John A. Alonzo

John A. Alonzo, ASC (June 12, 1934 – March 13, 2001) was an American cinematographer, television director, and actor[1][2][3][4] known for his diverse body of work in both film and television.

John A. Alonzo
Born(1934-06-12)June 12, 1934
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 13, 2001(2001-03-13) (aged 66)
Occupation(s)Cinematographer, actor, director
Years active1967–2001
SpouseSuzanne Heltzel (1954–1966) Jan Murray (?–2001; his death)
ChildrenGorgiana Alonzo, Angela Argenzia, Cristiana Murray

Alonzo pioneered handheld work, lighting techniques and high-definition video development during his career. He is remembered mainly for Chinatown (1974) and Scarface (1983), the former for which he was nominated for both a BAFTA and an Academy Award. In addition, he was the recipient of a Primetime Emmy for his work on the 2000 CBS television adaptation of Fail Safe.

Alonzo was the first American cinematographer of Mexican-American and Latino heritage to become a member of the Cinematographer's Union in Los Angeles, as well as the first to be inducted into the ASC.[1]

Career

Alonzo's career began as part of the clean-up crew at television station WFAA in Dallas. However, within a short time, he had made himself indispensable, not only building sets, hanging lights and moving cameras, but also directing cooking and children's shows. Eventually, he and actor Hank Williamson created a popular comedy duo: Alonzo became the voice and puppeteer of the irreverent "Señor Turtle," who with Williamson as his sidekick, introduced movies and cartoons. In 1956, the show was picked up by station KHJ in Hollywood, where it lasted only 26 weeks. So Alonzo worked for a time as a still photographer, and as an actor, with appearances in several well-known shows such as Twilight Zone (Season 2 – Episode 12 in "Dust" as Luis Gallegos), Combat!, 77 Sunset Strip, and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

A seminal moment came during the shooting of The Magnificent Seven, in which Alonzo had a small role, when he met the cinematographer Charles Lang. This inspiring encounter, as well as the chance to briefly collaborate with James Wong Howe a few years later, finally gave Alonzo the impetus to devote his life to cinematography. By the mid-1960s, he was photographing many documentaries for National Geographic and the David L. Wolper Company, and greatly influencing the innovative "Look" of the New Hollywood that became so powerful in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

His uncomplicated and minimalistic style, combined with his first-hand knowledge of acting, made him one of the most in-demand directors of photography in Hollywood. In addition, he was not only one of the best "hand-held cameramen in Hollywood, but also a pioneer of high-def digital cinematography. In 1993/94 he shot (for NBC) the first HD movie in the history of American television, World War II: When Lions Roared.

Alonzo died in 2001 after a long illness, at home in Brentwood, California. Perhaps his best known student is two-time Oscar winner John Toll, who began his career as Alonzo's assistant on films like Black Sunday, Norma Rae, Tom Horn and Scarface.

In 2007, director Axel Schill helmed a feature documentary about Alonzo, The Man Who Shot Chinatown – The Life & Work of John A. Alonzo.

Filmography

Short film

Year Title Director
1965 The Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes Robert Clouse
2000 The Dancing Cow Taz Goldstein

Feature film

Director

Cinematographer

Year Title Director
1970 Bloody Mama Roger Corman
1971 Vanishing Point Richard C. Sarafian
Harold and Maude Hal Ashby
1972 Get to Know Your Rabbit Brian De Palma
Sounder Martin Ritt
Another Nice Mess Bob Einstein
Lady Sings the Blues Sidney J. Furie
Pete 'n' Tillie Martin Ritt
1973 The Naked Ape Donald Driver
Hit! Sidney J. Furie
1974 Conrack Martin Ritt
Chinatown Roman Polanski
1975 The Fortune Mike Nichols
Once Is Not Enough Guy Green
Farewell, My Lovely Dick Richards
1976 I Will, I Will... for Now Norman Panama
The Bad News Bears Michael Ritchie
1977 Black Sunday John Frankenheimer
Which Way Is Up? Michael Schultz
Beyond Reason Telly Savalas
1978 Casey's Shadow Martin Ritt
The Cheap Detective Robert Moore
1979 Norma Rae Martin Ritt
1980 Tom Horn William Wiard
1981 Back Roads Martin Ritt
Zorro, The Gay Blade Peter Medak
1983 Blue Thunder John Badham
Cross Creek Martin Ritt
Scarface Brian De Palma
1984 Out of Control Allan Holzman
Runaway Michael Crichton
1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Richard Pryor
Nothing in Common Garry Marshall
1987 Real Men Dennis Feldman
Overboard Garry Marshall
1989 Physical Evidence Michael Crichton
Steel Magnolias Herbert Ross
1990 Internal Affairs Mike Figgis
The Guardian William Friedkin
Navy SEALs Lewis Teague
1992 Housesitter Frank Oz
Cool World Ralph Bakshi
1993 The Meteor Man Robert Townsend
1994 Clifford Paul Flaherty
Star Trek Generations David Carson
1995 The Grass Harp Charles Matthau
1998 Letters from a Killer David Carson
2000 The Prime Gig Gregory Mosher
2002 Deuces Wild[lower-alpha 1] Scott Kalvert

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1958 The Gun Runners Soldier in Car Uncredited
1960 The Crowded Sky Young Repairman
The Magnificent Seven Miguel
1961 The Long Rope Manuel Alvarez
Susan Slade Engineer Uncredited
1962 Hand of Death Carlos, lab assistant
Terror at Black Falls Carlos Avila
1964 Invitation to a Gunfighter Manuel

Television

TV movies

Year Title Notes
1969 The World of Peggy Lee Nick Cominos
1971 Cannon George McCowan
Revenge! Jud Taylor
1972 Visions... Lee H. Katzin
1973 Voyage of the Yes
Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed? Theodore J. Flicker
1976 Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby Sam O'Steen
1979 Champions: A Love Story Himself
Portrait of a Stripper
1980 Belle Starr
Blinded by the Light
1982 The Kid From Nowhere Beau Bridges
1988 Roots: The Gift Kevin Hooks
1999 Lansky John McNaughton
2000 Fail Safe Stephen Frears

TV series

Year Title Director Notes
1988 Knightwatch Farhad Mann Episode "Knights of the City"
1994 World War II: When Lions Roared Joseph Sargent Miniseries

Acting credits

Year Title Role Notes
1958 Dragnet Episode "The Big Border"
1959 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Episode "Ballad for a Bad Man"
Border Patrol Pete Episode "A Bundle of Dope"
The Thin Man Bellboy Episode "Cold Cargo"
1960 Perry Mason Pedro Guitterez Episode "The Case of the Prudent Prosecutor"
1961 The Twilight Zone Luis Gallegos Episode "Dust"
Route 66 Juan Domingo Episode "Most Vanquished, Most Victorious"
Bronco Tony Gomez Episode "Guns of the Lawless"
Cheyenne Rico Episode "Winchester Quarantine"
Ripcord Amendarez Episode "Top Secret"
1962 Combat! Bialos Episodes "Cat and Mouse" and "The Prisoner"
1962-1963 The Gallant Men Cpl. Marsh / Sgt. Morales Episodes "And Cain Cried Out" and "The Crucible"
1963 77 Sunset Strip Carlos Escheveria Episode "The Man Who Wasn't There"
1963-1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre Officer Miller / Cpl. Jack Osante Episodes "The Long, Lost Life of Edward Smalley" and
"Once Upon a Savage Night"
1964 Temple Houston Long Maned Pony Episode "Last Full Moon"
Nightmare in Chicago Officer Miller TV movie
Alfred Hitchcock Presents The Intern Episode "The Gentleman from America"
Destry Jose Episode "Ride to Rio Verde"
1966-1967 The Wild Wild West Lightnin' McCoy / Sarrkan Episodes "The Night of the Golden Cobra" and
"The Night of the Surreal McCoy"
1967 Bewitched Guard Episode "Art for Sam's Sake"
1969 Bracken's World Cameraman Episode "The Chase Sequence"

Documentary works

Film

Year Title Director Notes
1973 Wattstax Mel Stuart Concert film
1984 Terror in the Aisles Andrew J. Kuehn
1986 50 Years of Action! Douglass M. Stewart Jr. With Charlie Clifton and Caleb Deschanel

Short film

Year Title Director
1968 San Sebastian 1746 in 1968 Floyd L. Peterson
1969 The Moviemakers Jay Anson

TV movies

Year Title Director Notes
1966 The World of Animals: It's a Dog's World Alan Landsburg
Joseph L. Scanlan
With Vilis Lapenieks
1967 Do Blonds Have More Fun? Mel Ferber With Vilis Lapenieks, Stan Lazan and Kenneth Van Sickle
A Nation of Immigrants Robert Abel
Aram Boyajian
Mel Stuart
With Les Blank, Adam Giffard and Vilis Lapenieks
The Big Land David H. Vowell With Vilis Lapenieks and Stan Lazan
1968 The World of Animals: The World of Horses Joseph L. Scanlan With David Blewitt and Dieter Perschke
Sophia: A Self-Portrait Robert Abel
Mel Stuart
With Roberto Gerardi
The World of Animals: Big Cats, Little Cats Bud Wiser With David Blewitt, Robert Grant, J. Barry Herron,
Fred Kaplan and Vilmos Zsigmond
1972 Hollywood: The Dream Factory With Jim Wilson

TV series

Year Title Director Notes
1967–1969 National Geographic Specials Irwin Rosten
Jeff Myrow
Walon Green
Heinz Sielmann
Himself
4 episodes
1968 The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau Patrick Watson Episode "Search in the Deep"

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Title Result
1974 Academy Awards Best Cinematography Chinatown Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography Nominated
1994 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie World War II: When Lions Roared Nominated
1999 Lansky Won
2000 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Light Direction Fail Safe Won

Notes

  1. Posthumous release

References

  1. "John A. Alonzo; Cinematographer, 66". The New York Times. March 29, 2001.
  2. Variety
  3. Schnitt.de
  4. "Art-tv.ch". Archived from the original on April 10, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
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