Hall Conrad

French Polynesian-born American cinematographer who earned a number of awards, including three Oscars and three simultaneous BAFTAs, for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), American Beauty (1999) and Road to Perdition (2002). He was born to James Norman Hall, aged 39, an ace pilot and captain in the Lafayette escadrille that fought for France in World War I. James co-wrote Mutiny on the Bounty. His 18-year-old mother was Sarah ("Lala") Winchester Hall, who was half Polynesian. He was named after writers Joseph Conrad and Lafcadio Hearn. After graduation Hall collaborated with his classmates, Marvin R. Weinstein and Jack C. Couffer, to create Canyon Films in 1949. After his work on 1956 film Running Target was finished Canyon Films dissolved, and its members went off on their own paths. Hall worked as an assistant cameraman at the side of many influential cinematographers such as Hall Mohr, Ernie Haller, Burnie Guffey and Ted McCord. In 1964, he shot his first feature-length black and white film, Wild Seed, which was made in roughly 24 days with producer Albert S. Ruddy. Halls breakthrough came with Morituri in 1965, for which he received his first of ten Oscar nominations; his second win was for photographing In Cold Blood (1967). He shot Cool Hand Luke (1967) in Panavision which contributed to its lush colour palette. Hall married Virginia Schwartz in 1952 and they had three children. Hall met actress Katharine Ross on the set of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and became her third of five husbands in 1969. Hall and Ross separated in 1973, finalizing their divorce in 1975. His third marriage was to costume designer Susan Kowarsh-Hall, whom he worked with on Road to Perdition (2002). Hall died at the Santa Monica Hospital on 4 January 2003 at age 76 owing to complications from bladder cancer. His Oscar for Road to Perdition (2002) was posthumously accepted by his son Conrad W. Hall, also a cinematographer. Hall was and still is affectionately referred to as "Connie" by his peers and associates. In 1994, Hall was honored with the lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Cinematographers. In 2003, Hall was judged to be one of historys ten most influential cinematographers in a survey of the members of the International Cinematographers Guild. He has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less