Born: 29 March 1894, Karlsbad [now: Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic], Bohemia, as Franz F. Planer. Sometimes cred as Frank Planer.

Died: 10 January 1963, Hollywood, Calif., USA.

Education: In Vienna [Still ph].

Career: From the age of 16 he worked as a news cameraman in Vienna and Paris. Returned to Vienna in 1912. Became doph in 1920 with 'Der Ochsenkrieg', the first prod shot in the new Emelka [Münchner Lichtspielkunst AG] Studios [became Bavaria Studios in 1932], Geiselgasteig, Munich. Left Germany in 1933 for Austria, France & England. Went to the USA in 1937 (under contract with Columbia). Was member of the ASC. Actress Jane Tilden [= Marianne Tuch (1910-2002)] was his niece.

Awards: 'Oscar' AA nom [1949; b&w] & Golden Globe Award [1950] for 'Champion'; Golden Globe Award [1951] for 'Cyrano de Bergerac'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1951; b&w] & Golden Globe Award [1952] for 'Death of a Salesman'; Golden Globe Award nom [1952] for 'Decision Before Dawn'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1953; b&w; shared] for 'Roman Holiday'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1959; color] for 'The Nun's Story'; 'Oscar' AA nom [1961; b&w] for 'The Children's Hour'.

On 'Criss Cross' [1948]: 'Equally important to the film's look and influence is the rich cinematography of Franz Planer [billed as 'Frank' in the credits], who had filmed Max Ophüls' 'Liebelei' and 'Letter from an Unknown Woman'. Planer beautifully captured the texture of such memorable settings as Los Angeles' Union Station in the blazing summer heat; a bar that is crowded and lively by night and dingy and depressing by day; the shabby decay of the city's Victorian Bunker Hill section; and the stark contrast of light and shadow that was a hallmark of the German artists who did so much to shape the look and style of American film noir.' [From article by Rob Nixon on the TCM website.]

1912        Der Todesritt am Riesenrad [?] b&w

1920        Der Ochsenkrieg [Franz Osten] b&w

1920        Der Klosterjäger/The Monastery's Hunter [Franz Osten] b&w

1920        Die Trommeln Asiens [Uwe Jens Krafft] b&w; cph: Otto Kanturek

1920        Der Brunnen des Wahnsinns [Ottmar Ostermayr] b&w; Gustave Preiß (or Gustav Weiss)

1921        Die Nacht der Einbrecher/Spleen/Night of the Burglar [Uwe Jens Krafft] b&w; cph: Gustave Preiß (or Gustav Weiss)

1921        Die Trutze von Trutzberg [Ernst B. Hey] b&w

1921        Das schwarze Gesicht [Franz Osten] b&w

1922        Schattenkinder des Glücks/Der Arm Gottes [Franz Osten] b&w; cph: Franz Koch

1922        Kauft Mariett-Aktien [Alexander von Antalffy] b&w

1922        Sodom und Gomorrha - Die Legende von Sünde und Strafe/Queen of Sin and the Spectacle of Sodom and

                    Gomorrah [Mihály Kertész (= Michael Curtiz)] b&w; cph: Gustav Ucicky; in 2 parts: 'Die Sünde' & 'Die Strafe'

1922        Der Favorit der Königin [Franz Seitz Sr.] b&w; cph: Karl Attenberger

1922        Um Liebe und Thron [Franz Osten] b&w; cph: Franz Koch

1922        Monna Vanna [Richard Eichberg] b&w; cph: Max Lutze, Paul Adler & Erich Grimmler

1923        Die Finanzen des Großherzogs/Finances of the Grand Duke/The Grand Duke's Finances [F.W. Murnau] b&w;

                    cph: Karl Freund

1924        Gehetzte Menschen [Erich Schönfelder] b&w; cph: Josef Blasi

1924        Schicksal [Felix Basch] b&w; cph: Josef Blasi

1925        Finale der Liebe [Felix Basch] b&w

1925        Der Mann seiner Frau [Felix Basch] b&w

1926        Fünf-Uhr-Tee in der Ackerstraße [Paul Ludwig Stein] b&w

1926        Schatz, mach' Kasse [Felix Basch] b&w

1926        Bara en danserska/Nur eine Tänzerin/Only a Dancing Girl [Olof Molander] b&w; cph: Hugo Edlund

1926        Der Sohn des Hannibal [Felix Basch] b&w

1927        Die Achtzehnjährigen [Manfred Noa] b&w

1927        Einbruch [Franz Osten] b&w

1927        Wie heirate ich meinen Chef? [Erich Schönfelder] b&w

1927        Glanz und Elend der Kurtisanen [Manfred Noa] b&w

1927        Die Pflicht zu schweigen [Carl Wilhelm] b&w

1927        Das Frauenhaus von Rio/Die Hölle von Rio. Mädchenschicksale [Hans Steinhoff] b&w

1927        Der große Unbekannte/Der Unheimliche [Manfred Noa] b&w

1927        Die Ausgestoßenen (Heimkehr des Herzens) [Martin Berger] b&w

1927        Alraune/A Daughter of Destiny/Mandrake/Unholy Love [Henrik Galeen] b&w

1928        Die Rothausgasse/Das Haus zur roten Laterne [Richard Oswald] b&w

1928        Heut' spielt der Strauss (Der Walzerkönig)/Strauss, the Waltz King [Conrad Wiene] b&w

1928        Weib in Flammen [Max Reichmann] b&w

1928        Wolga-Wolga [Viktor Tourjansky] b&w; cph: Akos Farkas

1928        Die Flucht vor der Liebe [Hans Behrendt] b&w

1929        Die Liebe der Brüder Rott. Irrlichter [Erich Waschneck] b&w

1929        Der Narr seiner Liebe [Olga Tschechowa] b&w

1929        Frauen am Abgrund [Georg Jacoby] b&w

1929        stud. chem. Helene Willfüer [Fred Sauer] b&w

1929        Heute Nacht - eventuell [E.W. Emo] b&w

1930        Zapfenstreich am Rhein/Tattoo on the Rhine [Jaap Speyer] b&w; cph: Friedl Behn-Grund

1930        Der Sohn der weißen Berge/Das Geheimnis von Zermatt/The Son of the White Mountain [Mario Bonnard &

                    Luis Trenker] b&w; cph: Kurt Neubert & Albert Benitz

1930        Les chevaliers de la montagne [Mario Bonnard] b&w; cph: Kurt Neubert & Albert Benitz; French version of 'Der Sohn

                    der weißen Berge'

1930        Die Drei von der Tankstelle/Three Good Friends [Wilhelm Thiele] b&w

1930        Le chemin du paradis/The Road to Paradise [Max de Vaucorbeil & Wilhelm Thiele] b&w; French version of 'Die Drei

                    von der Tankstelle'

1930        Hans in allen Gassen/Das große Abenteuer/Der Liebesreporter [Carl Froelich] b&w

1930        La folle aventure [André-Paul Antoine & Carl Froelich] b&w; French version of 'Hans in allen Gassen'

1931        Nie wieder Liebe/No More Love [Anatole Litvak] b&w; cph: Robert Baberske

1931        Calais-Douvres [Jean Boyer & Anatole Litvak] b&w; cph: Robert Baberske; French version of 'Nie wieder Liebe'

1931        Der Storch streikt. Siegfried, der Matrose [E.W. Emo] b&w; cph: Otto Schneider

1931        Der Herzog von Reichstadt [Viktor Tourjansky] b&w

1931        L'aiglon [Viktor Tourjansky] b&w; cph: Léonce-Henri Burel; French version of 'Der Herzog von Reichstadt'

1931        Sein Scheidungsgrund [Alfred Zeisler] b&w; cph: Bernhard Wentzel

1931        Der Herr Bürovorsteher/The Office Manager [Hans Behrendt] b&w

1931        Die Gräfin von Monte Christo/The Countess of Monte Cristo [Karl Hartl] b&w

1932        Der Prinz von Arkadien [Karl Hartl] b&w; cph: Franz Koch

1932        Teilnehmer antwortet nicht [Mark Sorkin & Rudolf Katscher] b&w

1932        Der schwarze Husar/The Black Hussar [Gerhard Lamprecht] b&w

1932        Das erste Recht des Kindes/Aus dem Tagebuch einer Frauenärztin [Fritz Wendhausen] b&w

1932        Eine Stadt steht Kopf/A Town Stands On Its Head [Gustaf Gründgens] b&w

1932        Der Choral von Leuthen/Der Führer seines Volkes/The Anthem of Leuthen [Carl Froelich, Arzén von Cserépy

                    & Walter Supper] b&w; cph: Hugo von Kaweczynski (or co-c.asst)

1932        Liebelei/Flirtation/Light O'Love/Playing at Love [Max Ophüls] b&w

1933        La garnison amoureuse [Max de Vaucorbeil] b&w; cph: Gérard Perrin

1933        Schuberts unvollendete Symphonie/Leise flehen meine Lieder/Lover Divine [Willi Forst] b&w; cph: Albert Benitz

1933        Ihre Durchlaucht, die Verkäuferin/Meine Schwester und ich [Karl Hartl] b&w

1933        Caprice de princesse [Henri-Georges Clouzot & Karl Hartl] b&w; French version of 'Ihre Durchlaucht, die Verkäuferin'

1934        Dactylo se marie/Die Privatsekretärin heiratet [Joe May & René Pujol] b&w

1934        Maskerade/Masquerade in Vienna [Willi Forst] b&w

1934        The Unfinished Symphony [Anthony Asquith & Willi Forst] b&w; English version of 'Schuberts unvollendete Symphonie'

1934        Les nuits moscovites/Les nuits de Moscou/Moscow Nights [Alexis Granowsky] b&w

1934        So endete eine Liebe [Karl Hartl] b&w

1935        Casta diva [Carmine Gallone] b&w; cph: Massimo Terzano

1935        The Dictator/For Love of a Queen/Loves of a Dictator/The Love Affair of the Dictator [Victor Saville] b&w

1935        Tarass Boulba/Taras Bulba [Alexis Granowsky] b&w; cph: Jean Bachelet

1935        Valse brillante de Chopin [Max Ophüls] b&w; mus short/6m

1935        Ave Maria de Schubert [Max Ophüls] b&w; mus short/5m

1936        Opernring/Im Sonnenschein/Thank You, Madame [Carmine Gallone] b&w

1936        The Beloved Vagabond [Curtis Bernhardt] b&w

1936        Le vagabond bien-aimé [Curtis Bernhardt] b&w; French version of 'The Beloved Vagabond'

1936        Children's Corner/Le coin des enfants [Marcel L'Herbier] b&w; mus short/?m

1936        Blumen aus Nizza/Flowers from Nice [Augusto Genina] b&w; cph: Hans Heinz Theyer

1936        Die Julika/Ernte/Harvest [Géza von Bolváry] b&w; cph: Hans Heinz Theyer & Walter Tuch

1936        Premiere [Géza von Bolváry] b&w

1937        Kapriolen/Capriolen [Gustaf Gründgens] b&w; cph: Kurt Neubert & Walter Tuch

1937        Die ganz großen Torheiten [Carl Froelich] b&w

1937        Zauber der Bohème/The Charm of La Bohème [Géza von Bolváry] b&w

1938        The Rebel Son/Taras Bulba/The Barbarian and the Lady/The Rebel Son of Taras Bulba [Alexis Granowsky,

                    Adrian Brunel & Albert de Courville] b&w; cph: Bernard Browne; includes footage from 'Tarass Boulba' (1935)

1938        Holiday/Free to Live/Unconventional Linda [George Cukor] b&w

1938        Girls' School [John Brahm] b&w

1938        Adventure in Sahara/Son of the Sahara [D. Ross Lederman] b&w; 60m

1938        North of Shanghai [D. Ross Lederman] b&w; 59m

1940        Escape to Glory/Submarine Zone [John Brahm] b&w; 64m

1940        Glamour for Sale [D. Ross Lederman] b&w; 60m

1940        The Face Behind the Mask/Behind the Mask [Robert Florey] b&w; shot in 24 days

1940        Penny Serenade [George Stevens] b&w; uncred cph; ph: Joseph Walker

1941        Meet Boston Blackie [Robert Florey] b&w; 58m; 1st film in 13-part 'Boston Blackie'-series (1941-49)

1941        They Dare Not Love [James Whale; (uncred) Victor Fleming & Charles Vidor)] b&w

1941        Time Out for Rhythm [Sidney Salkow] b&w

1941        Sweetheart of the Campus/Broadway Ahead [Edward Dmytryk] b&w

1941        Our Wife [John M. Stahl] b&w

1941        Three Girls About Town [Leigh Jason] b&w

1941        Sing for Your Supper [Charles Barton] b&w

1941        Honolulu Lu [Charles Barton] b&w

1941        Harvard, Here I Come!/Here I Come [Lew Landers] b&w; 64m

1941        The Adventures of Martin Eden/High Seas [Sidney Salkow] b&w

1942        Canal Zone [Lew Landers] b&w

1942        The Wife Takes a Flyer/A Yank in Dutch [Richard Wallace] b&w

1942        Submarine Raider [Lew Landers & (uncred) Budd Boetticher] b&w

1942        Flight Lieutenant [Sidney Salkow] b&w

1942        Sabotage Squad [Lew Landers] b&w; 60m

1942        The Spirit of Stanford/Fighting Spirit [Charles Barton] b&w; cph: John Stumar

1942        The Daring Young Man/Brownie [Frank R. Strayer] b&w

1943        Something to Shout About [Gregory Ratoff] b&w

1943        Destroyer [William A. Seiter] b&w

1943        Appointment in Berlin [Alfred E. Green] b&w

1943        My Kingdom for a Cook [Richard Wallace] b&w

1943        The Heat's On/Tropicana [Gregory Ratoff] b&w

1944        Once Upon a Time [Alexander Hall] b&w

1944        Secret Command [A. Edward Sutherland] b&w

1944        Strange Affair [Alfred E. Green] b&w

1944        Carolina Blues [Leigh Jason] b&w

1945        Leave It to Blondie [Abby Berlin] b&w; 15th film in 28-part 'Blondie'-series (1938-50)

1945        I Love a Bandleader/Memory for Two [Del Lord] b&w

1945        Snafu/Welcome Home [Jack Moss] b&w

1946        Her Sister's Secret [Edgar G. Ulmer] b&w

1946        The Chase [Arthur Ripley] b&w; spec pfx: Ray Binger

1946        Vendetta [Mel Ferrer (ending & add seq); (uncred) Stuart Heisler (principal scenes), Max Ophüls (first version; fired),

                    Preston Sturges (first version; quit) & Paul Weatherwax (substitute while S. Heisler was ill)] b&w; cph: Alfred Gilks (with

                    dir Mel Ferrer, 1947-48)

1947        The Exile [Max Ophüls] b&w; uncred cph: George Robinson (1 day) & Hal Mohr (1 week); spec optical efx: David S.

                    Horsley

1947        Letter from an Unknown Woman [Max Ophüls] b&w; matte ph: Glenn Adams

1948        One Touch of Venus [William A. Seiter & (uncred) Gregory La Cava] b&w; spec efx: David S. Horsley

1948        Criss Cross [Robert Siodmak] b&w; 2uc: Paul Ivano

1949        Champion [Mark Robson] b&w

1949        Take One False Step [Chester Erskine] b&w; spph: David S. Horsley

1949        Once More, My Darling [Robert Montgomery] b&w

1950        711 Ocean Drive [Joseph M. Newman] b&w

1950        Cyrano de Bergerac [Michael Gordon] b&w

1950        Three Husbands/Letter to Three Husbands [Irving Reis] b&w

1951        Androcles and the Lion [H.C. Potter] filming started in February, but was halted after 3 days; restarted in September

                    with dir Chester Erskine & doph Harry Stradling Sr.

1951        The Scarf/The Dungeon [E.A. Dupont] b&w

1951        The Blue Veil [Curtis Bernhardt] b&w

1951        Death of a Salesman [Laslo Benedek] b&w

1951        Decision Before Dawn [Anatole Litvak] b&w

1952        Roman Holiday [William Wyler] b&w; cph: Henri Alekan (when Planer fell ill, H. Alekan replaced him)

1953        The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T/Dr. Seuss's The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T./Crazy Music [Roy Rowland] c

1953        99 River Street/Crosstown [Phil Karlson] b&w

1953        Bad for Each Other [Irving Rapper] b&w

1954        The Long Wait [Victor Saville] b&w

1954        The Caine Mutiny [Edward Dmytryk] c; 2uc: Ray Cory

1954        A Bullet Is Waiting [John Farrow] c

1954        [Jules Verne's] 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [Richard Fleischer] cs/c; 2uc: Charles P. Boyle & Edward Colman;

                    uwph: Till Gabbani; efx ph: Ralph Hammeras; vfx ph: Charles Bovel

1955        Not as a Stranger [Stanley Kramer] b&w

1955        The Left Hand of God [Edward Dmytryk] cs/c; spec pfx: Ray Kellogg

1956        The Mountain [Edward Dmytryk] vv/c; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot Edouart

1957        The Pride and the Passion [Stanley Kramer] vv/c

1957        Stage Struck [Sidney Lumet] c; cph: Maurice Hartzband

1958        The Nun's Story [Fred Zinnemann] c

1958        The Big Country [William Wyler] tr/c; 2uc: Wallace Chewning

1959        The Unforgiven [John Huston] p/c

1960        King of Kings [Nicholas Ray] str70/c; cph: Milton Krasner & Manuel Berenguer; spec pfx: Lee LeBlanc

1960        Breakfast at Tiffany's [Blake Edwards] c; uncred cph: Philip Lathrop; spec pfx: John P. Fulton; process ph: Farciot

                    Edouart

1961        The Children's Hour/The Loudest Whisper [William Wyler] b&w

1962        Something's Got to Give [George Cukor] cs/c; unfinished; cph: William Daniels, Charles Lang Jr. & Leo Tover; 37m were

                    released in 2001 as part of the tv-doc 'Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days'

1954        General Electric Theater/G.E. Theatre [ep #34 'The High Green Wall' dir by Nicholas Ray] 200-part series, 1953-62;

                    3rd season, 1954-55