IEC
GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHERS
#1: 1955
#2: With Gloria Talbott - "We're No Angels" [1954]
#3: With actress Lana Turner - 'Oscar' [1953]
LOYAL GRIGGS
Born: 15 August 1906, Michigan, USA, as Loyal Allen Griggs.
Died: 6 May 1978, Laguna Hills, Calif., USA.
Career: After graduating from High School, went to work in 1924 as asst in the special effects department at Paramount Studios. Retired in 1971.
Was a member of the ASC.
Awards: Honorary 'Oscar' AA [1938; shared] for creating 'Transparencies' in 'Spawn of the North'; 'Oscar' AA [1953; color] for 'Shane'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1956; color] for 'The Ten Commandments'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1965; b&w] for 'In Harm's Way'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1965; color; shared] for 'The Greatest Story Ever Told'.
Loyal Griggs entered the film industry right out of school, signing up with Paramount in 1924 and staying with that studio until 1969 [probably a record for longevity with one studio]. Griggs worked in the studio's process department, first as an asst photographer before moving up to second unit photographer and process camera photographer. In 1950-51, he was hired by Lewis R. Foster as director of photography on three films: the gangster feature 'Crosswinds', and the Westerns 'Passage West' and 'The Last Outpost'; Griggs specialized in that genre, shooting eleven in all. His other films ranged from crime dramas to musicals to period epics. One of Grigg's most challenging assignments was 'The Ten Commandments'. He was selected because he was the most experienced director of VistaVision photography at Paramount. Director Cecil B. DeMille was exacting and unforgiving in his requirements, and this was certainly the largest, most expensive biblical epic of the decade.
| FILMS | |
|---|---|
|
1936 |
San Francisco [W.S. Van Dyke] b&w; ph earthquake seq; ph: Oliver T. Marsh |
|
1942 |
Dixie [A. Edward Sutherland] c; 2uc; ph: William C. Mellor |
|
1950 |
Tripoli/The First Marines [Will Price] c; 2uc; ph: James Wong Howe |
|
1950 |
Passage West/High Venture [Lewis R. Foster] c |
|
1950 |
The Last Outpost/Cavalry Charge [Lewis R. Foster] c |
|
1951 |
Crosswinds/Jungle Attack [Lewis R. Foster] c |
|
1951 |
Shane [George Stevens] 1.37:1 & 1.66:1/c; spec unit ph: Irmin Roberts; process ph: Farciot Edouart; spec pfx: Gordon Jennings; filmed late July - mid-October 1951; 'Shane' is still remembered for its breathtaking vistas, but it wasn't actually shot in widescreen. CinemaScope was beginning to take over the film industry while the movie was in production, so Paramount made the decision to blow up the negative and present 'Shane' in the new format, even though the color faded considerably as a result. Loyal Griggs was aghast at what had happened to his images. The film was roadshown for several months so that it could be given the new 'widened screen treatment'. 'Shane' was projected in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio for its Radio City Music Hall screenings in New York and its Grauman's Chinese run in Los Angeles. According to the 'Variety' review, the audience for the Los Angeles trade preview was 'perched on makeshift seating' to accommodate the 'experimental widescreen' projection, and that 'the widescreen projection did contribute...to a sense of the bigness'. 'The New York Times' reviewer commented that the widescreen projection 'slightly favors the width', but that 'the difference is barely apparent, except that some scenes appear trimmed at the bottom and the top'. [From the TCM website.] |
|
1951 |
Jumping Jacks [Norman Taurog] b&w; 2uc; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1952 |
Sudden Fear [David Miller] b&w; uncred 2uc; ph: Charles Lang Jr. |
|
1952 |
Road to Bali [Hal Walker] c; 2uc; ph: George Barnes |
|
1952 |
The Stars Are Singing [Norman Taurog] c; 2uc; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1952 |
Jamaica Run [Lewis R. Foster] c; 2uc; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1953 |
L.A. Community Chest Trailer [Norman Taurog] ? |
|
1953 |
Elephant Walk [William Dieterle] c; 2uc: Irmin Roberts; spec pfx: John P. Fulton & Paul K. Lerpae; process ph: Farciot Edouart & W. Wallace Kelley |
|
1953 |
The Naked Jungle [Byron Haskin (replaced Joseph H. Lewis)] c; 2uc; ph: Ernest Laszlo |
|
1953 |
White Christmas [Michael Curtiz] vv/c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart; 'VistaVision was Paramount's widescreen process and used single-strip Eastman color film and a new camera with a double, or 70mm, frame. The camera exposed the negative horizontally rather than vertically from magazines specially mounted on the side of the lens. The image was then optically printed into a positive 35mm frame and projected in the usual, vertical feed fashion. VistaVision boasted a consistent picture quality in the various widescreen projection ratios... from the standard 1.33:1 up to 2:1. The quality carries over into 2.55:1 when the negative is printed anamorphically for that aspect ratio.' [From the TCM website.] |
|
1954 |
The Bridges at Toko-Ri [Mark Robson] c; 2uc: W. Wallace Kelley & Tom Tutwiler; aph: Charles G. Clarke; process ph: Farciot Edouart & W. Wallace Kelley; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; optical ph: Paul K. Lerpae |
|
1954 |
3 Ring Circus/Jerrico, the Wonder Clown [Joseph Pevney] vv/c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1954 |
We're No Angels [Michael Curtiz] vv/c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton |
[Sitting/2nd from the right] with dir Cecil B. DeMille [dark hat], Charlton Heston [left]
and assoc prod Henry Wilcoxon [light hat] - "The Ten Commandments"
Cinematographer Loyal Griggs [left] and director Cecil B. DeMille seated on a crane with the constructed Sphinx at Egyptian location on set - "The Ten Commandments". [Courtesy of the American Society of Cinematographers]
|
1954 |
The Ten Commandments [Cecil B. DeMille] vv (+ 70bu [Super VistaVision; 1989])/c; addph: Wallace Kelley, J. Peverell Marley & John Warren; process ph: Farciot Edouart; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; optical ph: Paul K. Lerpae; add vfx: David S. Horsley; filmed October-December 1954 in Egypt & March-August 1955 in Hollywood |
|
1955 |
That Certain Feeling [Norman Panama & Melvin Frank] vv/c; cph: Wilfred M. Cline; process ph: Farciot Edouart; spec pfx: John P. Fulton |
|
1956 |
Three Violent People [Rudolph Maté] vv/c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1956 |
The Buster Keaton Story [Sidney Sheldon] vv/b&w |
|
1956 |
The Tin Star [Anthony Mann] vv/b&w |
[Left of camera] with dir Daniel Mann [right] and actresses Shirley Booth and Eileen Heckart - "Hot Spell"
|
1957 |
Hot Spell [Daniel Mann & (uncred) George Cukor] vv/b&w; spec pfx: John P. Fulton |
|
1957 |
The Sad Sack [George Marshall] vv/b&w; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1957 |
Wild Is the Wind [George Cukor] vv/b&w; 2uc; ph: Charles Lang Jr. |
|
1957 |
Vertigo [Alfred Hitchcock] vv/c; uncred co-2uc; ph: Robert Burks |
|
1957 |
The Buccaneer [Anthony Quinn] vv/c; fill-in ph: Ellsworth Fredricks (for 4 days when Griggs was ill); prologue ph: Harold Rosson; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; optical ph: Paul K. Lerpae; process ph: Farciot Edouart & W. Wallace Kelley |
|
1958 |
Tonka/A Horse Named Comanche [Lewis R. Foster] c |
|
1958 |
The Hangman [Michael Curtiz] b&w |
|
1958 |
The Jayhawkers! [Melvin Frank] vv/c; 2uc: Irmin Roberts; spec pfx: John P. Fulton |
|
1959 |
Visit to a Small Planet [Norman Taurog] b&w; spec pfx: Farciot Edouart & John P. Fulton |
|
1960 |
Walk Like a Dragon [James Clavell] b&w |
[Far right] with Juliet Prowse, Elvis Presley and dir Norman Taurog [3rd left] - "G.I. Blues"
Cinematographer Loyal Griggs, ASC [on far left] oversees setting up an angle on a youthful co-star over the shoulder of actor Elvis Presley while filming the comedic musical "G.I. Blues", directed by Norman Taurog [center, wearing the cool shades]. [Courtesy of the American Society of Cinematographers]
|
1960 |
G.I. Blues [Norman Taurog] c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1960 |
Blueprint for Robbery [Jerry Hopper] b&w |
|
1961 |
Love in a Goldfish Bowl [Jack Sher] p/c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1961 |
Man-Trap [Edmond O'Brien] p/b&w |
|
1962 |
Girls! Girls! Girls! [Norman Taurog] c; 2uc: Irmin Roberts; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1962 |
Papa's Delicate Condition [George Marshall] c; spec pfx: Paul K. Lerpae |
|
1962 |
The Greatest Story Ever Told [George Stevens; (uncred) David Lean & Jean Negulesco] up70/c; 141m, 199m & 225m; cph: William C. Mellor (died during prod); spec pfx: A. Arnold Gillespie, Robert R. Hoag, J. McMillan Johnson & Clarence Slifer; started as a 3-strip Cinerama prod; filmed 1962-64 |
|
1963 |
A New Kind of Love [Melville Shavelson] c; 2uc; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1964 |
In Harm's Way [Otto Preminger] p (+ 70bu)/b&w; 158m, 165m & 170m; 2uc: Philip Lathrop; spec pfx: Farciot Edouart |
|
1964 |
Tickle Me [Norman Taurog] p/c; process ph: Farciot Edouart; spec pfx: Paul K. Lerpae |
|
1965 |
The Slender Thread [Sydney Pollack] b&w |
|
1965 |
The Night of the Grizzly [Joseph Pevney] ts/c; cph: Harold Lipstein; spec pfx: Paul K. Lerpae; process ph: Farciot Edouart |
|
1966 |
Hurry Sundown [Otto Preminger] p/c; cph: Milton Krasner; Griggs started the film, but fell ill and was replaced by M. Krasner |
|
1966 |
The Young Warriors/Eagle Warriors [John Peyser] ts/c |
|
1967 |
Banning [Ron Winston] ts/c |
|
1967 |
P.J./New Face in Hell [John Guillermin] ts/c |
|
1967 |
In Enemy Country/In Enemy Hands [Harry Keller] ts/c |
|
1968 |
Paint Your Wagon [Joshua Logan] p (+ 70bu)/c; 2uc; ph: William Fraker |
|
1969 |
Airport [George Seaton & (uncred winter outdoor scenes) Henry Hathaway] tao/c; uncred 2nd cinematographer; ph: Ernest Laszlo |
|
1969 |
...tick ...tick ...tick... [Ralph Nelson] p/c |
|
1971 |
Bunny O'Hare [Gerd Oswald] c; cph: John M. Stephens |
| TELEVISION | |
|---|---|
|
1959 |
Destination Space [Joseph Pevney] pilot/b&w/51m; for CBS-tv |
|
1966 |
Preview Tonight: Roaring Camp [Lamont Johnson] unsold pilot/60m; for ABC-tv |
| MISCELLANEOUS | |
|---|---|
|
1927 |
Legion of the Condemned [William A. Wellman] co-c.asst; ph: Henry Gerrard |
|
1928 |
Ladies of the Mob [William A. Wellman] co-c.asst; ph: Henry Gerrard |
|
1928 |
Hot News [Clarence Badger] c.op; ph: William Marshall |
|
1928 |
Marquis Preferred [Frank Tuttle] co-c.asst; ph: Harry Fischbeck |
|
1929 |
The Love Parade [Ernst Lubitsch] co-c.op; ph: Victor Milner |
|
1929 |
The Marriage Playground [Lothar Mendes] c.asst; ph: Victor Milner |
|
1932 |
A Farewell to Arms [Frank Borzage] sfx asst; ph: Charles Lang Jr. |
|
1932 |
Madame Butterfly [Marion Gering] sfx asst; ph: David Abel |
|
1933 |
International House [Edward Sutherland] co-sfx staff; ph: Ernest Haller |
|
1933 |
The Eagle and the Hawk [Stuart Walker & (assoc) Mitchell Leisen] co-assoc spec pfx; spec pfx: Farciot Edouart; ph: Harry Fischbeck |
|
1933 |
Gambling Ship [Louis J. Gasnier & Max Marcin] co-assoc spec pfx; spec pfx: Farciot Edouart; ph: Charles Lang Jr. |
|
1933 |
College Humor [Wesley Ruggles] co-assoc spec pfx; spec pfx: Farciot Edouart; ph: Leo Tover |
|
1936 |
Florida Special [Ralph Murphy] co-spec pfx; ph: Leo Tover |
|
1936 |
Waikiki Wedding [Frank Tuttle] transparencies; ph: Karl Struss |
|
1938 |
Spawn of the North [Henry Hathaway] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Charles Lang Jr. |
|
1938 |
Men with Wings [William A. Wellman] asst spec pfx; spec pfx: Gordon Jennings; ph: W. Howard Greene |
|
1939 |
Glove Slingers/The Glove Slingers No. 1 [Jules White; short] tech asst; ph: George Meehan |
|
1939 |
The Biscuit Eater/God Gave Him a Dog [Stuart Heisler] c.op; ph: Leo Tover |
|
1940 |
I Wanted Wings [Mitchell Leisen (replaced Theodore Reed)] co-2u transparency cam; ph: Leo Tover |
|
1943 |
The Story of Dr. Wassell [Cecil B. DeMille] 2u transparencies; ph: Victor Milner & William Snyder |
|
1943 |
Road to Utopia [Hal Walker] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1944 |
Practically Yours [Mitchell Leisen] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Charles Lang Jr. |
|
1944 |
Two Years Before the Mast [John Farrow] asst transparency projection; ph: Ernest Laszlo |
|
1944 |
Kitty [Mitchell Leisen] asst sfx; sfx: Gordon Jennings; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1944 |
Salty O'Rourke [Raoul Walsh] co-asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Theodor Sparkuhl |
|
1944 |
The Lost Weekend [Billy Wilder] asst sfx; ph: John F. Seitz |
|
1944 |
Love Letters [William Dieterle] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Lee Garmes |
|
1944 |
Hold That Blonde [George Marshall] co-asst sfx; sfx: Gordon Jennings; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1945 |
Masquerade in Mexico [Mitchell Leisen] asst process ph (+ 1st cam Mexico); process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1945 |
You Came Along [John Farrow] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1945 |
Our Hearts Were Growing Up [William D. Russell] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Stuart Thompson |
|
1945 |
The Trouble with Women [Sidney Lanfield] co-process ph; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1945 |
Calcutta [John Farrow] asst transparency projection; ph: John F. Seitz |
|
1945 |
To Each His Own [Mitchell Leisen] transparency projection ph; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1945 |
Blue Skies [Stuart Heisler & (uncred) Mark Sandrich] c.op; ph: Charles Lang Jr. & William Snyder |
|
1945 |
The Bride Wore Boots [Irving Pichel] asst process ph; ph: Stuart Thompson |
|
1945 |
Monsieur Beaucaire [George Marshall] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1945 |
Easy Come, Easy Go [John Farrow] co-asst spec pfx; spec pfx: Gordon Jennings; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1945 |
Ladies' Man [William D. Russell] co-asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Stuart Thompson |
|
1945 |
The Searching Wind [William Dieterle] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Lee Garmes |
|
1946 |
The Perfect Marriage [Lewis Allen] asst process ph; process ph: Farciot Edouart; ph: Russell Metty |
|
1946 |
O.S.S. [Irving Pichel] co-asst transparency projection; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1946 |
My Favorite Brunette [Elliott Nugent] c.op; ph: Lionel Lindon |
|
1946 |
Golden Earrings [Mitchell Leisen] asst spec pfx; spec pfx: Gordon Jennings; ph: Daniel L. Fapp |
|
1949 |
A Place in the Sun [George Stevens ] co-process ph; ph: William C. Mellor |
|
1950 |
Woman on the Run [Norman Foster] co-spec pfx; ph: Hal Mohr |
|
1951 |
Detective Story [William Wyler] transparencies; ph: Lee Garmes |
|
1951 |
My Son John [Leo McCarey] transparencies; ph: Harry Stradling Sr. |
|
1952 |
Little Boy Lost [George Seaton] co-process ph; ph: George Barnes |
|
1961 |
Don't Knock the Twist/Let's Twist Again [Oscar Rudolph] uncred c.op; ph: Gordon Avil |
