Hal Mohr
Hal Mohr, A.S.C. (August 2, 1894 in San Francisco – May 10, 1974 in Santa Monica, California) was a famed movie cinematographer. He is known for his Oscar-winning work on the 1935 film, A Midsummer Night's Dream. He was awarded another Oscar for his work on The Phantom of the Opera in 1943, and received a nomination for The Four Poster in 1952. From a young age, Hal Mohr wanted to pursue a career in cinematography because he was curious to learn about how to make pictures move onscreen. He worked as a photo finisher in a photo lab to gain experience with the camera. When he was 19 years old, he filmed his first movie, Pam's Daughter, which, unfortunately, was never seen by the public because of problems with the motion picture distribution company. Although Mohr mainly worked as a cinema portraitist on movies such as The Wedding March, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the Technicolor The Phantom of the Opera, he was passionate about exploring the limits of the camera. Mohr shot in deep focus years before Gregg Toland -- Bullets or Ballots and The Green Pastures were both shot in deep focus. He was inspired by the moving shots in the Italian movie, Cabiria, and developed a camera with special tracking abilities for his 1914 film, Pan's Mountain. Notably, Mohr is the only person to have won a competitive Academy Award without being nominated for it. In 1936, a write-in campaign won him the Best Cinematography Oscar for his work on A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935). The Academy later changed the Oscar rules, making write-in voting impossible. In 1944, Mohr became the first person to win an Oscar for both Black-and-White and Color cinematography when he won his second Academy Award, this time with W. Howard Greene for Best Cinematography in a Color Film, for their work on The Phantom of the Opera (1943). Mohr was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematographer for his work on The Four Poster (1952), a film based on a play of the same name, written by Jan de Hartog. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Cinematography in a Black and White Film, for his work on the same movie. Other film cinematographer credits include Little Annie Rooney (1925), The Big Gamble (1931), Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941), Another Part of the Forest (1948) and The Wild One (1953). Mohr served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers from 1930 to 1931. Then, for two terms from 1963 to 1965 and finally from 1969 to 1970. He was one of the first members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a senior member of the Academy's Board of Directors. He headed the Academy's Cinematography Branch for over 20 years, and was also a part of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Before his death, he would travel the country promoting cameramen and the industry of cinematography. For his many contributions to motion pictures and the film industry, Hal Mohr received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6433 Hollywood Blvd.
The Jazz Singer
(Director of Photography)
Perils of the Secret Service
(Director)
The Walking Dead
(Director of Photography)
The Monster
(Director of Photography)
Bullets or Ballots
(Director of Photography)
Woman on the Run
(Director of Photography)
Rancho Notorious
(Director of Photography)
Baby Face Nelson
(Director of Photography)
The Big Night
(Director of Photography)
The Second Woman
(Director of Photography)
The Big Gamble
(Director of Photography)
Destry Rides Again
(Director of Photography)
The Boss
(Director of Photography)
The Lost Moment
(Director of Photography)
Rookie of the Year
(Director of Photography)
Because of Him
(Director of Photography)
Change of Heart
(Director of Photography)
The Last Warning
(Director of Photography)
The Last Performance
(Director of Photography)
Another Part of the Forest
(Director of Photography)
An Act of Murder
(Director of Photography)
Enter Arsène Lupin
(Director of Photography)
Phantom of the Opera
(Director of Photography)
The Heart of Maryland
(Director of Photography)
A Woman of Experience
(Director of Photography)
Top Man
(Director of Photography)
The Third Degree
(Director of Photography)
Her Lucky Night
(Director of Photography)
David Harum
(Director of Photography)
Noah's Ark
(Director of Photography)
Devotion
(Director of Photography)
The Devil's in Love
(Director of Photography)
Outward Bound
(Director of Photography)
Underworld U.S.A.
(Director of Photography)
I Loved You Wednesday
(Director of Photography)
Back Door to Heaven
(Director of Photography)
Rio
(Director of Photography)
Tenderloin
(Director of Photography)
The Warrior's Husband
(Director of Photography)
Big Boy
(Director of Photography)
Tess of the Storm Country
(Director of Photography)
Old San Francisco
(Director of Photography)
State Fair
(Director of Photography)
Broadway
(Director of Photography)
Glorious Betsy
(Director of Photography)
Little Annie Rooney
(Director of Photography)
I'll Be Yours
(Director of Photography)
King of Jazz
(Director of Photography)
The Green Pastures
(Director of Photography)
Captain Blood
(Director of Photography)
Watch on the Rhine
(Director of Photography)
The Big Idea
(Director)
The Big Idea
(Writer)
The Big Idea
(Director of Photography)
Song of Scheherazade
(Director of Photography)
Servants' Entrance
(Director of Photography)
When Love Is Young
(Director)
The Creation of the Humanoids
(Director of Photography)
A Woman Commands
(Director of Photography)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(Director of Photography)
Week Ends Only
(Director of Photography)
When the Daltons Rode
(Director of Photography)
No Time at All
(Cinematography)
The Climax
(Director of Photography)
Salome, Where She Danced
(Director of Photography)
I Met My Love Again
(Director of Photography)
International Lady
(Director of Photography)
The First Year
(Director of Photography)
Ladies In Love
(Director of Photography)
Day is Done
(Cinematography)
The Four Poster
(Director of Photography)
The Man from the Diners' Club
(Director of Photography)
The Bamboo Saucer
(Director of Photography)
Jack and the Beanstalk
(Director of Photography)
The Member of the Wedding
(Director of Photography)
The Lineup
(Director of Photography)
The Wild One
(Director of Photography)
The Last Voyage
(Director of Photography)
The Gun Runners
(Director of Photography)
Johnny Holiday
(Director of Photography)
The Honeymoon
(Cinematography)
Hot Cargo
(Director of Photography)
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous
(Cinematography)
Sparrows
(Director of Photography)
The Marriage Clause
(Director of Photography)
The Czar of Broadway
(Director of Photography)
Bag and Baggage
(Director of Photography)
Topaz
(Technical Advisor)
Shanghai Lady
(Director of Photography)
Lady with a Past
(Director of Photography)
Pot o' Gold
(Director of Photography)
Vanity's Price
(Cinematography)
Invisible Diplomats
(Director of Photography)
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
(Director of Photography)