award
References
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