Richard H. Kline
Richard H. Kline | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Richard Howard Kline November 15, 1926 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | August 7, 2018 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Sorbonne University |
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
| Years active | 1943-1997 |
| Father | Benjamin H. Kline |
| Relatives | Sol Halperin, Phil Rosen (uncles) |
| Honours | American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award |
Richard Howard Kline, ASC (November 15, 1926 - August 7, 2018)[1] was an American cinematographer. He was a second-generation filmmaker, being the son of cinematographer Benjamin H. Kline and the nephew of ASC co-founder Phil Rosen and cinematographer Sol Halperin. He was twice Oscar nominated, for Camelot (1967) and King Kong (1976).[2]
Other notable films he shot included The Boston Strangler (1968), The Andromeda Strain (1971), The Mechanic (1972), Soylent Green (1973), Mandingo (1975), The Fury (1978), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), Body Heat (1981), and Howard the Duck (1986). He often worked with directors Richard Fleischer and Michael Winner.
Early life
Kline was born in Los Angeles, California in 1926; his father was cinematographer Benjamin H. Kline, and his uncles were cinematographers Sol Halperin and Phil Rosen, the latter being a co-founder of the American Society of Cinematographers.
After Kline graduated from high school in 1943 at the age of 16, his father got him a job as a slate boy working for Columbia Pictures the same year, and one of the films he worked on as a slate boy was Cover Girl.[3] He originally had aspiration of being a lawyer.[4]
A year later, in 1944, Kline joined the U.S. Navy, serving from 1944 to 1946.[4] He initially worked at the Naval Photographic Science Laboratory.[4] By the time he had joined the Navy, he was already a first assistant cameraman. Kline was shipped out to the Pacific Theatre about the USS Los Angeles, where he would film battles out on the ocean.[4]
Kline left the Navy in 1946, and went to Paris in 1948 to study art history at the Sorbonne, after he could not find a job in Hollywood.
Career
After graduating from Sorbonne with a degree in Fine Art and Fine History, he married and returned to Hollywood, and returned to Columbia in 1951, working first as a camera assistant, and then a camera operator.
With the help of Sol Halperin, Kline began working as a cinematographer in 1963, and in 1967, he became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers. Kline worked extensively with director Richard Fleischer, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography on two occasions. Much of his work was in the realm of genre cinema, and he collaborated with directors like Fleischer, Michael Winner, Robert Wise, and Brian De Palma. Kline also worked alongside other cinematographers such as Charles Lawton Jr., Burnett Guffey, James Wong Howe, and Philip H. Lathrop.
He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on Camelot in 1967, and for another Oscar for his work on King Kong in 1976, and was the recipient of the 20th annual ASC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.[1]
Death
A lifelong resident of Los Angeles, Kline died from natural causes at his home in Brentwood, at the age of 91, on August 7, 2018, the 51st anniversary of when he joined the A.S.C.[1]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Shotgun Slade | 1 episode |
| 1963 | Mr. Novak | 14 episode |
| 1965 | Honey West | 3 episodes |
| 1966 | T.H.E. Cat | 1 episode |
| Twelve O'Clock High | ||
| The Monkees | Pilot episode | |
| 1975 | Kate McShane | 1 episode |
| 1982 | Coming Out of the Ice | TV movie |
| 1996 | Home Song |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Award | 1968 | Best Cinematography | Camelot | Nominated | [6] |
| 1977 | King Kong | Nominated | [7] | ||
| American Society of Cinematographers Award | 2006 | Lifetime Achievement Award | N/a | Won | [1] |
References
- 1 2 3 4 "In Memoriam: Richard H. Kline, ASC (1926-2018)". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
- ↑ Richard H. Kline, Cinematographer on 'Camelot,' 'Body Heat' and 'King Kong,' Dies at 91
- ↑ Weaver, Tom. A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers. McFarland. p. 108.
- 1 2 3 4 Morton, Ray (September 7, 2018). "MEET THE READER: My Friend Richard H. Kline - A Look Back at the Legendary Cinematographer". Script Magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Remembering TMP Cinematographer, Richard H. Kline, 1926-2018". www.startrek.com. July 25, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ↑ "The 40th Academy Awards | 1968". www.oscars.org. October 4, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ "The 49th Academy Awards | 1977". www.oscars.org. October 5, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2026.