Home
Movies
TV Shows
Photos
Now Streaming
Movies Streaming Now
TV Shows Streaming Now
In Theaters
Coming Soon
Sign In

Home
Movies
TV Shows
Photos
More
Now Streaming Movies Streaming Now TV Shows Streaming Now In Theaters Coming Soon Celebrities
Sign In

Home
People
John Alton

John Alton

Actor, Cinematographer, Camera and Electrical Department

Born October 5, 1901 in Sopron, Austria-Hungary

Died June 2, 1996

Movies & Shows

Discover John Alton content online

Loading streaming options...

Finding the best places to watch

No streaming options available

Check back later for new content

No matches found for your search

Try different keywords

Content availability varies by region and time. Links open in new window.

Share with a friend

Quick Copy Link

Share on Social Media

Popular

Professional

More Options

Photos Profile Poster Backdrop Stills Logo Event Publicity Product Behind the Scenes Photos Other Photos Unknown Photos Videos Awards

Biography

John Alton A.S.C. (October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), born Johann Altmann, in Sopron/Ödenburg, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary, was an American cinematographer. Alton won an Academy Award for the cinematography of An American in Paris (1951), becoming the first Hungarian-born person to do so. He photographed some of the most famous film noirs of the classic period. He started out in Los Angeles as a lab technician in the 1920s, later becoming a cameraman within four years. He moved to France with Ernst Lubitsch to film backgrounds for The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927) and ended up staying for one year heading the camera department of Paramount Pictures's Joinville Studios. In 1932 he moved to Argentina where he shot many Spanish-language films and designed the country's first sound film studio for Lumiton and Argentina Sono Film.

He returned to Hollywood in the late 1930s, with two dozen film credits, and became one of the most sought after cinematographers in American cinema.

Alton was known for unconventional camera angles—especially low camera shots. His style is most notable in the film noirs: He Walked by Night, The Big Combo, The Amazing Mr. X, T-Men, and Raw Deal.

Alton also photographed many color movies including Slightly Scarlet (a color film noir).

Less

More

2 wins and 2 nominations

John Alton Photos

Filmography

Actor

5

Type

Year

Mystery Street: Murder at Harvard Video2007Self

Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light Poster

Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light Video2006Self

Glorious Technicolor Poster

Glorious Technicolor Documentary1998Self - Cinematographer

The 69th Annual Academy Awards Poster

The 69th Annual Academy Awards TV Special1997Self - Memorial Tribute

Dark and Deadly: 50 Years of Film Noir TV Special1995Self

Cinematographer

103

Type

Year

Mission: Impossible Poster

Mission: Impossible TV Series1966

Birdman of Alcatraz Poster

Birdman of Alcatraz Feature Film1962

12 to the Moon Poster

12 to the Moon Feature Film1960

Elmer Gantry Poster

Elmer Gantry Feature Film1960

Lonelyhearts Poster

Lonelyhearts Feature Film1958

The Brothers Karamazov Poster

The Brothers Karamazov Feature Film1958

Designing Woman Poster

Designing Woman Feature Film1957

Slightly Scarlet Poster

Slightly Scarlet Feature Film1956

Tea and Sympathy Poster

Tea and Sympathy Feature Film1956

The Catered Affair Poster

The Catered Affair Feature Film1956

The Teahouse of the August Moon Poster

The Teahouse of the August Moon Feature Film1956

Escape to Burma Poster

Escape to Burma Feature Film1955

Pearl of the South Pacific Poster

Pearl of the South Pacific Feature Film1955

Tennessee's Partner Poster

Tennessee's Partner Feature Film1955

The Big Combo Poster

The Big Combo Feature Film1955

Cattle Queen of Montana Poster

Cattle Queen of Montana Feature Film1954

Duffy of San Quentin Poster

Duffy of San Quentin Feature Film1954

Passion Feature Film1954

Silver Lode Poster

Silver Lode Feature Film1954

The Steel Cage Poster

The Steel Cage Feature Film1954

Witness to Murder Poster

Witness to Murder Feature Film1954

Battle Circus Poster

Battle Circus Feature Film1953

Count the Hours! Poster

Count the Hours! Feature Film1953

I, the Jury Poster

I, the Jury Feature Film1953

Take the High Ground! Poster

Take the High Ground! Feature Film1953

Apache War Smoke Poster

Apache War Smoke Feature Film1952

Talk About a Stranger Poster

Talk About a Stranger Feature Film1952

Washington Story Poster

Washington Story Feature Film1952

Father's Little Dividend Poster

Father's Little Dividend Feature Film1951

Grounds for Marriage Poster

Grounds for Marriage Feature Film1951

It's a Big Country: An American Anthology Poster

It's a Big Country: An American Anthology Feature Film1951

The People Against O'Hara Poster

The People Against O'Hara Feature Film1951

Captain China Poster

Captain China Feature Film1950

Devil's Doorway Poster

Devil's Doorway Feature Film1950

Father of the Bride Poster

Father of the Bride Feature Film1950

Mystery Street Poster

Mystery Street Feature Film1950

Border Incident Poster

Border Incident Feature Film1949

Red Stallion in the Rockies Poster

Red Stallion in the Rockies Feature Film1949

Reign of Terror Poster

Reign of Terror Feature Film1949

The Crooked Way Poster

The Crooked Way Feature Film1949

Canon City Poster

Canon City Feature Film1948

He Walked by Night Poster

He Walked by Night Feature Film1948

Hollow Triumph Poster

Hollow Triumph Feature Film1948

Raw Deal Poster

Raw Deal Feature Film1948

The Amazing Mr. X Poster

The Amazing Mr. X Feature Film1948

Bury Me Dead Poster

Bury Me Dead Feature Film1947

Driftwood Poster

Driftwood Feature Film1947

Hit Parade of 1947 Poster

Hit Parade of 1947 Feature Film1947

T-Men Feature Film1947

The Ghost Goes Wild Poster

The Ghost Goes Wild Feature Film1947

The Pretender Poster

The Pretender Feature Film1947

The Trespasser Poster

The Trespasser Feature Film1947

Wyoming Feature Film1947

A Guy Could Change Poster

A Guy Could Change Feature Film1946

Affairs of Geraldine Poster

Affairs of Geraldine Feature Film1946

One Exciting Week Poster

One Exciting Week Feature Film1946

The Madonna's Secret Poster

The Madonna's Secret Feature Film1946

The Magnificent Rogue Poster

The Magnificent Rogue Feature Film1946

Winter Wonderland Poster

Winter Wonderland Feature Film1946

Girls of the Big House Poster

Girls of the Big House Feature Film1945

I Was a Criminal Poster

I Was a Criminal Feature Film1945

Love, Honor and Goodbye Poster

Love, Honor and Goodbye Feature Film1945

Song of Mexico Poster

Song of Mexico Feature Film1945

Atlantic City Poster

Atlantic City Feature Film1944

Enemy of Women Poster

Enemy of Women Feature Film1944

Lake Placid Serenade Poster

Lake Placid Serenade Feature Film1944

Storm Over Lisbon Poster

Storm Over Lisbon Feature Film1944

The Lady and the Monster Poster

The Lady and the Monster Feature Film1944

The Sultan's Daughter Poster

The Sultan's Daughter Feature Film1943

Ice Capades Revue Poster

Ice Capades Revue Feature Film1942

Johnny Doughboy Poster

Johnny Doughboy Feature Film1942

Moonlight Masquerade Poster

Moonlight Masquerade Feature Film1942

No Greater Power Short Film1942

Pardon My Stripes Poster

Pardon My Stripes Feature Film1942

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine Poster

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine Feature Film1942

Forced Landing Poster

Forced Landing Feature Film1941

Melody for Three Poster

Melody for Three Feature Film1941

Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case Poster

Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case Feature Film1941

Power Dive Poster

Power Dive Feature Film1941

The Devil Pays Off Poster

The Devil Pays Off Feature Film1941

Dr. Christian Meets the Women Poster

Dr. Christian Meets the Women Feature Film1940

Remedy for Riches Poster

Remedy for Riches Feature Film1940

The Courageous Dr. Christian Poster

The Courageous Dr. Christian Feature Film1940

Three Faces West Poster

Three Faces West Feature Film1940

Caminito de gloria Poster

Caminito de gloria Feature Film1939

Closed Door Poster

Closed Door Feature Film1939

Meet Dr. Christian Poster

Meet Dr. Christian Feature Film1939

The Outlaw Poster

The Outlaw Feature Film1939

Twelve Women Poster

Twelve Women Feature Film1939

Honeysuckle Poster

Honeysuckle Feature Film1938

La vida bohemia Poster

La vida bohemia Feature Film1938

The Last Meeting Feature Film1938

Cadets of St. Martin Poster

Cadets of St. Martin Feature Film1937

Poor Perez Poster

Poor Perez Feature Film1937

Amalia Feature Film1936

Compañeros Feature Film1936

Crazy Dandy Feature Film1936

Goal Feature Film1936

Tararira Feature Film1936

Crimen a las tres Feature Film1935

Escala en la ciudad Poster

Escala en la ciudad Feature Film1935

El hijo de papá Feature Film1934

The Three Amateurs Poster

The Three Amateurs Feature Film1933

Camera and Electrical Department

7

Singin' in the Rain Poster

Singin' in the Rain Feature Film1952

An American in Paris Poster

An American in Paris Feature Film1951

Murder in the Music Hall Poster

Murder in the Music Hall Feature Film1946

Mexicana Poster

Mexicana Feature Film1945

Der Mann, der den Mord beging Poster

Der Mann, der den Mord beging Feature Film1931

The Song of the Flame Poster

The Song of the Flame Feature Film1930

The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg Poster

The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg Feature Film1927

Director

3

Closed Door Poster

Closed Door Feature Film1939

El hijo de papá Feature Film1934

The Three Amateurs Poster

The Three Amateurs Feature Film1933

Thanks

1

Femme Fatales Poster

Femme Fatales TV Series2011

Producer

1

El hijo de papá Feature Film1934

Writer

1

El hijo de papá Feature Film1934

Featured Celebrity Photos

Meg Donnelly Shines at Variety Power of Young Hollywood 2026 in Beverly Hills

Emily Feld Showcases Unique Style in Bikini and Ballet Shoes for WithEvre Event

Inde Navarrette Shines at Variety Power of Young Hollywood 2026 in Los Angeles

Lizzy Greene Shines at Variety Power of Young Hollywood Event in Beverly Hills

Tricia Helfer Attends Los Angeles Premiere of "Anna Pigeon

Rebecca Black Shines at Variety Power of Young Hollywood Event in Beverly Hills 2026

Madison Beer Shines at Variety Power of Young Hollywood Event in Beverly Hills

Charli D'Amelio at Variety Power of Young Hollywood Event in Beverly Hills, August 2026

Tate McRae Shines at Variety Power of Young Hollywood Event in Beverly Hills

Olivia Dunne Filming Scenes for "Baywatch" at Venice Beach

Hayes Warner Shines at Save Venice Un Ballo in Maschera 2026 Celestial Serenissima in New York

Monica Barbaro's Appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Julia Fox Shines at One Night Only Premiere at SVA Theater New York

Lilia Buckingham Shines at One Night Only Premiere in New York

Rhea Seehorn and Karolina Wydra Attend THR x Apple TV Leading The Narrative Women Event in LA

Chloe Campbell Models Green Bikini for Anjuum Swimwear Summer 2026 Collection

Shania Twain Headlines Exclusive One-Night SiriusXM Launch Event in New York

Emily Ratajkowski Shines at Abercrombie & Fitch Fall Denim Launch in New York

Veronika Slowikowska Shines at One Night Only Premiere in New York

Sophia La Corte Shines at One Night Only Premiere in New York

Eva Longoria Enjoys a Relaxing Beach Day in Marbella on August 3, 2026

Gillian Nation Attends The Devil's Mouth Premiere in Los Angeles

Dakota Fanning Filming Scenes for "Ella Morgan" in New York City

Monica Barbaro Shines at "One Night Only" New York Premiere

Monica Barbaro Shines at "One Night Only" Premiere in New York City

Ella Rubin Arrives at The Today Show in New York City

Marie Reim Attends Premiere of RTL's "Die Verrater" Season Four in Cologne

Hayes Warner Attends The Shards Premiere in Berlin

Larsa Pippen Enjoys a Sunny Day at Miami Beach in Bikini

Kaia Gerber Shines at The Shards Premiere in Berlin

Oops!

Sign up for free

Company

About Us
Contact Us
Send feedback

Contribute

Add Movie
Add TV Show
Contribution Guide

Legal

Terms
Privacy

© 2026 Gawby.com

Send feedback to Gawby.com

Describe your issue or suggestion