Bruce Surtees
American cinematographer (1937–2012)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bruce Mohr Powell Surtees (July 23, 1937 – February 23, 2012) was an American cinematographer, best known for his collaborations with Clint Eastwood.[1] He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work Lenny (1974).
July 23, 1937
Bruce Surtees | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bruce Mohr Powell Surtees July 23, 1937 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 23, 2012 (aged 74) Carmel, California, U.S. |
| Education | ArtCenter College of Design |
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
| Years active | 1971–2002 |
| Father | Robert Surtees |
Early life and education
Surtees was born in Los Angeles, in 1937, as the son of three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert L. Surtees and Maydell Lois James.[2] Surtees was given the middle name "Mohr" after his father's mentor Hal Mohr.[3] He studied at the ArtCenter College of Design.
Career
Surtees worked as an animation technician at Walt Disney Pictures before becoming a camera assistant under his father's direction for The Hallelujah Trail and Lost Command.[4]
He formed a close friendship with Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood, serving as a camera operator for Coogan's Bluff and Two Mules for Sister Sara. Impressed by Surtees' camera work, Siegel made him the cinematographer for The Beguiled and Dirty Harry.[5] Surtees worked as a cinematographer on several of Eastwood's films, including Play Misty for Me, High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Sudden Impact.[1]
He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Lenny (1974), Bob Fosse's biopic of comedian Lenny Bruce. Starting in the mid-1990's, Surtees mostly worked on made-for-television films, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Dash and Lilly (1999).
Surtees was affectionately nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" for his low-key lighting.[1]
Personal life
Filmography
- The Beguiled (1971)
- Play Misty for Me (1971)
- Dirty Harry (1971)
- The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid (1972)
- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
- Joe Kidd (1972)
- High Plains Drifter (1973)
- Blume in Love (1973)
- The Outfit (1973)
- Lenny (1974)
- Night Moves (1975)
- Sparkle (1976)
- Leadbelly (1976)
- The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
- The Shootist (1976)
- Three Warriors (1977)
- Big Wednesday (1978)
- Movie Movie (1978) (segment "Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
- Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
- Dreamer (1979)
- Inchon (1981)
- Firefox (1982)
- White Dog (1982)
- Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains (1982)
- Honkytonk Man (1982)
- Bad Boys (1983) - with Donald E. Thorin
- Risky Business (1983) - with Reynaldo Villalobos
- Sudden Impact (1983)
- Tightrope (1984)
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- Pale Rider (1985)
- Psycho III (1986)
- Out of Bounds (1986)
- Ratboy (1986)
- Back to the Beach (1987)
- License to Drive (1988)
- Men Don't Leave (1990)
- Run (1991)
- Chains of Gold (1991)
- The Super (1991)
- That Night (1992)
- The Crush (1993)
- The Birds II: Land's End (1994)
- Corrina, Corrina (1994)
- The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995)
- The Substitute (1996)
- Just a Little Harmless Sex (1998)
- Murder in a Small Town (1999)
- Dash and Lilly (1999)
- That Championship Season (1999)
- Lethal Vows (1999)
- The Lady in Question (1999)
- Thin Air (2000)
- American Tragedy (2000)
- Joshua (2002)
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Award | 1975 | Best Cinematography | Lenny | Nominated | [8] |
| Primetime Emmy Award | 1999 | Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie | Dash and Lilly | Nominated | [9] |