John Bailey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | John Ira Bailey (1942-08-10)August 10, 1942 Moberly, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 2023(2023-11-10) (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Loyola University (Loyola Marymount University) USC School of Cinematic Arts |
| Occupations | Cinematographer, film director |
| Years active | 1968–2022 |
| Spouse | |
| President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | |
| In office August 8, 2017 – August 7, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Cheryl Boone Isaacs |
| Succeeded by | David Rubin |
John Ira Bailey ASC (August 10, 1942 – November 10, 2023)[1] was an American cinematographer, film director, and former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[2][3]
Early life
John Ira Bailey was born August 10, 1942, in Moberly, Missouri, and raised in Norwalk, California.[4][5] He attended Pius X High School in Downey, California,[5] and briefly studied chemistry at Santa Clara University before transferring to Loyola University, Los Angeles,[4] where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1964.[6] He earned a graduate degree from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) in 1968.[7]
Career
Bailey spent 11 years apprenticing as a crew member with cinematographers such as Vilmos Zsigmond and Néstor Almendros, working on Two-Lane Blacktop, The Late Show, 3 Women, Winter Kills, and Days of Heaven. He earned his first credit as director of photography for Boulevard Nights, followed by Ordinary People and American Gigolo.
In 1985, Bailey shared the Cannes Film Festival Best Artistic Contribution Award with Eiko Ishioka and Philip Glass for Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography for Tough Guys Don't Dance and the Camerimage Golden Frog Award for Best Cinematography for Forever Mine. He was a member of the American Society of Cinematographers and member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival in 1987.[8] He worked on numerous comedy films such as Groundhog Day, As Good as It Gets, and The Producers. He was a veteran documentary cameraman.
Bailey's credits as a director include The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, China Moon, Mariette in Ecstasy, and Via Dolorosa.
Personal life and death
Bailey was married to film editor Carol Littleton from 1972. They resided in Los Angeles.[4] He died in his sleep on November 10, 2023, at the age of 81.[9][10]
Filmography
Cinematographer
Film
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Open Window | Richard Patterson | |
| 2002 | The Fig Rig | Shari Roman | Documentary short |
| 2003 | ADM: DOP (Anthony Dod Mantle - Director of Photography) | ||
| 2009 | Looking at Animals | Marc Turtletaub |
TV movies
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Battered | Peter Werner |
| 1980 | City in Fear | Jud Taylor |
| 1989 | Time Flies When You're Alive | Roger Spottiswoode |
| 1996 | Passion | James Lapine |
| 1998 | Always Outnumbered | Michael Apted |
Documentary film
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Swimming to Cambodia | Jonathan Demme | Concert film |
| 1990 | Hollywood Mavericks | Florence Dauman Dale Ann Stieber |
With Steve Baum, Frederick Elmes, Marc Gérard, Mead Hunt, Todd McClelland, Peter S. Rosen and Steven Wacks |
| 1991 | A Brief History of Time | Errol Morris | With Stefan Czapsky |
| 2000 | Michael Jordan to the Max | Don Kempf James D. Stern |
With Joe D'Alessandro, David Kessler, James Neihouse and Rodney Taylor |
| 2001 | NSync: Bigger Than Live | Himself | With Matthew Williams |
| 2002 | The Kid Stays in the Picture | Nanette Burstein Brett Morgen |
|
| 2003 | Digital Babylon | Shari Roman | |
| 2004 | The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing | Wendy Apple |
Director
- The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)
- China Moon (1994)
- Via Dolorosa (2000) (stage play)
- NSync: Bigger Than Live (2001) (Documentary film)
- Mariette in Ecstasy (2019)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Cannes Film Festival | Best Artistic Contribution | Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters | Won | [11] |
| 1988 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Cinematography | Tough Guys Don't Dance | Nominated | |
| 1994 | CableACE Award | Television Special | The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe | Won | |
| Directing in a Comedy Special | Nominated | ||||
| 1999 | Camerimage | Golden Frog Award | Forever Mine | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Society of Operating Cameramen | President's Award | —N/a | Won | |
| 2015 | American Society of Cinematographers | Lifetime Achievement Award | —N/a | Won | |
| 2018 | Society of Operating Cameramen | Governor's Award | —N/a | Won | |
| 2019 | Camerimage | Lifetime Achievement Award | —N/a | Won | [4] |
References
- "In Memoriam: John Bailey, ASC (1942-2023)". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- Tapley, Kristopher (August 8, 2017). "John Bailey Elected President of the Motion Picture Academy". Variety. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- Rottenberg, Josh (August 6, 2019). "David Rubin elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- "John Bailey with Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award!". Camerimage. August 22, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- Williams, David E. (March 31, 2020). "John Bailey, ASC: Inside the Outsider". American Cinematographer. American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- Featured Alumni, Loyola Marymount University
- Notable Alumni, USC School of Cinematic Arts Archived August 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- "John Bailey". IMDb.
- Barnes, Mike (November 10, 2023). "John Bailey, 'Ordinary People' Cinematographer and Former Film Academy President, Dies at 81". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and. "John Bailey, Cinematographer and Former Academy President, Dies at 81". A.frame. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- "John Bailey - Awards - IMDB". Internet Movie Database. March 14, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
External links
- John Bailey at IMDb