Began as a still photographer in his native France, first working with the U.S. Army, later for the silent comic
Max Linder. Became full director of photography in the 1920s, where he did his best work for
Fred Niblo (involved in the filming of the chariot race for
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) and
Erich von Stroheim (
Queen Kelly (1932)). Less successful during the sound era and contracted to minor studios, until signed by Universal (1943-1946). Arguably his best later films were
The Shanghai Gesture (1941) and
The Suspect (1944).