JOSEPH H. AUGUST

Born: 26 April 1890, Idaho Springs, Colorado, USA, as Joseph 'Joe' H. August.

Died: 25 September 1947, Culver City, Los Angeles, Calif., USA [collapsed and died of a heart attack on the set of 'Portrait of Jennie'].

Education: Colorado School of Mining

Career: Began his film career as a cowboy at Inceville [the western studio of prod Thomas H. Ince] in 1911. Gave up wrangling to become an asst to doph Ray Smallwood. Shot his first film, 'Lure of the Violin', in 1912, and became chief doph for William S. Hart in 1915. Shot more than 40 of the Western star's films. After Hart's first retirement in 1921, he went to work for Fox, where he did his first work with dir John Ford on 'Lightnin''. Although acclaimed for his outdoor photography, he was also known for his low-key lighting, a technique developed through necessity because lamp units were a luxury and not terribly efficient in his early days behind the camera. During WW2, he served with John Ford's Office of Strategic Services [O.S.S.] film unit. He was wounded while shooting the doc 'The Battle of Midway'.

Was one of the 15 charter members of the ASC in January 1919.

His son Joseph A. Jr. was his c.asst and became a doph.

Awards: 'Oscar' AA nom [1939; b&w] for 'Gunga Din'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1948; b&w] for 'Portrait of Jennie'.

One of the first great cameramen, whose early work for William S. Hart is nothing short of amazing: the harsh Western landscapes, at the same time uninvitingly barren and weirdly beautiful, shot with a remarkable realism, showing no signs of primitive equipment or the brief shooting schedules. [...] His work in sound is of equal proportions, but the most memorable was done - contrasting with his silents - in those which were vividly unnaturalistic ('The Informer'; 'Daniel and the Devil'). In this vein, and best of all, is his work in 'Portrait of Jennie': August had photographed skyscapes scores of time, but never with such strange and terrifying beauty as in this ghostly love story; the clouds, alternatively languorously peaceful and powerfully storm-ridden, have so much presence that they take on a leading role in the film, seeming to control the destiny of the tragic love affair far below.' [David J. Badder in 'Film Dope', #2, March 1973.]

FILMS [incomplete 1912-23] [1 reel = c. 10m]

1912	Lure of the Violin [William Bauman] b&w; 3 reels; prod New York Motion Picture Company (brand name 'Broncho') (NYMPC)
1914	The Bargain/The Two-Gun Man in the Bargain [Reginald Barker] b&w; uncred cph; ph: Robert S. Newhard; prod NYMPC
1915	The Coward [Reginald Barker & Thomas H. Ince] b&w; 6 reels; cph: Robert S. Newhard; prod NYMPC
1915	The Disciple [William S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1915	Between Men [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1915	The Despoiler/The Awakening/War's Women [Reginald Barker] b&w; 6 reels; prod NYMPC
1915	Hell's Hinges [(W.S. Hart &) Charles Swickard] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1915	The Aryan [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1915	Civilization/He Who Returned [Raymond B. West, Thomas Harper Ince & Reginald Barker] b&w; cph: Dal Clawson, Irvin Willat, Clyde De Vinna, Devereaux Jennings & Robert S. Newhard; prod Thomas H. Ince Corporation & Triangle Film Corporation (TFC)
1915	Civilization's Child [Charles Giblyn] b&w; 5 reels; cph: Charles Kaufman; prod NYMPC
1915	The Primal Lure [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Apostle of Vengeance [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Captive God [Charles Swickard] b&w; 5 reels; or ph Clyde De Vinna; prod NYMPC
1916	The Dawn Maker [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Return of Draw Egan/The Fugitive [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Patriot [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Devil's Double [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	Truthful Tulliver [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Gun Fighter [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1916	The Square Deal Man [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1917	The Desert Man [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1917	Wolf Lowry [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod NYMPC
1917	The Cold Deck [W.S. Hart] b&w; prod NYMPC
1917	An Even Break [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod TFC
1917	Golden Rule Kate [Reginald Barker] b&w; 5 reels; cph: Robert S. Newhard; prod TFC
1917	The Narrow Trail [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod William S. Hart Prods, Inc. (WSHP)
1917	The Regenerates/Blue Blood [E. Mason Hopper] b&w; 5 reels; cph: Charles Stumar; prod TFC
1917	The Silent Man [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod Thomas H. Ince Corporation
1917	Wolves of the Rail [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	Blue Blazes Rawden [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	The Tiger Man [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	Selfish Yates [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	Shark Monroe [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	Riddle Gawne [W.S. Hart & (?) Lambert Hillyer)] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	He Comes Up Smiling [Allan Dwan] b&w; 5 reels; or ph Hugh McClung; prod Douglas Fairbanks Pictures Corporation
1918	A Bullet for Berlin [W.S. Hart] b&w; 1 reel; prod ?
1918	The Border Wireless [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1918	Branding Broadway [W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	Breed of Men [Lambert Hillyer & (?) W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	The Poppy Girl's Husband/Poppy Girl [W.S. Hart & Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	The Money Corral [Lambert Hillyer & (?) W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	Square Deal Sanderson [W.S. Hart & Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	Wagon Tracks [W.S. Hart & Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	John Petticoats [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHP
1919	Sand! [Lambert Hillyer & (?) W.S. Hart] b&w; 5 reels; cph: Dwight Warren; prod The William S. Hart Company (WSHC)

[Left] with Lambert Hillyer [on horse], William S. Hart and actress Ann Little

1920	The Toll Gate [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHC
1920	The Cradle of Courage [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 5 reels; prod WSHC
1920	The Testing Block [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 6 reels; prod WSHP
1920	O'Malley of the Mounted [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 6 reels; prod WSHC
1921	The Whistle [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 6 reels; prod WSHP
1921	White Oak [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; prod WSHC
1921	Travelin' on [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; prod WSHC
1921	Three Word Brand [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; prod WSHC
1922	Arabian Love [Jerome Storm] b&w; 5 reels; prod Fox Film Corporation (FFC)
1922	Honor First [Jerome Storm] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1922	The Love Gambler [Joseph Franz] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1922	A California Romance/Across the Border [Jerome Storm] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1923	The Man Who Won [William A. Wellman] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1923	Truxton King/Truxtonia [Jerome Storm] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1923	Madness of Youth [Jerome Storm] b&w + color seq; 5 reels; prod FFC
1923	The Temple of Venus [Henry Otto] b&w; prod FFC
1923	Big Dan [William A. Wellman] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1923	Goodbye Girls/Good-by Girls/Don't Get Excited [Jerome Storm] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1923	St. Elmo [Jerome Storm] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1923	Darkness and Daylight [Albert Plummer] b&w; ? reels; prod Bancroft Pictures
1923	Cupid's Fireman [William A. Wellman] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1924	Dante's Inferno [Henry Otto] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1924	Not a Drum Was Heard [William A. Wellman] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1924	A Fighting Heart [Jack Nelson] b&w; 6 reels; prod Hercules Film Prods
1924	The Folly of Vanity [Maurice Elvey & Henry Otto] b&w; 6 reels; cph: Joseph Valentine & G.O. Post; prod FFC
1924	The Vagabond Trail [William A. Wellman] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1925	The Hunted Woman [Jack Conway] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1925	Greater Than a Crown [Roy William Neill] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1925	Lightnin' [John Ford] b&w; prod FFC
1925	The Fighting Heart/Once to Every Man [John Ford] b&w; prod FFC
1925	The Ancient Mariner [Henry Otto & Chester Bennett] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1925	Tumbleweeds [King Baggot] b&w; re-issued in 1939 with spoken word prologue; prod WSHC
1926	The Road to Glory [Howard Hawks] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1926	Fig Leaves [Howard Hawks] b&w with color seq; prod FFC
1926	The Flying Horseman/White Eagle [Orville O. Dull] b&w; 5 reels; prod FFC
1926	The Beloved Rogue [Alan Crosland] b&w; prod Feature Prods
1927	Two Arabian Knights [Lewis Milestone] b&w; cph: Antonio Gaudio; prod Caddo Company
1927	Come to My House [Alfred E. Green] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1927	Very Confidential [James Tinling] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1928	Soft Living [James Tinling] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1928	Honor Bound [Alfred E. Green] b&w; prod FFC
1928	Don't Marry [James Tinling] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1928	The Farmer's Daughter [Arthur Rosson and/or Norman Taurog] b&w; 6 reels; prod FFC
1929	Strong Boy [John Ford] b&w; 6 reels; silent & sound (efx + music) versions; prod FFC
1929	The Black Watch/King of the Khyber Rifles [John Ford] b&w
1929	Salute [(uncred) John Ford & David Butler] b&w
1929	Seven Faces [Berthold Viertel] b&w; cph: Al Brick

[Behind cam] with John Ford - "Men Without Women"

1929	Men Without Women [John Ford] b&w
1930	Double Cross Roads [Alfred L. Werker] b&w; 64m; cph: Sol Halprin; silent & sound versions; prod FFC
1930	Man Trouble [Berthold Viertel] b&w
1930	On Your Back/Clothes and the Woman [Guthrie McClintic] b&w
1930	Up the River [John Ford] b&w
1930	Seas Beneath [John Ford] b&w
1930	Mr. Lemon of Orange [John G. Blystone] b&w
1931	Quick Millions [Rowland Brown] b&w
1931	The Black Camel [Hamilton MacFadden] b&w; cph: Daniel B. Clark; 3rd film in 28-part 'Charlie Chan'-series (Fox/20thCF, 1929-42)
1931	The Brat [John Ford] b&w; 60m
1931	Heartbreak [Alfred Werker] b&w; 63m
1931	Charlie Chan's Chance [John G. Blystone] b&w; + prod; 4th film in 28-part 'Charlie Chan'-series (Fox/20thCF, 1929-42)
1931	The Silent Witness [Marcel Varnel & R.L. Hough] b&w
1932	Mystery Ranch/The Killer [David Howard] b&w; 56m; cph: George Schneiderman
1932	That's My Boy [Roy William Neill] b&w
1932	Vanity Street [Nick Grinde] b&w; 67m
1932	No More Orchids [Walter Lang] b&w
1932	As the Devil Commands [Roy William Neill] b&w
1933	The Circus Queen Murder [Roy William Neill] b&w; 63m
1933	Cocktail Hour [Victor Schertzinger] b&w
1933	Man's Castle [Frank Borzage] b&w
1933	Master of Men [Lambert Hillyer] b&w; 65m
1933	No Greater Glory [Frank Borzage] b&w
1934	School for Romance [Archie Gottler] b&w; mus short/20m
1934	Sisters Under the Skin/The Romantic Age [David Burton] b&w; 65m
1934	Whirlpool/The Forgotten Man [Roy William Neill] b&w; co-uncred cph; ph: Benjamin H. Kline
1934	Twentieth Century [Howard Hawks] b&w
1934	Woman Haters [Archie Gottler] b&w; short/21m; with The Three Stooges
1934	Stars in the Making [Archie Gottler] b&w; short/20m
1934	Susie's Affairs [Archie Gottler] b&w; short/18m
1934	Black Moon [Roy William Neill] b&w; 68m
1934	The Defense Rests [Lambert Hillyer] b&w
1934	Tripping Through the Tropics [Archie Gottler] b&w; short/18m
1934	Among the Missing [Albert S. Rogell] b&w; 62m
1934	The Captain Hates the Sea [Lewis Milestone] b&w

1934	The Whole Town's Talking/Passport to Fame [John Ford] b&w
1935	I'll Love You Always [Leo Bulgakov] b&w
1935	The Informer [John Ford] b&w
1935	Love Me Forever/On Wings of Song [Victor Schertzinger & (opera seq) Reginald Le Borg] b&w; uncred cph; ph: Joseph Walker
1935	After the Dance [Leo Bulgakov] b&w
1935	Sylvia Scarlett [George Cukor] b&w
1935	Muss 'em Up/The House of Fate/Sinister House [Charles Vidor] b&w; cph: J. Roy Hunt
1935	Every Saturday Night [James Tinling] b&w; 58m
1936	Mary of Scotland [John Ford & (uncred fill-in) Leslie Goodwins] b&w; uncred cph: Jack MacKenzie; spec pfx: Vernon L. Walker
1936	Grand Jury [Albert S. Rogell] b&w; 61m
1936	The Plough and the Stars [John Ford & (uncred retakes) George Nichols Jr.] b&w
1936	Sea Devils [Benjamin Stoloff] b&w; cph: J. Roy Hunt
1936	The Soldier and the Lady/The Adventures of Michael Strogoff [George Nichols Jr.] b&w; 22 scenes from the 1935 French version ('Michel Strogoff' - d: Richard Eichberg & Jacques de Baroncelli - ph: Ewald Daub & Adolf Otto Weitzenberg) were used
1937	There Goes My Girl [Ben Holmes (replaced Edward Killy)] b&w; uncred cph: Nicholas Musuraca
1937	Fifty Roads to Town/Fifty Races to Town [Norman Taurog] b&w
1937	Super-Sleuth [Benjamin Stoloff] b&w
1937	Music for Madame [John G. Blystone] b&w
1937	A Damsel in Distress [George Stevens] b&w; uncred cph: J. Roy Hunt
1938	This Marriage Business [Christy Cabanne] b&w
1938	The Saint in New York [Ben Holmes] b&w; cph: Frank Redman; 1st film in 7-part 'The Saint'-series (RKO, 1938-41)
1938	Gun Law [David Howard] b&w; 60m
1938	Border G-Man [David Howard] b&w; 60m
1938	The Jitters [Leslie Goodwins] b&w; short/20m
1938	Beaux and Errors [Charles E. Roberts] b&w; short/18m
1938	Gunga Din [George Stevens (replaced Howard Hawks)] b&w; 2nd cam (efx): Clifford Stine
1939	Man of Conquest [George Nichols Jr.] b&w; uncred fill-in ph (last week of filming when J. August was hospitalized): Frank Redman
1939	Nurse Edith Cavell [Herbert Wilcox] b&w; cph: F.A. Young

1939	The Hunchback of Notre Dame [William Dieterle] b&w
1939	Primrose Path [Gregory La Cava] b&w
1940	Dance, Girl, Dance [Dorothy Arzner (replaced Roy Del Ruth)] b&w; uncred cph (?); ph: Russell Metty
1940	Melody Ranch [Joseph Santley] b&w
1941	All That Money Can Buy/The Devil and Daniel Webster/Daniel and the Devil [William Dieterle] b&w
1942	The Battle of Midway [John Ford] 16mm-35bu/c; doc/18m; cph: John Ford, Jack MacKenzie & Kenneth Pier
1945	They Were Expendable [John Ford & (uncred fill-in) Robert Montgomery] b&w; as Joseph H. August Lt. Comdr. U.S.N.R.
1947	Portrait of Jennie/Jennie/Tidal Wave [William Dieterle] b&w/tinted/c (finale); uncred cph (finished film after death of J. August): Lee Garmes; 2u ice skating seq ph: Don Malkames; released in 1949