Gilbert Taylor

Gilbert Taylor
with George Lucas filming Star Wars (1977)
Born	12 April 1914 Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, UK
Died	23 August 2013 (aged 99) Newport, Isle of Wight, UK
Occupation	Cinematographer

Gilbert Taylor, B.S.C. (12 April 1914 – 23 August 2013) was a British cinematographer,^[1] best known for his work on numerous well-known and acclaimed films such as Dr. Strangelove, A Hard Day's Night, The Omen, and the original Star Wars.

Biography

He began his working life in 1929 as a camera assistant for Gainsborough Studios.^[2] After six years service in World War II as an officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, he became an operational cameraman flying in Avro Lancaster bombers, documenting the damage after British bombing raids.^[3]

He worked on a number of films noted for their style-defining cinematography, such as Dr. Strangelove, A Hard Day's Night (both 1964), The Omen (1976), and Star Wars (1977).^[4] He is featured in the book Conversations with Cinematographers published by Scarecrow Press.^[5] He died 23 August 2013 aged 99.^[6]

Filmography

As Director of Photography

• The Guinea Pig (1948)
• Seven Days to Noon (1950)
• Circle of Danger (1951)
• High Treason (1951)
• The Yellow Balloon (1952)
• Single-Handed (1952)
• The Weak and the Wicked (1953)
• Trouble in the Glen (1953)
• Front Page Story (1954)
• The Dam Busters (1955)
• The Silken Affair (1957)
• Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957)
• The Good Companions (1957)
• Ice Cold in Alex (1958)
• She Didn't Say No! (1958)
• No Trees in the Street (1958)
• Alive and Kicking (1959)
• Operation Bullshine (1959)
• Tommy the Toreador (1959)
• Bottoms Up (1960)
• Sands of the Desert (1960)
• The Avengers (1961) TV Series
  • (episode "The Curious Case of the Countless Clues")
  • (episode "The Forget-Me-Knot")
  • (episode "Get-A-Way!")
  • (episode "Homicide and Old Lace")
  • (episode "Invasion of the Earthmen")
  • (episode "Look - (stop me if you've heard this one) But There Were These Two Fellers...")
  • (episode "A Sense of History")
  • (episode "Split!")
• Petticoat Pirates (1961)
• The Rebel/Call Me Genius (1961)
• The Full Treatment / The Treatment (1961)
• A Prize of Arms (1962)
• It's Trad, Dad! / Ring-a-Ding Rhythm (1962)
• Hide and Seek (1963)
• The Punch and Judy Man (1963)
• A Hard Day's Night (1964)
• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
• Ferry Cross the Mersey (1965)
• The Bedford Incident (1965)
• Repulsion (1965)
• Cul-de-sac (1966)
• Theatre of Death / The Female Fiend (1966)
• Work Is a Four-Letter Word (1967)
• The Man Outside (1967)
• A Nice Girl Like Me (1969)
• Before Winter Comes (1969)
• A Day at the Beach (1970)
• The Tragedy of Macbeth / Macbeth (1971)
• Frenzy (1972)
• Soft Beds, Hard Battles / Undercovers Hero (1974)
• The Omen (1976)
• Star Wars (1977)
• Damien: Omen II (1978)
• Breaking Up (1978) (TV)
• Dracula (1979)
• Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979)
• Escape to Athena (1979)
• Flash Gordon (1980)
• Green Ice (1981)
• Venom (1982)
• Losin' It (1983)
• Lassiter (1984)
• Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1985)
• The Bedroom Window (1987)
• Don't Get Me Started (1994).

References

1. "Gilbert Taylor". BFI.
2. "Gilbert Taylor, Star Wars cinematographer, dies aged 99". BBC News. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
3. Ronald Bergan. "Gilbert Taylor obituary". the Guardian.
4. "BFI Screenonline: Taylor, Gilbert (1914-) Biography". screenonline.org.uk.
5. "The ASC -- : December 2011 - Book Reviews". theasc.com.
6. "Gilbert Taylor". Iyottasoft.com. 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2013.

External links

• Gilbert Taylor at the Internet Movie Database
• Profile and interview by the American Society of Cinematographers, on the occasion of his International Achievement Award
• Gilbert Taylor at BFI Screenonline