John A. Alonzo facts for kids

John A. Alonzo (born June 12, 1934 – died March 13, 2001) was a talented American cinematographer, a person who is in charge of how a movie looks on screen. He also directed TV shows and acted in films.

John Alonzo was known for his wide range of work in both movies and television. He was a pioneer, meaning he was one of the first to try new things. He helped develop "handheld" camera work, new lighting styles, and even early high-definition video.

He is most famous for his work on the movies Chinatown (1974) and Scarface (1983). For Chinatown, he was nominated for important awards like a BAFTA and an Academy Award. He also won a Primetime Emmy for his work on the TV movie Fail Safe in 2000.

John Alonzo made history as the first American cinematographer of Mexican-American background to join the Cinematographer's Union in Los Angeles. He was also the first to become a member of the ASC, a very respected group for cinematographers.

John Alonzo's Career Journey

John Alonzo started his career at a TV station in Dallas, Texas. He began by helping with clean-up, but he quickly became very important. He built sets, set up lights, and moved cameras. He even directed cooking shows and children's programs!

From Puppeteer to Photographer

John and actor Hank Williamson created a funny comedy act. John was the voice and puppeteer for an amusing character called "Señor Turtle." With Hank as his helper, Señor Turtle introduced movies and cartoons. Their show became popular and moved to Hollywood in 1956, but it only lasted a short time.

After that, John worked as a still photographer, taking pictures. He also acted in several well-known TV shows. These included Twilight Zone, Combat!, and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Discovering His Passion for Cinematography

A very important moment happened when John was acting in the movie The Magnificent Seven. He met the famous cinematographer Charles Lang. This meeting, along with working briefly with James Wong Howe later, inspired John to focus on cinematography.

By the mid-1960s, he was filming many documentaries for National Geographic. His simple and natural style, combined with his acting knowledge, made him very popular. He was known as one of the best "hand-held" camera operators in Hollywood. He was also a leader in using high-definition digital cameras. In 1993, he filmed the first HD movie for American television, World War II: When Lions Roared.

John Alonzo passed away in 2001 after a long illness. One of his most famous students was John Toll, who later won two Oscars. John Toll started his career helping Alonzo on films like Black Sunday and Scarface. In 2007, a documentary film was made about John Alonzo's life called The Man Who Shot Chinatown.

John Alonzo's Film and TV Work

John Alonzo worked on many different projects. Here are some of his most notable works as a cinematographer and director.

Movies as a Cinematographer

John Alonzo was the director of photography for many famous films. This means he was in charge of the cameras and lighting to create the movie's visual look.

• Bloody Mama (1970)
• Vanishing Point (1971)
• Harold and Maude (1971)
• Sounder (1972)
• Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
• Chinatown (1974)
• The Fortune (1975)
• Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
• The Bad News Bears (1976)
• Black Sunday (1977)
• Norma Rae (1979)
• Tom Horn (1980)
• Blue Thunder (1983)
• Scarface (1983)
• Runaway (1984)
• Nothing in Common (1986)
• Overboard (1987)
• Steel Magnolias (1989)
• Internal Affairs (1990)
• Navy SEALs (1990)
• Housesitter (1992)
• Cool World (1992)
• Star Trek Generations (1994)

Movies as a Director

John Alonzo also directed one feature film:

• FM (1978)

Acting Roles in Movies and TV

Before becoming a famous cinematographer, John Alonzo had several acting roles.

• The Magnificent Seven (1960) as Miguel
• The Twilight Zone (1961) as Luis Gallegos
• Combat! (1962) as Bialos
• The Wild Wild West (1966-1967) as Lightnin' McCoy / Sarrkan

Awards and Recognitions

John Alonzo received many awards and nominations for his amazing work.