John Morley Stephens(born November 17, 1932Valparaiso, IndianadiedHuntington Beach, CaliforniaJune 18, 2015) was an Americancinematographer.He was noted for his innovative work on the 1966 filmGrand Prix,for which he pioneered the use of a number of camera mounts and developed the first remotely operatedpan-and-tilt-head camera.[1]For this latter invention, he received a Technical Achievement Award from theSociety of Operating Cameramenin 1994.[2]
John M. Stephens | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Morley Stephens November 17, 1932 |
| Died | June 18, 2015(aged 82) Orange County, California,United States |
| Occupation(s) | Cinematographer,camera operator |
Biography
editStephens learned how to use a camera when he served in the United States Navy in the 1950s. Working as a photographer inSun Valley, Idaho,he entered film work as an assistant cameraman and stills photographer onBus Stop(1956) andSouth Pacific(1958).[3]
As a cinematographer, Stephens was known for his work on such films asBilly Jack,Blacula,Martin Scorsese'sBoxcar Bertha,andWilliam Friedkin'sSorcerer.He also shot the memorable bicycle chase forSteven Spielberg'sE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,though he did not receive on-screen credit for his work. He was also thesecond unit directorand cameraman forJohn Landis' comedyThree Amigosand the aerial photographer forPhil Alden Robinson's acclaimedField of Dreams.From the late 1980s onward, he more prominently worked as a second unit director of photography, most notably onMartin Brest'sMidnight RunandJames Cameron'sTitanic.
Stephens died inOrange County, Californiaon June 18, 2015. He was 82.[4]
Partial filmography
editAs camera operator
edit- Bus Stop(1956) - 2nd assistant cameraman (uncredited)
- South Pacific(1958) - 2nd assistant cameraman (uncredited)
- Ski Party(1965)- camera operator - (uncredited)
- The Hallelujah Trail(1965) - second unit (uncredited)
- Seconds(1966)
- Grand Prix(1966)
- Ice Station Zebra(1968) - additional arctic photography
- Snowball Express(1972) - second unit
- The Fog(1980) - additional camera (uncredited)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial(1982) - (uncredited)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom(1984) - California unit
- Three Amigos(1986) - second unit; also second unit director
- Field of Dreams(1989) - aerial photographer
As cinematographer
edit- Run, Angel, Run(1969)
- Billy Jack(1971)
- Bunny O'Hare(1971)
- Boxcar Bertha(1972)
- Blacula(1972)
- Sorcerer(1977)
- Ski Patrol(1990)
As second unit director of photography
edit- The Other Side of the Mountain(1975)
- Midnight Run(1988)
- Loose Cannons(1990)
- Major League II(1994)
- Conspiracy Theory(1997)
- Titanic(1997)
- Six Days Seven Nights(1998)
- Bandits(2001)
References
edit- ^Stone, Matt (2014).James Garner's Motoring Life: Grand Prix the movie, Baja, The Rockford Files, and More.North Branch, MN: CarTech, Inc. p. 37.ISBN978-1613251362.RetrievedJune 26,2015.
- ^Twohy, Jennifer (7 February 2014)."Marilyn and Me, John Stephens on filming Bus Stop in Sun Valley".CanalBlog.SunValley (original).Retrieved26 June2015.
John Stephens has gone where the action is, "said the Society of Operating Cameramen in 1994 when it gave him the Technical Achievement Award for developing the first remotely controlled pan and tilt head camera on the Oscar-winning Grand Prix." A top second unit cameraman and director he has photographed some of the most exciting images ever recorded on film. From breaking new ground on Grand Prix to the exciting bicycle chase in Steven Spielberg's ET, John has photographed the action from virtually every kind of vehicle, from lear jets to helicopters. (He has survived three helicopter crashes).
- ^p. 334 Lentz III, Harris M.Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2015McFarland, 3 May 2016
- ^"John Morley Stephens - Obituary".Legacy. 23 June 2015.Retrieved26 June2015.