Allen Daviau
Born
John Allen Daviau

(1942-06-14)June 14, 1942
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedApril 15, 2020(2020-04-15) (aged 77)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1967–2010
Relatives

John Allen Daviau (June 14, 1942 – April 15, 2020)[1] was an American cinematographer known for his collaborations with Steven Spielberg on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), and Empire of the Sun (1987). He received five Academy Award nominations and two British Academy Film Award nominations, with one win. In addition to his work in film, Daviau served as Cinematographer-in-Residence at UCLA.[2]

Career

Daviau was born on June 14, 1942, in New Orleans, and raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from Loyola High School in 1960.[1]

He was introduced to Steven Spielberg in the late 1960s[3] and the two went on to work together on two early short films. They continued their professional working career by collaborating on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); "Kick the Can," a segment from Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), The Color Purple (1985), an episode of the NBC anthology series Amazing Stories titled "Ghost Train" (1985), and Empire of the Sun (1987).[3]

Daviau's work also includes John Schlesinger's The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), the Spielberg-produced Harry and the Hendersons (1987), Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life (1991), Barry Levinson's Avalon (1990) and Bugsy (1991), Peter Weir's Fearless (1993), Frank Marshall's Congo (1995), Rand Ravich's The Astronaut's Wife (1999) and Stephen Sommers' Van Helsing (2004), his final feature.

He received lifetime achievement awards from the Art Directors Guild in 1997 and the American Society of Cinematographers in 2007.[4]

Daviau shot thousands of commercials, documentaries, industrials and educational films, and created psychedelic special-effects lighting for Roger Corman's The Trip (1967) before he gained entry into the International Photographers Guild.[4]

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

While doing a lawnmower commercial in Arizona, Daviau learned that Spielberg was looking for a cinematographer for E.T. and sent the director a tape of The Boy Who Drank Too Much, a 1980 telefilm that he shot. "It had a lot of mood, and it's about kids, so I knew Steven would watch it!" Daviau said. Spielberg stated that he contacted Daviau for his next feature, saying, "I did something I rarely do. I didn't think twice; I picked up the phone and asked Allen if he would photograph my next feature."[5]

Personal life and death

Following a surgical procedure in 2012, Daviau was confined to a wheelchair.[1] He died on April 15, 2020, at the age of 77, as a result of complications from COVID-19 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.[3]

Filmography

Short films

Year Title Director Notes
1968 Amblin' Steven Spielberg
1975 Names of Sin Rolf Forsberg
1983 Kick the Can Steven Spielberg Segments of Twilight Zone: The Movie
It's a Good Life Joe Dante
2000 The Translator Leslie Anne Smith
2001 Sweet Elyse Couvillion
2002 The Routine Bob Giraldi
2004 ASC-DCI StEM Also writer
How to Be a Hollywood Player in Less Than Ten Minutes Joe Hudson
2010 The Caretaker 3D Sean Isroelit With Svetlana Cvetko

Documentary films

Year Title Director Notes
1971 Say Goodbye David H. Vowell
1973 New Gladiators Bob Hammer With John Hora
2004 Olive or Twist 2004 Peter Moody With Tchell De Paepe, Joachim Hanwright and Michael Knight

Feature films

Year Title Director Notes
1973 The Brothers O'Toole Richard Erdman
1974 Mother Tiger Mother Tiger Rolf Forsberg
1982 Harry Tracy, Desperado William A. Graham
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Steven Spielberg
1985 The Falcon and the Snowman John Schlesinger
The Color Purple Steven Spielberg
1987 Empire of the Sun
Harry and the Hendersons William Dear
1990 Avalon Barry Levinson
1991 Defending Your Life Albert Brooks
Bugsy Barry Levinson
1993 Fearless Peter Weir
1995 Congo Frank Marshall
1999 The Astronaut's Wife Rand Ravich
2000 The Tigger Movie Jun Falkenstein Animated feature
2004 Van Helsing Stephen Sommers

TV movies

Year Title Director
1974 Mooch Goes to Hollywood Richard Erdman
1979 The Streets of L.A. Jerrold Freedman
1980 The Boy Who Drank Too Much
Rage! William Graham
1983 Legs Jerold Freedman

TV series

Year Title Director Episode
1982 McDonaldland Lee Chapman "Skating"
1985 Amazing Stories Steven Spielberg "Ghost Train"
1996 International Cinematographer's Guild Heritage Series Jay Nefcy "Vittorio Storaro"

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Year Title Category Result
1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Best Cinematography Nominated
1985 The Color Purple Nominated
1987 Empire of the Sun Nominated
1990 Avalon Nominated
1991 Bugsy Nominated

BAFTA Awards

Year Title Category Result
1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Best Cinematography Nominated
1987 Empire of the Sun Won

American Society of Cinematographers

Year Title Category Result
1987 Empire of the Sun Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Won
1990 Avalon Nominated
1991 Bugsy Won

Other awards

Year Title Award Result
1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography Won
1987 Empire of the Sun New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography Nominated
1991 Bugsy Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography Nominated
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 3 Telegraph Obituaries (May 15, 2020). "Allen Daviau, cinematographer noted for his work with Stephen Spielberg – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  2. ↑ Wrap Staff (April 13, 2010). "UCLA Taps Bailey as Kodak Cinematographer-in-Residence". TheWrap. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Barnes, Mike (April 16, 2020). "Allen Daviau, Spielberg Cinematographer and Five-Time Oscar Nominee, Dies of Coronavirus Complications at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  4. 1 2 McNary, Dave (April 16, 2020). "'E.T.' Cinematographer Allen Daviau Dies of COVID-19 at 77". Variety. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  5. ↑ Williams, David E. (January 2007). "A Movie Buff's Moment". American Cinematographer. American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
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