Hal Mohr

Personal Info

Known For Camera

Gender Male

Birthday 1894-08-02

Deathday 1974-05-10 (79 years old)

Place of Birth San Francisco, California, USA

Also Known As Harold Leon Mohr

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.

Known For

Camera

1968
The Bamboo Saucer

as Director of Photography

1967
Jack and the Beanstalk

as Director of Photography

1965
Invisible Diplomats

as Director of Photography

1963
The Man from the Diners' Club

as Director of Photography

1962
The Creation of the Humanoids

as Director of Photography

1961
Underworld U.S.A.

as Director of Photography

1960
The Last Voyage

as Director of Photography

1960
The Barbara Stanwyck Show

as Director of Photography

1958
The Gun Runners

as Director of Photography

1958
The Lineup

as Director of Photography

1957
Baby Face Nelson

as Director of Photography

1956
The Boss

as Director of Photography

1956
Hot Cargo

as Director of Photography

1955
Rookie of the Year

as Director of Photography

1953
The Wild One

as Director of Photography

1952
Rancho Notorious

as Director of Photography

1952
The Four Poster

as Director of Photography

1952
The Member of the Wedding

as Director of Photography

1951
The Big Night

as Director of Photography

1950
Woman on the Run

as Director of Photography

1950
The Second Woman

as Director of Photography

1949
Johnny Holiday

as Director of Photography

1948
Another Part of the Forest

as Director of Photography

1948
An Act of Murder

as Director of Photography

1947
The Lost Moment

as Director of Photography

1947
I'll Be Yours

as Director of Photography

1947
Song of Scheherazade

as Director of Photography

1946
Because of Him

as Director of Photography

1945
Her Lucky Night

as Director of Photography

1945
Salome, Where She Danced

as Director of Photography

1944
Enter Arsène Lupin

as Director of Photography

1944
The Climax

as Director of Photography

1943
Top Man

as Director of Photography

1943
Phantom of the Opera

as Director of Photography

1943
Watch on the Rhine

as Director of Photography

1941
International Lady

as Director of Photography

1941
Pot o' Gold

as Director of Photography

1940
When the Daltons Rode

as Director of Photography

1939
Destry Rides Again

as Director of Photography

1939
Back Door to Heaven

as Director of Photography

1939
Rio

as Director of Photography

1938
I Met My Love Again

as Director of Photography

1936
The Walking Dead

as Director of Photography

1936
Bullets or Ballots

as Director of Photography

1936
The Green Pastures

as Director of Photography

1936
Ladies In Love

as Director of Photography

1935
Captain Blood

as Director of Photography

1935
A Midsummer Night's Dream

as Director of Photography

1934
Change of Heart

as Director of Photography

1934
David Harum

as Director of Photography

1934
Servants' Entrance

as Director of Photography

1933
State Fair

as Director of Photography

1933
The Warrior's Husband

as Director of Photography

1933
I Loved You Wednesday

as Director of Photography

1933
The Devil's in Love

as Director of Photography

1932
Tess of the Storm Country

as Director of Photography

1932
A Woman Commands

as Director of Photography

1932
Week Ends Only

as Director of Photography

1932
The First Year

as Director of Photography

1932
Lady with a Past

as Director of Photography

1931
The Big Gamble

as Director of Photography

1931
A Woman of Experience

as Director of Photography

1931
Devotion

as Director of Photography

1930
Big Boy

as Director of Photography

1930
Outward Bound

as Director of Photography

1930
King of Jazz

as Director of Photography

1930
The Czar of Broadway

as Director of Photography

1929
The Last Performance

as Director of Photography

1929
Broadway

as Director of Photography

1929
Shanghai Lady

as Director of Photography

1928
The Last Warning

as Director of Photography

1928
Tenderloin

as Director of Photography

1928
Noah's Ark

as Director of Photography

1928
Glorious Betsy

as Director of Photography

1927
The Jazz Singer

as Director of Photography

1927
The Heart of Maryland

as Director of Photography

1927
Old San Francisco

as Director of Photography

1926
The Third Degree

as Director of Photography

1926
Sparrows

as Director of Photography

1926
The Marriage Clause

as Director of Photography

1925
The Monster

as Director of Photography

1925
Little Annie Rooney

as Director of Photography

1923
Bag and Baggage

as Director of Photography

1917
The Big Idea

as Director of Photography

Crew

1969
Topaz

as Technical Advisor

1958
No Time at All

as Cinematography

1955
Day is Done

as Cinematography

1929
The Honeymoon

as Cinematography

1924
Vanity's Price

as Cinematography

Director

1937
When Love Is Young

as Director

1917
The Big Idea

as Director

Actor

1979
The Man You Loved to Hate

as Self (archive audio)

1938
I Met My Love Again

as College Student (uncredited)

Writer

1917
The Big Idea

as Writer