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Michael Ballhaus
Michael Ballhaus.4676.jpg
Ballhaus in 2007
Born (1935-08-05)5 August 1935
Died 12 April 2017(2017-04-12) (aged 81)
Berlin, Germany
Occupation Cinematographer
Years active 1959–2013
Organization American Society of Cinematographers
Known for Broadcast News
Goodfellas
The Age of Innocence
The Departed
Spouse(s)
Helga Betten
(m. 1958; died 2006)

Sherry Hormann
(m. 2011)
Children 2, including Florian Ballhaus
Parent(s) Oskar Ballhaus [de]
Lena Hutter [de]
Relatives Carl Balhaus (uncle)

Michael Ballhaus, A.S.C. (5 August 1935 – 12 April 2017) was a German cinematographer who collaborated with directors such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Martin Scorsese, Mike Nichols, and James L. Brooks. He was a member of both the Academy of Arts, Berlin, and the American Society of Cinematographers.

Early life

Ballhaus was born in Berlin as the son of German actors Lena Hutter [de] and Oskar Ballhaus [de]. His uncle was actor and director Carl Ballhaus. Ballhaus was influenced by family friend Max Ophüls, and appeared as an extra in Ophüls' last film Lola Montès (1955).

Career

Ballhaus came to prominence with his work with Rainer Werner Fassbinder beginning with Whity (1971), in addition to The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972), Chinese Roulette (1976) and The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978). In 1990, he was the head of the jury at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival.

After settling in the United States, he worked on many American films, such as Baby It's You (1983) for John Sayles; Old Enough (1984) for Marisa Silver; Under the Cherry Moon (1986) for Prince; After Hours (1985), The Color of Money (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), Gangs of New York (2002) and The Departed (2006) for Martin Scorsese; Broadcast News (1987) and I'll Do Anything (1994) for James L. Brooks; The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) for Steve Kloves; Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) for Francis Ford Coppola; Sleepers (1996) for Barry Levinson; and Wild Wild West (1999) for Barry Sonnenfeld. Ballhaus appeared in Rosa von Praunheim's film Fassbinder's Women (2000).

Ballhaus was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Broadcast News, The Fabulous Baker Boys and Gangs of New York, but never won. Despite this, he did win the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Bram Stoker's Dracula; both the Boston Society of Film Critics and Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography for his work on The Fabulous Baker Boys; and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Goodfellas.

His documentary In Berlin, made with Ciro Cappellari, was released in May 2009.

Ballhaus's final film was Sherry Hormann's 3096 Days in 2013.

Personal life and death

Ballhaus was married to actress and art director Helga Maria Betten from 1958 until her death in 2006. She appeared in a handful of films, such as those directed by Fassbinder. They had two sons: cinematographer Florian and assistant director Jan Sebastian.

In 2011, Ballhaus married German-American film director Sherry Hormann, who is known for Desert Flower. He died at his home in Berlin on 12 April 2017, at the age of 81, after a short illness.

Filmography

Year Film Director Other notes
1971 Whity Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Beware of a Holy ... German title: Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte
1972 The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant German title: Die bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant
1973 World on a Wire German title: Welt am Draht
1974 Martha
1975 Fox and His Friends German title: Faustrecht der Freiheit
Mother Küsters' Trip to Heaven German title: Mutter Küsters' Fahrt zum Himmel
1976 Summerfolk [de] Peter Stein
Satan's Brew Rainer Werner Fassbinder German title: Satansbraten
Chinese Roulette German title: Chinesisches Roulette
1978 Germany in Autumn German title: Deutschland im Herbst
Despair
1979 The Marriage of Maria Braun German title: Die Ehe der Maria Braun
The First Polka Klaus Emmerich German title: Die erste Polka
1981 Lili Marleen Rainer Werner Fassbinder
1982 Dear Mr. Wonderful Peter Lilienthal
1983 Sheer Madness Margarethe von Trotta German title: Heller Wahn
Baby It's You John Sayles
1984 Reckless James Foley
Old Enough Marisa Silver
Heartbreakers Bobby Roth
Das Autogramm Peter Lilienthal
1985 After Hours Martin Scorsese Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography
1986 Under the Cherry Moon Prince
The Color of Money Martin Scorsese
1987 The Glass Menagerie Paul Newman
Broadcast News James L. Brooks Nominated – Academy Award for Best Cinematography
1988 The House on Carroll Street Peter Yates
The Last Temptation of Christ Martin Scorsese
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Frank Oz
Working Girl Mike Nichols
1989 The Fabulous Baker Boys Steve Kloves Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Cinematography
1990 Postcards from the Edge Mike Nichols
Goodfellas Martin Scorsese Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography
1991 Guilty by Suspicion Irwin Winkler
What About Bob? Frank Oz
1992 The Mambo Kings Arne Glimcher
Bram Stoker's Dracula Francis Ford Coppola Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography
1993 The Age of Innocence Martin Scorsese Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography
1994 I'll Do Anything James L. Brooks
Quiz Show Robert Redford
1995 Outbreak Wolfgang Petersen
1996 Sleepers Barry Levinson
1997 Air Force One Wolfgang Petersen
1998 Primary Colors Mike Nichols
1999 Wild Wild West Barry Sonnenfeld
2000 What Planet Are You From? Mike Nichols
The Legend of Bagger Vance Robert Redford Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Cinematography
2002 Gangs of New York Martin Scorsese Nominated – Academy Award for Best Cinematography
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Cinematography
2003 Uptown Girls Boaz Yakin
Something's Gotta Give Nancy Meyers
2005 Sonntagsluft Frank A. Buecheler
2006 The Departed Martin Scorsese Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography
2013 3096 Days Sherry Hormann

Awards

  • 2007 Bavarian Film Awards Honorary Award

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Michael Ballhaus para niños

  • List of German-speaking Academy Award winners and nominees
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