Joseph Ruttenberg,

A.S.C. The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), founded in Hollywood in 1919, is a cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild. The society was organized to advance the science and art of ci ...

(July 4, 1889 – May 1, 1983) was a Ukrainian-born American

photojournalist Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (such ...

and

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

. Ruttenberg was accomplished at winning accolades. At MGM, Ruttenberg was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Cinematography The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work on one particular motion picture. History In its first film season, 1927–28, this award (like others such as the acting awards) w ...

10 times, winning four. In addition, he won the 1954

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

for his camera work on the film ''

Brigadoon ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song "Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a m ...

''.

Career

Born into a Jewish family in

Berdychiv Berdychiv ( uk, Берди́чів, ; pl, Berdyczów; yi, באַרדיטשעװ, Barditshev; russian: Берди́чев, Berdichev) is a historic city in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center ...

Zhytomyr oblast Zhytomyr Oblast ( uk, Жито́мирська о́бласть, translit=Zhytomyrska oblast), also referred to as Zhytomyrshchyna ( uk, Жито́мирщина}) is an oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the obla ...

, Ukraine, Joseph Ruttenberg emigrated to the United States, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts on 7 January 1895. As a young man he went to work at the ''Boston Globe'' as a photojournalist but left in 1915 to accept a job with the

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

in New York City to train as a cinematographer. Two years later, he was behind the camera for ''The Painted Madonna'' (1917), which marked the start of a remarkably successful career. In the late 1920s, Ruttenberg went to work for

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

in New York. His first assignment for a sound film was '' The Struggle'' (1931), D.W. Griffith's final film. In 1934, Ruttenberg signed with MGM, moving to Hollywood where he was invited to join the

American Society of Cinematographers The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), founded in Hollywood in 1919, is a cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild. The society was organized to advance the science and art of cinem ...

. Joseph Ruttenberg retired from MGM in 1968 and died in Los Angeles on May 1, 1983.

Filmography

* ''The Painted Madonna'' (1917) *'' The Blue Streak'' (1917) * '' The Slave'' (1917) * '' Wife Number Two'' (1917) * '' Thou Shalt Not Steal'' (1917) * ''A Heart's Revenge'' (1917) * ''The Debt of Honor'' (1918) * ''Peg of the Pirates'' (1918) * ''Doing Their Bit'' (1918) * ''The Woman Who Gave'' (1918) * ''The Yellow Dog'' (1918) * ''Woman, Woman!'' (1919) * ''A Fallen Idol'' (1919) * ''My Little Sister'' (1919) * '' The Shark'' (1920) * ''From Now On'' (1920) * ''The Tiger's Club'' (1920) * ''The Thief'' (1920) * ''

The Mountain Woman ''The Mountain Woman'' is a 1921 American drama film directed by Charles Giblyn and written by Ashley T. Locke. It is based on the 1919 novel ''A Pagan of the Hills'' by Charles Neville Buck. The film stars Pearl White, Corliss Giles, Richard T ...

'' (1921) * ''

Know Your Men ''Know Your Men'' is a 1921 American silent melodrama film produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation, directed by Charles Giblyn, and starring Pearl White. It is now considered to be a lost film. Plot As described in a film publication su ...

'' (1921) * ''

A Virgin Paradise ''A Virgin Paradise'' is a lost 1921 American silent adventure film produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation and starring serial queen Pearl White. It was directed by veteran director J. Searle Dawley.Beyond Price ''Beyond Price'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring Pearl White, Vernon Steele and Ottola Nesmith.Munden p.54 Cast * Pearl White as Sally Marrio * Vernon Steele as Philip Marrio * Nora Reed as Vali ...

'' (1921) * '' Silver Wings'' (1922) * ''

The Town That Forgot God ''The Town That Forgot God'' is a 1922 American drama film directed by Harry F. Millarde and written by Paul Sloane. The film stars Ben Grauer, Warren William, Jane Thomas, Harry Benham, Edwin Denison and Grace Barton. The film was released o ...

'' (1922) * ''

Who Are My Parents? ''Who Are My Parents?'' (also known as ''A Little Child Shall Lead Them'') is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring L. Rogers Lytton, Peggy Shaw, Florence Billings, Ernest Hilliard, and Robert Agnew. The ...

'' (1922) * ''

My Friend the Devil ''My Friend the Devil'' is a lost 1922 silent film romantic drama directed by Harry Millarde. It starred stage actor Charles Richman and was produced and distributed by Fox Film. Cast * Charles Richman as George Dryden *Ben Grauer as George ...

'' (1922) * ''

If Winter Comes ''If Winter Comes'' is a 1947 drama film released by MGM. The movie was directed by Victor Saville and based on the 1921 novel by A.S.M. Hutchinson. The film tells the story of an English textbook writer who takes in a pregnant girl. The novel ...

'' (1923) * ''

Does It Pay? ''Does It Pay?'' is a lost 1923 American silent society drama film directed by Charles Horan and starring Hope Hampton. It was produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. Cast *Hope Hampton as Doris Clark *Robert T. Haines as John Weston ...

'' (1923) * '' The Fool'' (1925) * '' School for Wives'' (1925) * ''

Summer Bachelors ''Summer Bachelors'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film produced and directed by Allan Dwan. The film is based on the 1926 novel ''Summer Widowers'', by Warner Fabian and stars Madge Bellamy, Matt Moore, Allan Forrest, and Hale ...

'' (1926) * '' The Struggle'' (1931) * ''

The Knife of the Party ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1934) * '' Woman in the Dark'' (1934) * ''The People's Enemy'' (1935) * ''Frankie and Johnnie'' (1935) * ''Gigolette'' (1935) * '' Three Godfathers'' (1936) * ''Mad Holiday'' (1936) * '' Fury'' (1936) * ''Man Hunt'' (1936) * '' Piccadilly Jim'' (1936) * '' Big City'' (1937) * '' Everybody Sing'' (1937) * '' A Day at the Races'' (1937) * '' Dramatic School'' (1938) * '' The Great Waltz'' (1938) * '' Three Comrades'' (1938) * ''Spring Madness'' (1938) * ''

The First Hundred Years ''The First Hundred Years'' is the first ongoing TV soap opera in the United States that began as a daytime serial, airing on CBS from December 4, 1950 until June 27, 1952. A previous daytime drama on NBC, '' These Are My Children'', aired in 19 ...

'' (1938) * '' The Shopworn Angel'' (1938) * '' On Borrowed Time'' (1939) * ''

Balalaika The balalaika (russian: link=no, балала́йка, ) is a Russian stringed musical instrument with a characteristic triangular wooden, hollow body, fretted neck and three strings. Two strings are usually tuned to the same note and the thir ...

'' (1939) * '' The Women'' (1939) * ''

The Ice Follies of 1939 ''The Ice Follies of 1939'' is a 1939 American musical drama film directed by Reinhold Schünzel, and starring Joan Crawford, James Stewart, Lew Ayres and Lewis Stone. Using a show business backdrop, and featuring The International Ice Follies, ...

'' (1939) * ''Tell No Tales'' (1939) * ''

Comrade X ''Comrade X'' is a 1940 American comedy spy film directed by King Vidor and starring Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr. The supporting cast features Oskar Homolka, Eve Arden and Sig Rumann. In February 2020, the film was shown at the 70th Berlin Inte ...

'' (1940) * '' Broadway Melody of 1940'' (1940) * '' The Philadelphia Story'' (1940) * ''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at t ...

'' (1940) * '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1941) * ''

Ziegfeld Girl Ziegfeld Girls were the chorus girls and showgirls from Florenz Ziegfeld's theatrical Broadway revue spectaculars known as the '' Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), in New York City, which were based on the Folies Bergère of Paris. Desc ...

'' (1941) * ''

Two-Faced Woman ''Two-Faced Woman'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by George Cukor and starring Greta Garbo in her final film role, Melvyn Douglas, Constance Bennett, and Roland Young. The movie was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Garbo ...

'' (1941) * '' Woman of the Year'' (1942) * ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' (1942) * '' Random Harvest'' (1942) * '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) * ''

Presenting Lily Mars ''Presenting Lily Mars'' is a 1943 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog, produced by Joe Pasternak, starring Judy Garland and Van Heflin, and based on the novel by Booth Tarkington. The film is often cited as Garland's first film ...

'' (1943) * '' Madame Curie'' (1943) * ''

Mrs. Parkington ''Mrs. Parkington'' is a 1944 drama film. It tells the story of a woman's life, told via flashbacks, from boarding house maid to society matron. The movie was adapted by Polly James and Robert Thoeren from the novel by Louis Bromfield. It was d ...

'' (1944) * '' Gaslight'' (1944) * '' The Valley of Decision'' (1945) * ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' (1945) * '' My Brother Talks to Horses '' (1946) * ''Killer McCoy'' (1947) * ''Beloved Stranger'' (1947) * '' Julia Misbehaves'' (1948) * ''

B.F.'s Daughter ''B.F.'s Daughter'' is a 1948 drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin. It was adapted from John P. Marquand's 1946 novel of the same name, about a prominent couple whose marital tensions come to a boi ...

'' (1948) * '' That Forsyte Woman'' (1949) * '' The Bribe'' (1949) * ''

Side Street A side road is a minor highway typically leading off a main road.Main road — definition

'' (1949) * '' The Miniver Story'' (1950) * '' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950) * ''

The Big Hangover ''The Big Hangover'' is a 1950 American comedy film released by MGM. The film starred Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor and was written and directed by Norman Krasna. Supporting players include Percy Waram, Fay Holden, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, S ...

'' (1950) * '' Cause for Alarm!'' (1950) * '' Kind Lady'' (1951) * ''

It's a Big Country ''It's a Big Country An American Anthology'' is a 1951 American anthology film consisting of eight segments by seven directors: Richard Thorpe, John Sturges, Charles Vidor, Don Weis, Clarence Brown, William A. Wellman and Don Hartman. Plot In ...

'' (1951) * '' Too Young to Kiss'' (1951) * ''

The Great Caruso ''The Great Caruso'' is a 1951 biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Mario Lanza as Enrico Caruso. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Joe Pasternak with Jesse L. Lasky as associate producer from a screenpla ...

'' (1951) * ''

The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in orde ...

'' (1952) * ''Young Man With Ideas'' (1952) * ''

Because You're Mine ''Because You're Mine'' is a 1952 musical comedy film starring Mario Lanza. Directed by Alexander Hall, the film also stars Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, and Dean Miller. Plot Opera singer superstar Renato Rossano (Mario Lanza) is drafted i ...

'' (1952) * '' Small Town Girl'' (1952) * ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

'' (1953) * '' The Great Diamond Robbery'' (1953) * '' Latin Lovers'' (1953) * '' Invitation to the Dance'' (1954) * '' Her Twelve Men'' (1954) * ''

The Last Time I Saw Paris ''The Last Time I Saw Paris'' is a 1954 American Technicolor romantic drama made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited." It was directed by Richard Brooks, produced by Jack Cummings ...

'' (1954) * ''

'' (1954) * '' Interrupted Melody'' (1955) * '' The Prodigal'' (1955) * '' Kismet'' (1955) * '' Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) * '' The Swan'' (1956) * '' Until They Sail'' (1957) * '' Man On Fire'' (1957) * '' The Vintage'' (1957) * '' Gigi'' (1958) * '' The Reluctant Debutante'' (1958) * ''

Green Mansions ''Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest'' (1904) is an exotic romance by William Henry Hudson about a traveller to the Guyana jungle of southeastern Venezuela and his encounter with a forest-dwelling girl named Rima. The principal ...

'' (1959) * ''

The Wreck of the Mary Deare ''The Wreck of the Mary Deare'' (in the UK published as ''The Mary Deare'') is a 1956 novel written by British author Hammond Innes, which was later adapted as a film starring Gary Cooper released in 1959 by MGM. According to Jack Adrian, the ...

'' (1959) * ''

BUtterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same na ...

'' (1960) * ''The Subterraneans'' (1960) * ''

Two Loves ''Two Loves'' is a 1961 American drama film directed by Charles Walters and starring Shirley MacLaine, Laurence Harvey, Jack Hawkins, and Nobu McCarthy. It is based on the book ''Spinster'' by Sylvia Ashton-Warner. It was entered into the 11th B ...

'' (1961) * '' Bachelor in Paradise'' (1961) * ''

Ada Ada may refer to: Places Africa * Ada Foah, a town in Ghana * Ada (Ghana parliament constituency) * Ada, Osun, a town in Nigeria Asia * Ada, Urmia, a village in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Ada, Karaman, a village in Karaman Province, T ...

'' (1961) * '' Who's Got the Action?'' (1962) * '' The Hook'' (1962) * ''

A Global Affair ''A Global Affair'' is a 1964 American comedy film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Bob Hope, Michèle Mercier, Yvonne De Carlo, and Elga Andersen. Plot A baby is abandoned at the United Nations headquarters in New York by a mother who h ...

'' (1963) * ''

It Happened at the World's Fair ''It Happened at the World's Fair'' is a 1963 American musical film starring Elvis Presley as a crop-dusting pilot. It was filmed in Seattle, Washington, site of the Century 21 Exposition. The governor of Washington at the time, Albert Rosellini, ...

'' (1963) * '' Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?'' (1963) * ''

Harlow Harlow is a large town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire and London, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the uppe ...

'' (1965) * '' Sylvia'' (1965) * '' Love Has Many Faces'' (1965) * ''

The Oscar The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

'' (1966) * '' Speedway'' (1968) Source:

Accolades

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

wins: * '' The Great Waltz'' (1938) * '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) * '' Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) * '' Gigi'' (1958)

win: * ''

'' (1954) Academy Award nominations: * ''

'' (1940) * '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1941) * '' Madame Curie'' (1943) * '' Gaslight'' (1944) * ''

'' (1953) * ''

'' (1960)

Publications

* "Photographing Pre-Production Tests," in ''

American Cinematographer ''American Cinematographer'' is a magazine published monthly by the American Society of Cinematographers. It focuses on the art and craft of cinematography, covering domestic and foreign feature productions, television productions, short films, mu ...

'' (Hollywood), January 1956. * "Sound-Stage Sea Saga," in ''American Cinematographer'' (Hollywood), April 1960. * ''Positif'' (Paris), September 1972. * Seminar in ''American Cinematographer'' (Hollywood), July 1975. * ''Focus on Film'' (London), Spring 1976. * In ''Dance in the Hollywood Musical,'' by Jerome Delamater, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981. * ''Film History'' (Philadelphia), vol. 1, no. 1, 1987.Film Reference
Joseph Ruttenberg publications section, 2007. Last accessed: December 22, 2007.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruttenberg, Joseph 1889 births 1983 deaths American cinematographers American male journalists American people of Russian-Jewish descent American photojournalists Best Cinematographer Academy Award winners Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery