page_title: John J. Mescall
hierarchical_section_title: John J. Mescall
caption_attribution_description: English: Irene Dunne and John J. Mescall (cinematographer) on the set of Show Boat (1936) - publicity still
context_page_description: John J. Mescall, A.S.C. was an American cinematographer. He photographed such silent films as Ernst Lubitsch's The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, but he is best known for his work in the 1930s at Universal Pictures, where he often worked on the films of James Whale. Mescall was famous for his elaborate, effective camera movements, in which the camera would often track completely across or around a set, or even one performer. He would not always use these kinds of camera movements, but his most famous films all have them.
context_section_description: John J. Mescall, A.S.C. (January 10, 1899 – February 10, 1962) was an American cinematographer. He photographed such silent films as Ernst Lubitsch's The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927), but he is best known for his work in the 1930s at Universal Pictures, where he often worked on the films of James Whale. Mescall was famous for his elaborate (some might say grandiose), effective camera movements, in which the camera would often track completely across or around a set, or even one performer (as it does around Paul Robeson while he sings Ol' Man River in the 1936 film version of Show Boat). He would not always use these kinds of camera movements (The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg has none), but his most famous films all have them.
caption: Actress Irene Dunne with cinematographer John J. Mescall on the set of Show Boat (Universal, 1936)
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