James Wong Howe, ASC, was a Chinese American cinematographer who worked on over 130 films. A master at the use of shadow, he was one of the first to use deep-focus cinematography, photography in which both foreground and distant planes remain in focus. During the 1930s and 1940s he was one of the most sought after cinematographers in Hollywood. He was nominated for ten Academy Awards for cinematography, winning twice. Howe was judged to be one of history's ten most influential cinematographers in a survey of the members of the International Cinematographers Guild.
Academy Awards
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White
The Rose Tattoo and Hud
Known For
Hombre
(1967)
Director of Photography
Seconds
(1966)
Director of Photography
Fantasia
(1940)
Director of Photography
Picnic
(1955)
Director of Photography
Funny Lady
(1975)
Director of Photography
Manhattan Melodrama
(1934)
Director of Photography
Body and Soul
(1947)
Director of Photography
The Prisoner of Zenda
(1937)
Director of Photography
Pursued
(1947)
Director of Photography
Objective, Burma!
(1945)
Director of Photography
Hud
(1963)
Director of Photography
Sweet Smell of Success
(1957)
Director of Photography
Nora Prentiss
(1947)
Director of Photography
The Thin Man
(1934)
Director of Photography
Hollywood Party
(1934)
Director of Photography
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
(1948)
Director of Photography
Full Filmography
Camera
The Siren Call
(1922)
Second Assistant Camera
The Spanish Dancer
(1923)
Director of Photography
The Call of the Canyon
(1923)
Director of Photography
To the Last Man
(1923)
Director of Photography
Peter Pan
(1924)
Director of Photography
The Side Show of Life
(1924)
Director of Photography
The Charmer
(1925)
Director of Photography
Not So Long Ago
(1925)
Director of Photography
Mantrap
(1926)
Director of Photography
Sorrell and Son
(1927)
Director of Photography
The Rough Riders
(1927)
Director of Photography
Laugh, Clown, Laugh
(1928)
Director of Photography
Desert Nights
(1929)
Director of Photography
Today
(1930)
Director of Photography
The Criminal Code
(1931)
Director of Photography
The Yellow Ticket
(1931)
Director of Photography
Surrender
(1931)
Director of Photography
Transatlantic
(1931)
Director of Photography
The Spider
(1931)
Director of Photography
Young America
(1932)
Director of Photography
Chandu the Magician
(1932)
Director of Photography
Amateur Daddy
(1932)
Director of Photography
After Tomorrow
(1932)
Director of Photography
Man About Town
(1932)
Director of Photography
Dance Team
(1932)
Director of Photography
Shanghai Express
(1932)
Additional Photography
Beauty for Sale
(1933)
Director of Photography
Hello, Sister!
(1933)
Director of Photography
The Power and the Glory
(1933)
Director of Photography
The Thin Man
(1934)
Director of Photography
Hollywood Party
(1934)
Director of Photography
The Show-Off
(1934)
Director of Photography
Manhattan Melodrama
(1934)
Director of Photography
Viva Villa!
(1934)
Director of Photography
Stamboul Quest
(1934)
Director of Photography
Have a Heart
(1934)
Camera Operator
Mark of the Vampire
(1935)
Director of Photography
The Night Is Young
(1935)
Director of Photography
The Flame Within
(1935)
Director of Photography
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
(1935)
Director of Photography
Whipsaw
(1935)
Director of Photography
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
(1935)
Director of Photography
Rendezvous
(1935)
Director of Photography
Three Live Ghosts
(1936)
Director of Photography
The Prisoner of Zenda
(1937)
Director of Photography
Fire Over England
(1937)
Director of Photography
Under the Red Robe
(1937)
Director of Photography
Farewell Again
(1937)
Director of Photography
Algiers
(1938)
Director of Photography
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
(1938)
Director of Photography
Dust Be My Destiny
(1939)
Director of Photography
They Made Me a Criminal
(1939)
Director of Photography
The Oklahoma Kid
(1939)
Director of Photography
Daughters Courageous
(1939)
Director of Photography
City for Conquest
(1940)
Director of Photography
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
(1940)
Director of Photography
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
(1940)
Director of Photography
Saturday's Children
(1940)
Director of Photography
Torrid Zone
(1940)
Director of Photography
Fantasia
(1940)
Director of Photography
Out of the Fog
(1941)
Director of Photography
The Strawberry Blonde
(1941)
Director of Photography
Shining Victory
(1941)
Director of Photography
Yankee Doodle Dandy
(1942)
Director of Photography
Kings Row
(1942)
Director of Photography
Hangmen Also Die!
(1943)
Director of Photography
The Hard Way
(1943)
Director of Photography
Air Force
(1943)
Director of Photography
The North Star
(1943)
Director of Photography
Passage to Marseille
(1944)
Director of Photography
Danger Signal
(1945)
Director of Photography
Confidential Agent
(1945)
Director of Photography
Counter-Attack
(1945)
Director of Photography
Objective, Burma!
(1945)
Director of Photography
My Reputation
(1946)
Director of Photography
Nora Prentiss
(1947)
Director of Photography
Pursued
(1947)
Director of Photography
Body and Soul
(1947)
Director of Photography
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
(1948)
Director of Photography
The Time of Your Life
(1948)
Director of Photography
The Baron of Arizona
(1950)
Director of Photography
The Eagle and the Hawk
(1950)
Director of Photography
He Ran All the Way
(1951)
Director of Photography
Behave Yourself!
(1951)
Director of Photography
Come Back, Little Sheba
(1952)
Director of Photography
The Lady Says No
(1952)
Director of Photography
Main Street to Broadway
(1953)
Director of Photography
Jennifer
(1953)
Director of Photography
The World of Dong Kingman
(1953)
Director of Photography
Indiscretion of an American Wife
(1953)
Additional Director of Photography
Autumn in Rome
(1954)
Director of Photography
The Rose Tattoo
(1955)
Director of Photography
Picnic
(1955)
Director of Photography
Death of a Scoundrel
(1956)
Director of Photography
Sweet Smell of Success
(1957)
Director of Photography
Drango
(1957)
Director of Photography
Armored Attack!
(1957)
Director of Photography
Bell, Book and Candle
(1958)
Director of Photography
The Old Man and the Sea
(1958)
Director of Photography
The Story on Page One
(1959)
Director of Photography
The Last Angry Man
(1959)
Director of Photography
Tess of the Storm Country
(1960)
Director of Photography
Song Without End
(1960)
Director of Photography
Hud
(1963)
Director of Photography
The Outrage
(1964)
Director of Photography
The Glory Guys
(1965)
Director of Photography
Seconds
(1966)
Director of Photography
This Property Is Condemned
(1966)
Director of Photography
Hombre
(1967)
Director of Photography
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
(1968)
Director of Photography
The Molly Maguires
(1970)
Director of Photography
Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
(1970)
Director of Photography
Funny Lady
(1975)
Director of Photography
Acting
James Wong Howe: Cinematographer
(1973)
Self
Visions of Light
(1992)
Self (archive footage)
The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Against All Odds: The Life of Cinematographer James Wong Howe
(2024)
Self (archive footage)
Crew
Padlocked
(1926)
Cinematography
The Perfect Crime
(1928)
Cinematography
Comet Over Broadway
(1938)
Cinematography
Navy Blues
(1941)
Cinematography
The Brave Bulls
(1951)
Cinematography
The Small World: The Gypsy Children of Granada
(1963)
Cinematography
The Horsemen
(1971)
Cinematography
Directing