Russell Metty

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Russell Metty
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Born
Russell Louis Metty

(1906-09-20)September 20, 1906
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedApril 28, 1978(1978-04-28) (aged 71)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationCinematographer
AwardsSee below

Russell Louis Metty, ASC[1] (September 20, 1906 – April 28, 1978) was an American cinematographer.[2][3] Described by Charlton Heston as “unquestionably one of the great cameramen,”[4] he worked on over 170 film and television productions between 1934 and 1977, and was noted for his versatility across many different genres and styles.[4]

Metty was best known for his collaborations with directors Douglas Sirk, with whom he worked on in 11 films, and Orson Welles. He won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Color) for his work on Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 film Spartacus, with a second nomination for the musical Flower Drum Song (1961).[5][6]

Early life

Metty was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, to George Andrew Metty and Ida Blanche Campbell.[7] His career began around 1925 as an assistant with Standard Film Laboratory, then was hired by Paramount Pictures to work in the camera department. He left for RKO in 1929.[4]

Career

His first film as cinematographer was the 1934 Richard Dix Western West of the Pecos.

Metty became a regular cameraman at Universal. He became known for his versatility across different genres and styles, both in black-and-white and color photography. He was a collaborator of Orson Welles during the 1940s. He was the pre-production test photographer for Citizen Kane, shot additional scenes for The Magnificent Ambersons, and was the main director of photography for The Stranger and Touch of Evil.[1][4]

Beginning with 1952’s Against All Flags, Metty began a long collaboration with director Douglas Sirk.[3] He shot a total of 11 films for Sirk, becoming known for his lush Technicolor palettes.[8]

He won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Color) for his work on Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus (1960), although his duties on that project had been largely superseded by its director during production.[5][6] He received a second Oscar nomination for the musical Flower Drum Song (1961).[6]

He also worked with notable directors like Dorothy Arzner, Edward Dmytryk, William A. Wellman, Raoul Walsh, Norman Jewison, King Vidor, John Huston (The Misfits, 1961), Franklin J. Schaffner (The War Lord, 1965), and George Roy Hill (Thoroughly Modern Millie, 1967).[4]

Later in his career, Metty worked mainly on television, earning Primetime Emmy nominations for The Waltons and Tribes. He shot the first five episodes of Columbo and the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. One of his last film credits was shooting test footage for Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974).[9]

Personal life

Metty was married to actress Edith Haskins, with whom he had two children. After their divorce, he married Glenna Lee (née Rice), and they had a daughter, Andrea (b. 1969).[7]

Death

A longtime resident of the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, Metty died there in 1978, five years after his second wife.[7]

Filmography

With Ann Blyth (left) on the set of A Woman's Vengeance (1948)

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Work Result Ref.
Academy Award 1961 Best Cinematography, Color Spartacus Won [10]
1962 Flower Drum Song Nominated [11]
Primetime Emmy Award 1971 Outstanding Cinematography for a Series or a Single Program Tribes Nominated [12]
1973 The Waltons Nominated [12]
Laurel Award 1959 Top Cinematography – Color Imitation of Life 5th place

References

  1. Turner, George E. "A Cop Gone Wrong: Touch of Evil". American Cinematographer. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  2. Eder, Bruce (2013). "Russell Metty". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-10-22.
  3. Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to World Film, since 1885. 2008. Index home page.
  4. "RUSSELL METTY". Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers. Archived from the original on 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  5. "Academy Awards Acceptance Speeches - Search Results | Margaret Herrick Library | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences". aaspeechesdb.oscars.org. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  6. Bromwich, David (2024-09-26). "Spaces between the Stars". London Review of Books. Vol. 46, no. 18. ISSN 0260-9592. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  7. "Russell Louis Metty (1906-1978)". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  8. Ridley, Jim (2015-01-16). "Think You've Seen Technicolor? Douglas Sirk's Written on the Wind at Belcourt". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  9. "Behind the Camera - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2026-06-09. Scorsese also said that veteran cinematographer Russell Metty, who worked multiple times with John Huston, Orson Welles, Douglas Sirk, and Stanley Kubrick (winning an Oscar® for Spartacus, 1960), happened to be present at the studio and shot the tests for that sequence.
  10. "The 33rd Academy Awards | 1961". www.oscars.org. 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  11. "The 34th Academy Awards | 1962". www.oscars.org. 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  12. "Russell L. Metty | Emmy Awards and Nominations". Television Academy. Retrieved 2026-06-09.