# William A. Fraker

William Ashman Fraker, A.S.C., B.S.C. (September 29, 1923 – May 31, 2010) was an American cinematographer, film director and producer. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. In 2000, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) honoring his career. Fraker graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 1950.

## Life and career

Fraker was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of a Hollywood studio photographer. His mother was a native of Mexico who had fled the Mexican Revolution with her family. Fraker's parents died during his childhood and he was subsequently raised by his Mexican grandmother, who instructed him in photography like she had with his father before him.
He served four years in either the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, seeing action in the Pacific. Fraker then attended USC under the G.I. Bill, graduating with a degree in Cinema. He was admitted into the camera union in 1954 and subsequently spent years working in television before breaking into the film industry.
As cinematographer, his films include The President's Analyst (1967), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Bullitt (1968), Paint Your Wagon (1969), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), Coonskin (1975), Looking For Mr. Goodbar (1977), Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), Heaven Can Wait (1978), 1941 (1979), WarGames (1983), Irreconcilable Differences (1984), Murphy's Romance (1985), Tombstone (1993), and Street Fighter (1994).
He directed three theatrical films – Monte Walsh (1970), A Reflection of Fear (1971) and The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) – as well as episodes of several television series.

## Death

Fraker died on May 31, 2010, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. He was 86. He is survived by his wife Denise. He was predeceased in 1992 by son, William A. Fraker Jr., an assistant cameraman.

## Filmography
### Cinematographer
#### Film

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1961 | Forbid Them Not | Robert L. Kimble | Also credited as producer |
| 1966 | Incubus | Leslie Stevens | Uncredited |
| 1967 | Games | Curtis Harrington | |
| 1967 | The Fox | Mark Rydell | |
| 1967 | The President's Analyst | Theodore J. Flicker | |
| 1968 | Rosemary's Baby | Roman Polanski | |
| 1968 | Bullitt | Peter Yates | |
| 1969 | Paint Your Wagon | Joshua Logan | |
| 1971 | Dusty and Sweets McGee | Floyd Mutrux | Also cast as "The Cellist" |
| 1973 | The Day of the Dolphin | Mike Nichols | |
| 1975 | Coonskin | Ralph Bakshi | |
| 1975 | Rancho Deluxe | Frank Perry | |
| 1975 | Aloha, Bobby and Rose | Floyd Mutrux | |
| 1976 | Gator | Burt Reynolds | |
| 1976 | The Killer Inside Me | Burt Kennedy | |
| 1977 | Exorcist II: The Heretic | John Boorman | |
| 1977 | Looking for Mr. Goodbar | Richard Brooks | |
| 1978 | American Hot Wax | Floyd Mutrux | |
| 1978 | Heaven Can Wait | Warren Beatty Buck Henry | |
| 1979 | Old Boyfriends | Joan Tewkesbury | |
| 1979 | 1941 | Steven Spielberg | |
| 1980 | The Hollywood Knights | Floyd Mutrux | |
| 1981 | Sharky's Machine | Burt Reynolds | |
| 1982 | The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | Colin Higgins | |
| 1982 | Hey Good Lookin' | Ralph Bakshi | Uncredited |
| 1983 | WarGames | John Badham | |
| 1984 | Irreconcilable Differences | Charles Shyer | Also cast as 'Gabrielle' Cinematographer |
| 1984 | Protocol | Herbert Ross | |
| 1985 | Fever Pitch | Richard Brooks | |
| 1985 | Murphy's Romance | Martin Ritt | |
| 1986 | SpaceCamp | Harry Winer | |
| 1987 | Burglar | Hugh Wilson | |
| 1987 | Baby Boom | Charles Shyer | |
| 1989 | Chances Are | Emile Ardolino | |
| 1989 | An Innocent Man | Peter Yates | |
| 1990 | The Freshman | Andrew Bergman | |
| 1992 | Memoirs of an Invisible Man | John Carpenter | |
| 1992 | Honeymoon in Vegas | Andrew Bergman | |
| 1993 | Tombstone | George P. Cosmatos | Also credited as associate producer |
| 1994 | There Goes My Baby | Floyd Mutrux | |
| 1994 | Street Fighter | Steven E. de Souza | |
| 1995 | Father of the Bride Part II | Charles Shyer | With Elliot Davis |
| 1996 | The Island of Dr. Moreau | John Frankenheimer | |
| 1997 | Vegas Vacation | Stephen Kessler | |
| 1997 | Broadway Brawler | Dennis Dugan Lee Grant | Unfinished |
| 2000 | Rules of Engagement | William Friedkin | With Nicola Pecorini |
| 2001 | Town & Country | Peter Chelsom | Also credited as 2nd unit director (South Carolina) |
| 2002 | Waking Up in Reno | Jordan Brady | |
Documentary film
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1975 | Fritz Lang Interviewed by William Friedkin | William Friedkin | |
| 1980 | Divine Madness | Michael Ritchie | Concert film |

#### Television

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1966-1969 | Daktari | | |
| 1973 | Ozzie's Girls | Ozzie Nelson | Episode "Pilot" |
| 1987 | Frank's Place | Hugh Wilson | Episode "Pilot" |
TV movies
| Year | Title | Director |
| 1973 | Fade In | Jud Taylor |
| 1995 | Death in Small Doses | Sondra Locke |
* ↑ Credited as Alan Smithee

### Director

Film
* Monte Walsh (1970)
* A Reflection of Fear (1972)
* The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981)
Television
| Year | Title | Episode(s) |
| 1988 | Houston Knights | "Cajun Spice" |
| 1988 | J.J. Starbuck | "Rag Doll" |
| 1989 | Unsub | "Silent Stalker" |
| 1989 | B.L. Stryker | "The Dancer’s Touch" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | "Fascination for the Flame" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | "The Merchant of Death" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | "How Will They Remember Me?" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | "The Reunion" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | "Day Seven" |
| 1989 | Wiseguy | "Sanctuary" |
| 1991 | The Flash | "Tina, Is That You?" |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger | "Night of the Gladiator" |

## Accolades

Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1977 | Best Cinematography | Looking for Mr. Goodbar | Nominated |
| 1978 | Best Cinematography | Heaven Can Wait | Nominated |
| 1979 | Best Cinematography | 1941 | Nominated |
| 1979 | Best Visual Effects | 1941 | Nominated |
| 1983 | Best Cinematography | WarGames | Nominated |
| 1985 | Best Cinematography | Murphy's Romance | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1968 | Best Cinematography | Bullitt | Nominated |
| 1983 | Best Special Visual Effects | WarGames | Nominated |
National Society of Film Critics
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1968 | Best Cinematography | Bullitt | Nominated |
American Society of Cinematographers
* Lifetime Achievement Award (2000)
Camerimage
* Lifetime Achievement Award (2003)