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Karl Struss

January 01, 1970

Karl Struss, A.S.C. (November 30, 1886 – December 15, 1981) was an American photographer and a cinematographer of the 1900s through the 1950s. He was also one of the earliest pioneers of 3-D films. While he mostly worked on films, such as F.W. Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator and Limelight, he was also one of the cinematographers for the television series Broken Arrow and photographed 19 episodes of My Friend Flicka.

Karl Struss
Photographer and cinematographer Karl Struss in 1912, photographed by Clarence H. White
Born(1886-11-30)November 30, 1886
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 15, 1981(1981-12-15) (aged 95)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Burial placeWoodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York
EducationColumbia University
OccupationCinematographer
TitleA.S.C.
AwardsAcademy Award for Best Cinematography
1928 Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (co-winner Charles Rosher)
1919 photo by Karl Struss

Life and career edit

Karl Struss was born in New York City in 1886. After an illness in high school, Karl's father, Henry, removed his son from school and placed him as a labor operator at Seybel & Struss bonnet wire factory.[1] He began to develop an interest in photography, experimenting with an 8x10 camera, and beginning in 1908, attended Clarence H. White's evening art photography course at Teachers College at Columbia University, concluding his studies in 1912.[2]

Early in his studies, he explored the properties of camera lenses and eventually invented, in 1909, what he attempted to patent as the Struss Pictorial Lens, a soft-focus lens.[3] This lens was considered popular with pictorial photographers of the time. The Struss Pictorial lens was the first soft-focus lens introduced into the motion picture industry, in 1916.[4]

Initially, Struss gained attention in the photo world when 12 of his pictorial works were chosen by Alfred Stieglitz for the Albright Art Gallery International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography in 1910. This was the final exhibition of the Photo-Secession, an organization that promoted photography as fine art.[4]

Struss's reputation was solidified by his inclusion in the exhibition "What the Camera Does in the Hand of the Artist" at the Newark Art Museum, held in April 1911, and an invitation by the Teacher's College for Struss to organize a one-person exhibition of his views of New York City as well as to teach White's course in the summer of 1912 while White was away.[5] Struss was invited by Stieglitz to join the Photo-Secession in 1912, which led to the publication of Struss's photographs in the group's magazine Camera Work. In 1913, Struss, in collaboration with Edward Dickson, Clarence White, Alvin Langdon Coburn, and Paul Anderson, began their own publication, Platinum Print. In 1914, he resigned his position at the family business and asserted his identity as a professional photographer by assuming Clarence White's former studio space in June of that year [6]

At the suggestion of Coburn, Struss submitted prints to the American Invitational Section of the annual exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society in London, initiating an exhibiting practice he would continue into the 1920s.[7] He also participated in numerous exhibitions organized by photography clubs and other associations, including the Pittsburgh Salon of National Photographic Art and the annual photography display organized by the Philadelphia department store Wanamaker's.[8] As Struss continued his exhibitions and specialized commissions, he produced commercial photography for magazines, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Harper's Bazaar.[4] (However, he was quick to insist that he was not doing fashion photography.) His photographic practice was interrupted by World War I. In 1917, he registered for the draft and then enlisted with the aim of fulfilling his military service through photography.[9]

He trained to teach aerial photography, but an investigation into Struss's German affiliations launched by the Military Intelligence Department led to his demotion from the rank of sergeant to private; after a period in confinement in Ithaca, New York, where he had originally gone to teach in the new School of Military Aeronautics, he was transferred to Fort Leavenworth to serve as a prison guard and then as a file clerk.[10] In the latter role, he took up photography again, documenting the prisoners. Near the close of the war, in an attempt to clear his record of rumors of anti-Americanism, he applied and was accepted into Officer's Training Camp at the rank of corporal.[11]

While Struss eventually received an honorable discharge, he likely was disinclined to resume his former roles in New York because of the fracturing of many of his professional relationships in the wake of the military investigation.[12]

In 1919, after his discharge, he moved to Los Angeles and signed with Cecil B. DeMille as a cameraman, initially for the film For Better, For Worse, starring Gloria Swanson, followed by another Swanson film, Male and Female, and leading to a two-year contract with the studio.[13] In early 1921, he married Ethel Wall, who helped to support him in his photographic work independent of the film studios, which included pictorial views set in California.[14] In the 1920s, Struss worked on such films as Ben-Hur and F.W. Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. In 1927, he contracted with United Artists, where he worked with D.W. Griffith on films such as Drums of Love and filmed Mary Pickford's first sound film, Coquette.[15] He continued his experimental work with camera technology, developing the "Lupe Light" and a new bracket system for the Bell & Howell camera.[16]

From 1931 through 1945, Struss worked as a cameraman for Paramount, where he worked on a variety of material, including films featuring Mae West, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour.[17] Struss also aimed to shape the field through publishing: for example, in 1934, he wrote "Photographic Modernism and the Cinematographer" for American Cinematographer. Struss was admitted to the American Society of Cinematographers and was a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts.[18] In 1949, while working as a freelancer, he began his work in "stereo cinematography", becoming one of the early proponents of that art form. Unfortunately, he did most of his 3-D film work in Italy, and none of his films were released in 3-D in the United States.

Struss's photographic archive of exhibition prints, film stills, negatives, and papers (3 linear feet of materials) is available at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, located in Fort Worth, Texas.[19]

 
Philatelic cover made by Struss for one leg of the inaugural 1937 flights extending PanAm's airmail service from the US West Coast beyond Manila, to Hong Kong and Macau (return leg).

Aside from his work as a photographer and cinematographer, Struss had a keen interest in philately with a particular focus on the first transpacific airmail flights, making commemorative covers for both the initial November 22, 1935 airmail flight from San Francisco to Honolulu and on to Manila and for the first flights on the extension of the service, from Manila to Hong Kong and Macau, starting April 1937. These signed covers are on his personal stationery showing his address at the time as 1343 N. Orange Grove Ave., in Hollywood (see illustration).[20]

Awards edit

In his career, Struss was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography four times. The first time, and the only time he won, was for F.W. Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans in 1929, sharing that award with Charles Rosher. He was nominated again in 1932 for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in 1934 for The Sign of the Cross, and in 1942 for Aloma of the South Seas with Wilfred M. Cline, A.S.C. and William E. Snyder, A.S.C.

Selected filmography edit

References edit

  1. ^ McCandless, Barbara; Yochelson, Bonnie; Koszarski, Richard (1995). New York to Hollywood, The Photography of Karl Struss. Fort Worth, TX: Amon Carter Museum. pp. 14, 17. ISBN 0-8263-1637-9. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 19, 92.
  3. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 20-21.
  4. ^ a b c McCandless, Barbara (1999). Struss, Karl Fischer. Cary, North Carolina: American National Biography. pp. 57–59.
  5. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 24-25.
  6. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 30.
  7. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 33.
  8. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 226-228. See the appendix (pp. 225-235) for Struss' Lifetime Exhibition Record
  9. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 34-35.
  10. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 35-41.
  11. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 42.
  12. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 43.
  13. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 48.
  14. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 50.
  15. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, pp. 179-180.
  16. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 181.
  17. ^ New York to Hollywood 1995, p. 182-183.
  18. ^ Brown, Turner; Partnow, Elaine (1983). "Karl Struss". MacMillan Biographical Encyclopedia of Photographic Artists and Innovators. MacMillan Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-02-517500-6.
  19. ^ Amon Carter Museum Library & Archives
  20. ^ Covers in the personal collection of Colin Talcroft.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Karl Struss.
  • Biography on 3D Gear website
  • Karl Struss at IMDb
  • Karl Struss in 1912(portrait by Clarence H. White)
  • (by Clarence H. White, courtesy the Amer.Society of Cinematographers)

January 01, 1970
karl, struss, november, 1886, december, 1981, american, photographer, cinematographer, 1900s, through, 1950s, also, earliest, pioneers, films, while, mostly, worked, films, such, murnau, sunrise, song, humans, charlie, chaplin, great, dictator, limelight, also. Karl Struss A S C November 30 1886 December 15 1981 was an American photographer and a cinematographer of the 1900s through the 1950s He was also one of the earliest pioneers of 3 D films While he mostly worked on films such as F W Murnau s Sunrise A Song of Two Humans and Charlie Chaplin s The Great Dictator and Limelight he was also one of the cinematographers for the television series Broken Arrow and photographed 19 episodes of My Friend Flicka Karl StrussPhotographer and cinematographer Karl Struss in 1912 photographed by Clarence H WhiteBorn 1886 11 30 November 30 1886New York City U S DiedDecember 15 1981 1981 12 15 aged 95 Santa Monica California U S Burial placeWoodlawn Cemetery Bronx New YorkEducationColumbia UniversityOccupationCinematographerTitleA S C AwardsAcademy Award for Best Cinematography1928 Sunrise A Song of Two Humans co winner Charles Rosher 1919 photo by Karl Struss Contents 1 Life and career 2 Awards 3 Selected filmography 4 References 5 External linksLife and career editKarl Struss was born in New York City in 1886 After an illness in high school Karl s father Henry removed his son from school and placed him as a labor operator at Seybel amp Struss bonnet wire factory 1 He began to develop an interest in photography experimenting with an 8x10 camera and beginning in 1908 attended Clarence H White s evening art photography course at Teachers College at Columbia University concluding his studies in 1912 2 Early in his studies he explored the properties of camera lenses and eventually invented in 1909 what he attempted to patent as the Struss Pictorial Lens a soft focus lens 3 This lens was considered popular with pictorial photographers of the time The Struss Pictorial lens was the first soft focus lens introduced into the motion picture industry in 1916 4 Initially Struss gained attention in the photo world when 12 of his pictorial works were chosen by Alfred Stieglitz for the Albright Art Gallery International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography in 1910 This was the final exhibition of the Photo Secession an organization that promoted photography as fine art 4 Struss s reputation was solidified by his inclusion in the exhibition What the Camera Does in the Hand of the Artist at the Newark Art Museum held in April 1911 and an invitation by the Teacher s College for Struss to organize a one person exhibition of his views of New York City as well as to teach White s course in the summer of 1912 while White was away 5 Struss was invited by Stieglitz to join the Photo Secession in 1912 which led to the publication of Struss s photographs in the group s magazine Camera Work In 1913 Struss in collaboration with Edward Dickson Clarence White Alvin Langdon Coburn and Paul Anderson began their own publication Platinum Print In 1914 he resigned his position at the family business and asserted his identity as a professional photographer by assuming Clarence White s former studio space in June of that year 6 At the suggestion of Coburn Struss submitted prints to the American Invitational Section of the annual exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society in London initiating an exhibiting practice he would continue into the 1920s 7 He also participated in numerous exhibitions organized by photography clubs and other associations including the Pittsburgh Salon of National Photographic Art and the annual photography display organized by the Philadelphia department store Wanamaker s 8 As Struss continued his exhibitions and specialized commissions he produced commercial photography for magazines including Vogue Vanity Fair and Harper s Bazaar 4 However he was quick to insist that he was not doing fashion photography His photographic practice was interrupted by World War I In 1917 he registered for the draft and then enlisted with the aim of fulfilling his military service through photography 9 He trained to teach aerial photography but an investigation into Struss s German affiliations launched by the Military Intelligence Department led to his demotion from the rank of sergeant to private after a period in confinement in Ithaca New York where he had originally gone to teach in the new School of Military Aeronautics he was transferred to Fort Leavenworth to serve as a prison guard and then as a file clerk 10 In the latter role he took up photography again documenting the prisoners Near the close of the war in an attempt to clear his record of rumors of anti Americanism he applied and was accepted into Officer s Training Camp at the rank of corporal 11 While Struss eventually received an honorable discharge he likely was disinclined to resume his former roles in New York because of the fracturing of many of his professional relationships in the wake of the military investigation 12 In 1919 after his discharge he moved to Los Angeles and signed with Cecil B DeMille as a cameraman initially for the film For Better For Worse starring Gloria Swanson followed by another Swanson film Male and Female and leading to a two year contract with the studio 13 In early 1921 he married Ethel Wall who helped to support him in his photographic work independent of the film studios which included pictorial views set in California 14 In the 1920s Struss worked on such films as Ben Hur and F W Murnau s Sunrise A Song of Two Humans In 1927 he contracted with United Artists where he worked with D W Griffith on films such as Drums of Love and filmed Mary Pickford s first sound film Coquette 15 He continued his experimental work with camera technology developing the Lupe Light and a new bracket system for the Bell amp Howell camera 16 From 1931 through 1945 Struss worked as a cameraman for Paramount where he worked on a variety of material including films featuring Mae West Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour 17 Struss also aimed to shape the field through publishing for example in 1934 he wrote Photographic Modernism and the Cinematographer for American Cinematographer Struss was admitted to the American Society of Cinematographers and was a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts 18 In 1949 while working as a freelancer he began his work in stereo cinematography becoming one of the early proponents of that art form Unfortunately he did most of his 3 D film work in Italy and none of his films were released in 3 D in the United States Struss s photographic archive of exhibition prints film stills negatives and papers 3 linear feet of materials is available at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art located in Fort Worth Texas 19 nbsp Philatelic cover made by Struss for one leg of the inaugural 1937 flights extending PanAm s airmail service from the US West Coast beyond Manila to Hong Kong and Macau return leg Aside from his work as a photographer and cinematographer Struss had a keen interest in philately with a particular focus on the first transpacific airmail flights making commemorative covers for both the initial November 22 1935 airmail flight from San Francisco to Honolulu and on to Manila and for the first flights on the extension of the service from Manila to Hong Kong and Macau starting April 1937 These signed covers are on his personal stationery showing his address at the time as 1343 N Orange Grove Ave in Hollywood see illustration 20 Awards editIn his career Struss was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography four times The first time and the only time he won was for F W Murnau s Sunrise A Song of Two Humans in 1929 sharing that award with Charles Rosher He was nominated again in 1932 for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1934 for The Sign of the Cross and in 1942 for Aloma of the South Seas with Wilfred M Cline A S C and William E Snyder A S C Selected filmography editForbidden Fruit 1921 with Agnes Ayres Saturday Night 1922 with Conrad Nagel and Leatrice Joy Thorns and Orange Blossoms 1922 Rich Men s Wives 1922 Mothers in Law 1923 Poor Men s Wives 1923 The Legend of Hollywood 1924 Ben Hur 1925 with Ramon Navarro Sunrise A Song of Two Humans 1927 with Janet Gaynor The Battle of the Sexes 1928 with Jean Hersholt Lady of the Pavements 1929 with Lupe Velez Coquette 1929 with Mary Pickford The Taming of the Shrew 1929 with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford Abraham Lincoln 1930 with Walter Huston Skippy 1931 with Jackie Cooper Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 1931 with Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins The Sign of the Cross 1932 with Fredric March and Charles Laughton Island of Lost Souls 1932 with Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi The Story of Temple Drake 1933 with Miriam Hopkins One Sunday Afternoon 1933 with Gary Cooper and Fay Wray Four Frightened People 1934 with Claudette Colbert Belle of the Nineties 1934 with Mae West The Pursuit of Happiness 1934 with Francis Lederer and Joan Bennett Goin to Town 1935 with Mae West Every Day s a Holiday 1937 with Mae West Zenobia 1939 with Oliver Hardy and Harry Langdon Gone with the Wind 1939 with Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh Technicolor tests only uncredited The Great Dictator 1940 with Charles Chaplin and Paulette Goddard Journey into Fear 1943 with Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten Frenchman s Creek 1944 with Joan Fontaine Wonder Man 1945 with Danny Kaye Suspense 1946 with Belita and Barry Sullivan Heaven Only Knows 1947 with Robert Cummings Rocketship X M 1950 with Lloyd Bridges and Osa Massen The Return of Jesse James 1950 with John Ireland and Ann Dvorak Lady Possessed 1952 with James Mason Limelight 1952 with Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton Mohawk 1956 with Scott Brady and Neville Brand Kronos 1957 with Jeff Morrow and Barbara Lawrence She Devil 1957 with Mari Blanchard and Jack Kelly The Fly 1958 with Vincent PriceReferences edit McCandless Barbara Yochelson Bonnie Koszarski Richard 1995 New York to Hollywood The Photography of Karl Struss Fort Worth TX Amon Carter Museum pp 14 17 ISBN 0 8263 1637 9 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 19 92 New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 20 21 a b c McCandless Barbara 1999 Struss Karl Fischer Cary North Carolina American National Biography pp 57 59 New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 24 25 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 30 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 33 New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 226 228 See the appendix pp 225 235 for Struss Lifetime Exhibition Record New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 34 35 New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 35 41 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 42 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 43 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 48 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 50 New York to Hollywood 1995 pp 179 180 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 181 New York to Hollywood 1995 p 182 183 Brown Turner Partnow Elaine 1983 Karl Struss MacMillan Biographical Encyclopedia of Photographic Artists and Innovators MacMillan Publishing Co ISBN 978 0 02 517500 6 Amon Carter Museum Library amp Archives Covers in the personal collection of Colin Talcroft External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Karl Struss Biography on 3D Gear website Karl Struss at IMDb Karl Struss in 1912 portrait by Clarence H White Karl Struss 1912 by Clarence H White courtesy the Amer Society of Cinematographers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Karl Struss amp oldid 1168126933, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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