Hal Mohr
Personal Info
Known for
Camera
Gender
Male
Birthday
1894-08-02
Day of Death
1974-05-10 (79 years old)
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Hal Mohr
Biography
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.
Acting
(1979)
The Man You Loved to Hate
as Self (archive audio)
(1938)
I Met My Love Again
as College Student (uncredited)
Crew
(1969)
Topaz
Technical Advisor
(1968)
The Bamboo Saucer
Director of Photography
(1967)
Jack and the Beanstalk
Director of Photography
(1965)
Invisible Diplomats
Director of Photography
(1963)
The Man from the Diners' Club
Director of Photography
(1962)
The Creation of the Humanoids
Director of Photography
(1961)
Underworld U.S.A.
Director of Photography
(1960)
The Last Voyage
Director of Photography
(1958)
No Time at All
Cinematography
(1958)
The Gun Runners
Director of Photography
(1958)
The Lineup
Director of Photography
(1957)
Baby Face Nelson
Director of Photography
(1956)
The Boss
Director of Photography
(1956)
Hot Cargo
Director of Photography
(1955)
Day is Done
Cinematography
(1953)
The Wild One
Director of Photography
(1952)
Rancho Notorious
Director of Photography
(1952)
The Four Poster
Director of Photography
(1952)
The Member of the Wedding
Director of Photography
(1951)
The Big Night
Director of Photography
(1950)
Woman on the Run
Director of Photography
(1950)
The Second Woman
Director of Photography
(1949)
Johnny Holiday
Director of Photography
(1948)
Another Part of the Forest
Director of Photography
(1948)
An Act of Murder
Director of Photography
(1947)
The Lost Moment
Director of Photography
(1947)
I'll Be Yours
Director of Photography
(1947)
Song of Scheherazade
Director of Photography
(1946)
Because of Him
Director of Photography
(1945)
Her Lucky Night
Director of Photography
(1945)
Salome, Where She Danced
Director of Photography
(1944)
Enter Arsène Lupin
Director of Photography
(1944)
The Climax
Director of Photography
(1943)
Top Man
Director of Photography
(1943)
Phantom of the Opera
Director of Photography
(1943)
Watch on the Rhine
Director of Photography
(1942)
Lady in a Jam
Director of Photography
(1941)
International Lady
Director of Photography
(1941)
Pot o' Gold
Director of Photography
(1940)
When the Daltons Rode
Director of Photography
(1939)
Destry Rides Again
Director of Photography
(1939)
Back Door to Heaven
Director of Photography
(1939)
Rio
Director of Photography
(1938)
I Met My Love Again
Director of Photography
(1937)
When Love Is Young
Director
(1936)
The Walking Dead
Director of Photography
(1936)
Bullets or Ballots
Director of Photography
(1936)
The Green Pastures
Director of Photography
(1936)
Ladies In Love
Director of Photography
(1935)
Captain Blood
Director of Photography
(1935)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Director of Photography
(1934)
Change of Heart
Director of Photography
(1934)
David Harum
Director of Photography
(1934)
Servants' Entrance
Director of Photography
(1933)
State Fair
Director of Photography
(1933)
The Warrior's Husband
Director of Photography
(1933)
I Loved You Wednesday
Director of Photography
(1933)
The Devil's in Love
Director of Photography
(1932)
Tess of the Storm Country
Director of Photography
(1932)
A Woman Commands
Director of Photography
(1932)
Week Ends Only
Director of Photography
(1932)
The First Year
Director of Photography
(1932)
Lady with a Past
Director of Photography
(1931)
The Big Gamble
Director of Photography
(1931)
A Woman of Experience
Director of Photography
(1931)
Devotion
Director of Photography
(1930)
Big Boy
Director of Photography
(1930)
Outward Bound
Director of Photography
(1930)
King of Jazz
Director of Photography
(1930)
The Czar of Broadway
Director of Photography
(1929)
The Last Performance
Director of Photography
(1929)
Broadway
Director of Photography
(1929)
The Honeymoon
Cinematography
(1929)
Shanghai Lady
Director of Photography
(1928)
The Last Warning
Director of Photography
(1928)
Tenderloin
Director of Photography
(1928)
Noah's Ark
Director of Photography
(1928)
Glorious Betsy
Director of Photography
(1927)
The Jazz Singer
Director of Photography
(1927)
The Heart of Maryland
Director of Photography
(1927)
Old San Francisco
Director of Photography
(1926)
The Third Degree
Director of Photography
(1926)
Sparrows
Director of Photography
(1926)
The Marriage Clause
Director of Photography
(1925)
The Monster
Director of Photography
(1925)
Little Annie Rooney
Director of Photography
(1924)
Vanity's Price
Cinematography
(1923)
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous
Cinematography
(1923)
Bag and Baggage
Director of Photography
(1917)
Perils of the Secret Service
Director
(1917)
The Big Idea
Director, Writer, Director of Photography