Ray Rennahan(1896-1980)
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Ray Rennahan started working behind movie cameras from 1917. Early on,
he had the foresight to recognise the potential for dramatically
enhancing motion pictures by the application of colour cinematography.
During the 1920's, he was regarded as a leading innovator in the
development of the three-strip Technicolor process. This was first
applied in several sequences of an MGM musical,
The Cat and the Fiddle (1934),
and then saw the light of day in its entirety, in a live action
two-reel short, entitled
La Cucaracha (1934). Both were
appropriately photographed by Rennahan. His next project was
Becky Sharp (1935), the first feature
length all-Technicolor movie.
The visual quality of this picture, particularly noted in the striking
set pieces, prompted Darryl F. Zanuck
at 20th Century Fox to hire Rennahan for
Wings of the Morning (1937).
This rather stolid melodrama was filmed on location in Ireland and
England in 1935. It starred Henry Fonda and
Annabella, and what was lacking in
script, was primarily redeemed by Rennahan's stunning outdoor
photography of the verdant countryside, and by his spectacular horse
racing sequences (his first camera operator for this picture was one of
the future greats of cinematography,
Jack Cardiff). Rennahan continued with the
racing theme in Kentucky (1938), and
then worked with Bert Glennon on the
outdoor western
Drums Along the Mohawk (1939).
That same year, he gained an Oscar (in conjunction with
Ernest Haller) for his outstanding colour
photography on
Gone with the Wind (1939), for
which he employed a faster film stock which required less lighting.
Rennahan later won a second statuette for
Blood and Sand (1941).
When not working directly behind the camera, Rennahan and his
specialist team were often employed as consultants on the colour
process. As director of photography, he also worked for
David O. Selznick again, this time on
the brilliant western epic
Duel in the Sun (1946),
constituting possibly some of his finest work. Between 1945 and 1953,
he was under contract to Paramount. After 1957, he worked almost
exclusively in television, with special emphasis on outdoor subjects
and westerns.
he had the foresight to recognise the potential for dramatically
enhancing motion pictures by the application of colour cinematography.
During the 1920's, he was regarded as a leading innovator in the
development of the three-strip Technicolor process. This was first
applied in several sequences of an MGM musical,
The Cat and the Fiddle (1934),
and then saw the light of day in its entirety, in a live action
two-reel short, entitled
La Cucaracha (1934). Both were
appropriately photographed by Rennahan. His next project was
Becky Sharp (1935), the first feature
length all-Technicolor movie.
The visual quality of this picture, particularly noted in the striking
set pieces, prompted Darryl F. Zanuck
at 20th Century Fox to hire Rennahan for
Wings of the Morning (1937).
This rather stolid melodrama was filmed on location in Ireland and
England in 1935. It starred Henry Fonda and
Annabella, and what was lacking in
script, was primarily redeemed by Rennahan's stunning outdoor
photography of the verdant countryside, and by his spectacular horse
racing sequences (his first camera operator for this picture was one of
the future greats of cinematography,
Jack Cardiff). Rennahan continued with the
racing theme in Kentucky (1938), and
then worked with Bert Glennon on the
outdoor western
Drums Along the Mohawk (1939).
That same year, he gained an Oscar (in conjunction with
Ernest Haller) for his outstanding colour
photography on
Gone with the Wind (1939), for
which he employed a faster film stock which required less lighting.
Rennahan later won a second statuette for
Blood and Sand (1941).
When not working directly behind the camera, Rennahan and his
specialist team were often employed as consultants on the colour
process. As director of photography, he also worked for
David O. Selznick again, this time on
the brilliant western epic
Duel in the Sun (1946),
constituting possibly some of his finest work. Between 1945 and 1953,
he was under contract to Paramount. After 1957, he worked almost
exclusively in television, with special emphasis on outdoor subjects
and westerns.