Harold Rosson
Harold Rosson
Biography
From Wikipedia Harold G. "Hal" Rosson, A.S.C. (April 6, 1895 – September 6, 1988) was an American cinematographer who worked during the early and classical Hollywood cinema. He is best known for his work on the 1939 fantasy film The Wizard of Oz. Harold Rosson began his film career in 1908 as an actor at the Vitagraph Studios in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn, New York City. He became the assistant to Irvin Willat at the Mark Dintenfass Studios. In 1912 he divided his time as an office boy in a stockbrokers firm and as an assistant, extra, and handyman at the Famous Players Studio in New York. His first film for Famous Players was David Harum (1915). In December 1914, Rosson moved to California and joined Metro Pictures. During World War I, he served in the United States Army. After his demobilization, he went to work on the Marion Davies film The Dark Star. He was offered a contract with the Davies Company. In 1920 he was signed by Mary Pickford, working primarily with her brother Jack Pickford. In the 1930s, Rosson signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed the photography for some of the studio's most popular films including Treasure Island (1934), The Wizard of Oz, Duel in the Sun, and Singin' in the Rain (1952). In 1936, Rosson and fellow cinematographer W. Howard Greene were awarded an Honorary Oscar for the color cinematography of the 1936 David O. Selznick production The Garden of Allah. Rosson later said it was the first time he attempted to film in color. After a very long and successful career in Hollywood, Rosson retired in 1958. He briefly came out of retirement in 1966 for the Howard Hawks film El Dorado starring John Wayne. Rosson was married twice, with both marriages ending in divorce, and had no children. While shooting the film Bombshell in 1933, actress Jean Harlow proposed to Rosson. The two had worked together previously on Red-Headed Woman, Dinner at Eight, Hold Your Man, and Red Dust and had struck up a friendship. On September 17, 1933, the two were married in Yuma, Arizona. In an interview with Leicester Wagner, Harlow recalled that she and Rosson grew closer after the death of her second husband, Paul Bern, and he encouraged her to go out and socialize. Rosson and Harlow separated in May 1934 with Harlow charging that Rosson was "rude, sullen and irritable". She was granted a divorce in March 1935. On October 11, 1936, Rosson married socialite Yvonne Crellin in Beverly Hills. They divorced in June 1945. On September 6, 1988, Rosson died, age 93, at his home in Palm Beach, Florida. He is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Camera
Known Credits
112
Gender
Male
Birthday
1895-04-06 (130 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Acting

1993

Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell as Self (archive footage)
Crew

1966

El Dorado Director of Photography

1957

The Enemy Below Director of Photography

1956

Toward the Unknown Director of Photography

1956

The Bad Seed Director of Photography

1955

Strange Lady in Town Director of Photography

1955

Pete Kelly's Blues Director of Photography

1954

Mambo Director of Photography

1954

Ulysses Director of Photography

1953

The Actress Director of Photography

1953

The Story of Three Loves Director of Photography

1953

Dangerous When Wet Director of Photography

1953

I Love Melvin Director of Photography

1952

Singin' in the Rain Director of Photography

1952

Love Is Better Than Ever Director of Photography

1952

Lone Star Director of Photography

1951

The Red Badge of Courage Director of Photography

1950

The Asphalt Jungle Director of Photography

1950

Key to the City Director of Photography

1950

To Please a Lady Director of Photography

1949

Any Number Can Play Director of Photography

1949

The Stratton Story Director of Photography

1949

On the Town Director of Photography

1948

Homecoming Director of Photography

1948

Command Decision Director of Photography

1947

Living in a Big Way Director of Photography

1947

The Hucksters Director of Photography

1946

Duel in the Sun Director of Photography

1946

Three Wise Fools Director of Photography

1946

No Leave, No Love Director of Photography

1945

Between Two Women Director of Photography

1944

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo Director of Photography

1944

An American Romance Director of Photography

1943

Slightly Dangerous Director of Photography

1942

Somewhere I'll Find You Director of Photography

1942

Tennessee Johnson Director of Photography

1941

Johnny Eager Director of Photography

1941

Washington Melodrama Director of Photography

1940

Boom Town Director of Photography

1940

Dr. Kildare Goes Home Director of Photography

1940

I Take This Woman Director of Photography

1939

The Wizard of Oz Director of Photography

1939

Forgotten Victory Director of Photography

1938

A Yank at Oxford Cinematography

1938

That Mothers Might Live Director of Photography

1938

Too Hot to Handle Director of Photography

1937

They Gave Him a Gun Director of Photography

1937

The Emperor's Candlesticks Director of Photography

1937

Captains Courageous Director of Photography

1937

Double Wedding Director of Photography

1936

The Devil Is a Sissy Director of Photography

1936

As You Like It Director of Photography

1936

The Man Who Could Work Miracles Director of Photography

1935

The Ghost Goes West Director of Photography

1934

The Scarlet Pimpernel Director of Photography

1934

This Side of Heaven Director of Photography

1934

The Cat and the Fiddle Director of Photography

1934

Treasure Island Director of Photography

1933

Penthouse Director of Photography

1933

Hold Your Man Director of Photography

1933

The Barbarian Director of Photography

1933

Turn Back the Clock Director of Photography

1933

Bombshell Director of Photography

1932

Red Dust Director of Photography

1932

Kongo Director of Photography

1932

Red-Headed Woman Director of Photography

1932

Downstairs Director of Photography

1932

Tarzan the Ape Man Director of Photography

1931

The Cuban Love Song Director of Photography

1931

The Squaw Man Director of Photography

1931

Men Call It Love Director of Photography

1931

Sporting Blood Director of Photography

1931

Love in Every Port Cinematography

1931

Son of India Director of Photography

1930

Madam Satan Director of Photography

1930

This Mad World Director of Photography

1930

Passion Flower Director of Photography

1929

Frozen Justice Cinematography

1929

Trent's Last Case Director of Photography

1929

South Sea Rose Director of Photography

1929

The Far Call Cinematography

1929

The Case of Lena Smith Director of Photography

1928

The Docks of New York Director of Photography

1928

Abie's Irish Rose Director of Photography

1928

The Drag Net Director of Photography

1928

Three Week Ends Director of Photography

1928

The Sawdust Paradise Director of Photography

1928

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Director of Photography

1927

Open Range Cinematography

1927

Rough House Rosie Director of Photography

1927

Evening Clothes Director of Photography

1927

A Gentleman of Paris Director of Photography

1927

Service for Ladies Director of Photography

1927

Getting Gertie's Garter Director of Photography

1927

Man Bait Director of Photography

1926

Almost a Lady Director of Photography

1926

Up in Mabel's Room Director of Photography

1925

The Little French Girl Cinematography

1925

Too Many Kisses Director of Photography

1925

A Man Must Live Director of Photography

1924

Manhandled Director of Photography

1924

Manhattan Cinematography

1923

Dark Secrets Director of Photography

1923

Zaza Director of Photography

1923

The Glimpses of the Moon Director of Photography

1923

Big Brother Director of Photography

1921

Buried Treasure Director of Photography

1920

Heliotrope Camera Operator

1919

The Cinema Murder Director of Photography

1917

The American Consul Director of Photography

1917

Panthea Director of Photography

1916

Oliver Twist Director of Photography