Conrad Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Conrad L. Hall
On the set of Jennifer 8 (1992)
Born	Conrad Lafcadio Hall (1926-06-21)June 21, 1926 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Died	January 4, 2003(2003-01-04) (aged 76) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Other names	Connie
Occupation	Cinematographer
Years active	1949–2003
Title	ASC
Spouse(s)	Virginia Schwartz ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1969)​ Katharine Ross ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1975)​ Susan Kowarsh-Hall ​ ​ (before 2003)​
Children	3, including Conrad W. Hall
Parent(s)	James Norman Hall (father)
Awards	Academy Award for Best Cinematography Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 1969 American Beauty 1999 Road to Perdition 2002

Conrad Lafcadio Hall (born June 21, 1926 – died January 4, 2003) was an amazing cinematographer. A cinematographer is the person in charge of how a movie looks. They decide on the lighting, camera angles, and how each scene is filmed.

Conrad Hall was born in French Polynesia but grew up in America. He was known for his incredible work on films like In Cold Blood, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, American Beauty, and Road to Perdition. He won many important awards, including three Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) and three BAFTA Awards.

In 2003, a group of cinematographers voted him one of the top ten most important cinematographers ever. He even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Conrad L. Hall: A Master of Movie Magic

Early Life and Discovering Film

Conrad L. Hall was born on June 21, 1926, in Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia. His father, James Norman Hall, was a famous pilot from World War I and co-wrote the book Mutiny on the Bounty. His mother, Sarah Hall, was half Polynesian.

Growing up, Conrad didn't really know much about cameras or movies. He went to a boarding school called Cate School in California. After finishing school, his father told him to find his own path in life.

Conrad went to the University of Southern California to study journalism. But he didn't do well there. So, he switched to USC's School of Cinema-Television. He wasn't sure if it was the right choice, but he thought it would be interesting to learn about this new art form.

At film school, he learned that filmmaking was like a new visual language. He loved creating his first shots and wanted to tell stories using images. After graduating in 1949, he hoped to get a job in Hollywood right away. But at that time, only people on a special list (the International Photographers Guild roster) could work on camera crews.

Starting a Career in Movies

After college, Conrad teamed up with his classmates, Marvin R. Weinstein and Jack C. Couffer. They started a company called Canyon Films in 1949. They made commercials and documentaries.

In 1956, Canyon Films got to work on a short film called My Brother Down There. This allowed Conrad to finally become a cameraman and join the International Photographers Guild. However, the Guild made them hire an experienced cameraman for the film. So, even though Conrad shot the whole movie, he was only credited as a "visual consultant" when the film was released as Running Target.

After Running Target, Canyon Films closed down. Since Conrad was now part of the Guild, he could work as an assistant cameraman. He learned from many great cinematographers. After a year, he became a camera operator for the TV show Stoney Burke. In 1963, he worked on another TV series called The Outer Limits.

In 1964, he filmed his first full-length movie, Wild Seed. It was a black and white film made very quickly, in about 24 days.

Big Films and Awards

Conrad Hall became famous with the film Morituri in 1965. He even got his first Oscar nomination for it! The next year, he worked on Incubus, The Professionals, and Harper. Harper was his first color film.

He worked with director Richard Brooks on The Professionals, which earned him his second Oscar nomination. Their next film together, In Cold Blood (1967), got him another Oscar nomination. This film was special because it felt like a documentary and was shot in real locations, which was unusual back then. That same year, he also filmed Cool Hand Luke. This movie was known for its rich colors, thanks to being shot in Panavision (a special wide-screen film process).

In 1969, Conrad Hall won his first Oscar for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. To make the film look like it was from an older time, he used a special trick. He made the film negatives brighter than usual to make the colors softer when printed. This was a very new and successful idea! He also made two other films that year: The Happy Ending and Tell them Willie Boy is Here.

In 1972, he worked on Fat City. This film had a rough, grainy look to show the difficult lives of the characters. In 1975, he earned his fifth Oscar nomination for The Day of the Locust. In 1976, he filmed Marathon Man. This was one of the first movies to use the Steadicam, a special camera mount that makes shots look smooth even when the camera moves.

Taking a Break and Coming Back Strong

After making 18 films in 12 years, Conrad Hall took a break for 11 years. During this time, he started a company that made commercials with another famous cinematographer, Haskell Wexler. This allowed him to not only film but also direct his own projects. He wanted to learn new things and understand filmmaking even better. He said, "At heart I am more than a cinematographer. I'm a filmmaker."

Conrad returned to making movies in 1987 with Black Widow. In 1988, he worked on Tequila Sunrise, which earned him his sixth Oscar nomination. The American Society of Cinematographers also gave him a special award that year.

He then worked on several more films, including Class Action (1991), Jennifer 8 (1992), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), and Love Affair (1994). Searching for Bobby Fischer brought him his seventh Oscar nomination.

In 1994, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers. He won his second Oscar for American Beauty in 1999. For this film, he used a special hand-held camera style that made the movie feel very real and dream-like.

His last film was Road to Perdition in 2002. He won another Academy Award for this film after he passed away. In total, he won three Oscars during his amazing 50-year career.

His Family Life

Conrad Hall married Virginia Schwartz in 1952. They had three children: Conrad W. Hall (who also became a cinematographer), Kate Hall-Feist, and Naia Hall-West. They divorced in 1969.

He later married actress Katharine Ross in 1969, but they divorced in 1975. His third marriage was to costume designer Susan Kowarsh-Hall, whom he worked with on Road to Perdition.

His Legacy

Conrad Hall passed away from bladder cancer on January 4, 2003, at the age of 76. His Oscar for Road to Perdition was given to his son, Conrad W. Hall, after his death.

Many of his friends and colleagues lovingly called him "Connie." He is remembered as one of the most important and creative cinematographers in movie history.

Films Conrad Hall Worked On

Awards and Honors

Academy Awards

British Academy Film Awards

American Society of Cinematographers

Other Awards