Gregg Toland
Gregg Toland (* May 29, 1904 in Charleston, Illinois, † September 28, 1948 in Santa Monica, California ) was an influential American cinematographer who was particularly known for his work on Citizen Kane by Orson Welles.
Life
Toland first visited the school, but went with 15 years to Hollywood, where he worked as a messenger boy. After some time he took a job as a camera assistant at Al at St. John. From 1926 Toland worked at MGM. There he served as an assistant cameraman Arthur Edeson. Toland was first mentioned as a cameraman in This is Heaven, directed by Alfred Santell, in 1929. With his co- cinematographer George Barnes This is Heaven, Toland developed the blimp, sound-damping housings for cameras. 1931 Toland was chief cameraman. His work on films such as Les Miserables in 1935, or Wuthering Heights from 1939, Toland made a sought-after cinematographer. He has worked with directors such as Rouben Mamoulian, John Ford, William Wyler and Richard Boleslawski.
Toland's camera work was based on German Expressionism with its contrast scene illumination. To this end, he allowed himself to produce different optics for special shots. Was high Praised by critics Toland's work on Citizen Kane, which found its stylistic highlight here.
Toland was nominated during his successful creative period 1935-1942 six times for an Oscar. He won it in 1940 for Wuthering Heights with Laurence Olivier.
Gregg Toland died in 1948 of heart failure.