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Robert L. Surtees (August 9, 1906 – January 5, 1985) was an American cinematographer who won three Academy Awards for the films King Solomon's Mines, The Bad and the Beautiful and the 1959 version of Ben-Hur.
Robert Surtees. Cinematographer: Ben-Hur. Robert L. Surtees began his working life as a portrait photographer and retoucher, before becoming camera assistant at Universal in 1927. He spent a lengthy apprenticeship (15 years) working under such experienced cinematographers as Hal Mohr, Joseph Ruttenberg and Gregg Toland.
- January 1, 1
- Covington, Kentucky, USA
- January 1, 1
- Monterey, California, USA
Robert Surtees. Cinematographer: Ben-Hur. Robert L. Surtees began his working life as a portrait photographer and retoucher, before becoming camera assistant at Universal in 1927.
- August 9, 1906
- January 5, 1985
Robert L. Surtees, A.S.C. (August 9, 1906 – January 5, 1985) was an American cinematographer who won Academy Awards three times, for the films King Solomon's Mines, The Bad and the Beautiful and the 1959 version of Ben Hur.
As a studio cinematographer for MGM for almost 20 years, Surtees photographed films in almost every popular genre, from small comedies such as Lost Angel to westerns such as Escape from Fort Bravo to blockbuster musicals like Oklahoma!
One of the most versatile cinematographers in film history, Robert L Surtees came up through the studio system, beginning as an assistant cameraman to Gregg Toland and Joseph Ruttenberg at Universal in the late 1920s before moving to MGM and establishing himself as a top-flight director of photography.
Feb 16, 2017 · Born September 8, 1906 in Covington, Kentucky, Robert Surtees was raised in Ohio. After graduating high school, he got a job as a photographer and re-toucher at a portrait studio in Cincinnati. He moved to California in 1925 intending to go to college, but was offered a job as a camera assistant at Universal based […]
