John Morley Stephens (born November 17, 1932

Valparaiso, Indiana Valparaiso ( ), colloquially Valpo, is a city and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 34,151 at the 2020 census. History The site of present-day Valparaiso was included in the purchase of land from the ...

died Huntington Beach, California June 18, 2015) was an American cinematographer. He was noted for his innovative work on the 1966 film '' Grand Prix'', for which he pioneered the use of a number of camera mounts and developed the first remotely operated pan-and-

tilt Tilt may refer to: Music * Tilt (American band), a punk rock group, formed in 1992 * Tilt (British band), an electronic music group, formed in 1993 * Tilt (Polish band), a rock band, formed in 1979 Albums * ''Tilt'' (Cozy Powell album), 1981 * ...

-head camera. For this latter invention, he received a Technical Achievement Award from the

Society of Operating Cameramen The Society Of Camera Operators was founded in 1979 under the name Society of Operating Cameramen. Its primary mission is to advance the art, craft and creative contribution of the camera operator in the motion picture and television industries. The ...

in 1994.

Biography

Stephens learned how to use a camera when he served in the United States Navy in the 1950s. Working as a photographer in Sun Valley, Idaho, he entered film work as an assistant cameraman and stills photographer on '' Bus Stop'' (1956) and '' South Pacific'' (1958). As a cinematographer, Stephens was known for his work on such films as ''

Billy Jack ''Billy Jack'' is a 1971 American action drama independent film, the second of four films centering on a character of the same name which began with the movie ''The Born Losers'' (1967), played by Tom Laughlin, who directed and co-wrote the scri ...

'', ''

Blacula ''Blacula'' is a 1972 American blaxploitation horror film directed by William Crain. It stars William Marshall in the title role about an 18th-century African prince named Mamuwalde, who is turned into a vampire (and later locked in a coffin) by ...

'',

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...

's ''

Boxcar Bertha ''Boxcar Bertha'' is a 1972 American romantic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Roger Corman, from a screenplay by Joyce H. Corrington and John William Corrington, Made on a low budget, the film is loose adaptation o ...

'', and

William Friedkin William "Billy" Friedkin (born August 29, 1935)Biskind, p. 200. is an American film and television director, producer and screenwriter closely identified with the " New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in documentaries in ...

's '' Sorcerer''. He also shot the memorable bicycle chase for Steven Spielberg's '' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', though he did not receive on-screen credit for his work. He was also the

second unit director Second unit is a discrete team of filmmakers tasked with filming shots or sequences of a production, separate from the main or "first" unit. The second unit will often shoot simultaneously with the other unit or units, allowing the filming stag ...

and cameraman for

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' comedy ''

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'' and the aerial photographer for

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's acclaimed ''

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''. From the late 1980s onward, he more prominently worked as a second unit director of photography, most notably on

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's ''

Midnight Run ''Midnight Run'' is a 1988 American road action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall play supporting roles. At the 4 ...

'' and James Cameron's ''

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''. Stephens died in

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on June 18, 2015. He was 82.

Partial filmography

As camera operator

*'' Bus Stop'' (1956) - 2nd assistant cameraman (uncredited) *'' South Pacific'' (1958) - 2nd assistant cameraman (uncredited) * ''

Ski Party ''Ski Party'' is a 1965 American musical-comedy film directed by Alan Rafkin and starring Frankie Avalon and Dwayne Hickman. It was released by American International Pictures (AIP). ''Ski Party'' is considered as a beach party film spin-off, wi ...

'' (1965)- camera operator - (uncredited) *''

The Hallelujah Trail ''The Hallelujah Trail'' is a 1965 American Western mockumentary spoof directed by John Sturges, with top-billed stars Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton and Pamela Tiffin. It was based on the book of the same title (originally released as ...

'' (1965) - second unit (uncredited) *'' Seconds'' (1966) *'' Grand Prix'' (1966) *''

Ice Station Zebra ''Ice Station Zebra'' is a 1968 American espionage thriller film directed by John Sturges and starring Rock Hudson, Patrick McGoohan, Ernest Borgnine, and Jim Brown. The screenplay is by Alistair MacLean, Douglas Heyes, Harry Julian Fink, ...

'' (1968) - additional arctic photography *'' Snowball Express'' (1972) - second unit *''

The Fog ''The Fog'' is a 1980 American supernatural horror film directed by John Carpenter, who also co-wrote the screenplay and created the music for the film. It stars Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh and Hal Holbrook. It ...

'' (1980) - additional camera (uncredited) *'' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982) - (uncredited) *'' Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' (1984) - California unit *''

'' (1986) - second unit; also second unit director *''

'' (1989) - aerial photographer

As cinematographer

*'' Run, Angel, Run'' (1969) *''

'' (1971) *''

Bunny O'Hare ''Bunny O'Hare'' is a 1971 American comedy film directed by Gerd Oswald, starring Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine. The screenplay by Coslough Johnson and Stanley Z. Cherry focuses on a pair of senior citizens who, disguised as hippies, engage in ...

'' (1971) *''

'' (1972) *''

'' (1972) *'' Sorcerer'' (1977) *''

Ski Patrol Ski patrols are organizations that provide medical, rescue, and hazard prevention services to the injured in ski area boundaries, or sometimes beyond into backcountry settings. Many have technical-medical certifications, such as Outdoor Emergen ...

'' (1990)

As second unit director of photography

*''

The Other Side of the Mountain ''The Other Side of the Mountain'' is a 1975 American drama romance film based on the true story of ski racing champion Jill Kinmont. The UK title of the film was ''A Window to the Sky''. In early 1955, Kinmont was the national champion in sla ...

'' (1975) *''

'' (1988) *'' Loose Cannons'' (1990) *''

Major League II ''Major League II'' is a 1994 American sports comedy film and sequel to the 1989 film '' Major League'' and it is the second installment in the ''Major League'' film series. The film stars most of the same cast from the original, including Charl ...

'' (1994) *'' Conspiracy Theory'' (1997) *''

'' (1997) *'' Six Days Seven Nights'' (1998) *'' Bandits'' (2001)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, John M. 1932 births 2015 deaths American cinematographers