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Richard H. Kline

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Richard H. Kline
Born
Richard Howard Kline

(1926-11-15)November 15, 1926
DiedAugust 7, 2018(2018-08-07) (aged 91)
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1943-1997
FatherBenjamin H. Kline
RelativesSol Halperin, Phil Rosen (uncles)
HonoursAmerican Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award

Richard Howard Kline ASC (November 15, 1926 – August 7, 2018)[1] was an American cinematographer, known for his collaborations with directors Richard Fleischer and Michael Winner.[2] He was a second-generation filmmaker, being the son of cinematographer Benjamin H. Kline and the nephew of ASC co-founder Phil Rosen. He was nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, for Camelot (1968) and King Kong (1976).

Career

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Kline was born in Los Angeles, California in 1926; his father was cinematographer Benjamin H. Kline.

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]

A year later, in 1944, Kline joined the U.S. Navy, serving from 1944 to 1946. By the time he had joined the Navy, he was already a first assistant cameraman. Kline was shipped out to the Pacific Theatre, where he would film battles out on the ocean. Kline left the Navy in 1946, and went to Paris in 1948, after he could not find a job in Hollywood.

After graduating from Sorbonne University 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. 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 Michael Winner, Richard Fleischer, 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.

He died from natural causes at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, at the age of 91, on August 7, 2018, the 51st anniversary of when he joined the A.S.C.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Dir. Notes
1966 Chamber of Horrors Hy Averback
1967 Camelot Joshua Logan Nominated for Academy Award for Best Cinematography
1968 Hang 'Em High Ted Post with Leonard J. South
The Boston Strangler Richard Fleischer
1969 A Dream of Kings Daniel Mann
Gaily, Gaily Norman Jewison
1970 The Moonshine War Richard Quine
1971 The Andromeda Strain Robert Wise
Kotch Jack Lemmon
1972 Hammersmith Is Out Peter Ustinov
When the Legends Die Stuart Millar
The Mechanic Michael Winner with Robert Paynter
Black Gunn Robert Hartford-Davis
1973 Soylent Green Richard Fleischer
The Harrad Experiment Ted Post
Battle for the Planet of the Apes J. Lee Thompson
The Don Is Dead Richard Fleischer
1974 The Terminal Man Mike Hodges
Mr. Majestyk Richard Fleischer
1975 Mandingo
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? Steven Hilliard Stern
1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Michael Winner
King Kong John Guillermin Nominated for Academy Award for Best Cinematography
1978 The Fury Brian De Palma
Who'll Stop the Rain Karel Reisz
1979 Tilt Rudy Durand
Star Trek: The Motion Picture[4] Robert Wise
1980 Touched by Love Gus Trikonis
The Competition Joel Oliansky
1981 Body Heat Lawrence Kasdan
Lovespell Tom Donovan
1982 Death Wish II Michael Winner with Thomas Del Ruth
1983 Man, Woman and Child Dick Richards
Deal of the Century William Friedkin
Breathless Jim McBride
1984 Hard to Hold Larry Peerce
All of Me Carl Reiner
1985 The Man with One Red Shoe Stan Dragoti
1986 Howard the Duck Willard Huyck
Touch and Go Robert Mandel
1988 My Stepmother Is an Alien Richard Benjamin
1990 Downtown Richard Benjamin
1991 Double Impact Sheldon Lettich
1997 Meet Wally Sparks Peter Baldwin

Television

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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

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References

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  1. ^ "In Memoriam: Richard H. Kline, ASC (1926-2018)". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Richard H. Kline, Cinematographer on 'Camelot,' 'Body Heat' and 'King Kong,' Dies at 91
  3. ^ Weaver, Tom. A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers. McFarland. p. 108.
  4. ^ "Remembering TMP Cinematographer, Richard H. Kline, 1926-2018". www.startrek.com. July 25, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
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