Personal info
Known for
Cinematographer
Gender
Male
Birthday
12 June
Location
Texas, United States
Edit pageJohn A. Alonzo
Biography
John A. Alonzo, ASC (June 12, 1934 – March 13, 2001) was an American cinematographer, television director, and actor known for his diverse body of work in both film and television.
Alonzo pioneered handheld work, lighting techniques, and high-definition video development during his career.
He is remembered mainly for Chinatown (1974) and Scarface (1983), the former for which he was nominated for both a BAFTA and an Academy Award. In addition, he was the recipient of a Primetime Emmy for his work on the 2000 CBS television adaptation of Fail Safe.
Alonzo was the first American cinematographer of Mexican-American descent to become a member of the Cinematographer's Union in Los Angeles, as well as the first to be inducted into the ASC.
Alonzo died in 2001 after a long illness, at home in Brentwood, California. Perhaps his best-known student is two-time Oscar winner John Toll, who began his career as Alonzo's assistant on films like Black Sunday, Norma Rae, Tom Horn, and Scarface.
In 2007, director Axel Schill helmed a feature documentary about Alonzo, The Man Who Shot Chinatown – The Life & Work of John A. Alonzo.
