Biography
Frank Van Tuyl Phillips ASC grew up immersed in Hollywood. As a child, he lived near Walt Disney’s original garage studio and often played in the animated/live-action series Disney produced. While attending Hollywood High School and dreaming of a football career at Notre Dame, he befriended the son of the manager of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. This connection led to a summer job opportunity at Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, where Frank worked in the laboratory shipping department and handled the shipment of the original silent film "Ben Hur."
Spending time at the studio, he became fascinated by the camera's complexity and the cinematographer’s expertise. Choosing passion over prestige, he declined more promising offers to become a film loader in the camera department. With the mentorship of lifelong friend Harry Stradling Sr. ASC, Frank advanced from loader to assistant cameraman. Eventually, he earned the chance to operate cameras on projects such as "King Solomon's Mines" and "Singin' in the Rain."
Seeking broader opportunities, he moved to other studios, taking on second unit photography for several CinemaScope features before stepping back to camera operator on George Stevens’ "Giant." The burgeoning television industry sought experienced young cinematographers, and Frank’s first full director of photography role came with the series "Navy Log." He soon became a highly sought-after cameraman on popular shows like "Have Gun Will Travel," "Gunsmoke," and "Hawaii Five-O."
Having done second unit photography for Walt Disney on "Mary Poppins," "The Gnome-Mobile," and "Lt. Robinson Crusoe," Frank was offered a full-time contract to work on many Disney television projects and feature films. His Disney feature credits include "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," "Scandalous John"—a beautifully shot Panavision film, rare for Disney—and "The Black Hole," for which he received an Academy Award nomination.
Frank has two daughters from his first marriage, Diane and Corliss, along with many grandchildren. He is also godfather to Phillip H. Wagner, a Google Educator and son of cinematographer Roy H. Wagner ASC. Beyond cinematography, Frank enjoyed the outdoors, gardening, and raising racehorses. Known for his gentle nature and kindness, he was a gifted teacher much like his mentor, Harry Stradling.
