John A . Alonzo John A . Alonzo , A . S . C . ( born Juan Alonzo ) was an Academy Award - nominated , Emmy Award - winning American cinematographer from Dallas , Texas who worked as Director of Photography on . In a career spanning nearly 35 years , Alonzo was a pioneer of hand held and high definition camera work . Alonzo was interviewed on the special feature " Strange New Worlds : The Valley of Fire " on the Star Trek Generations ( Special Edition ) DVD . Alonzo began his career in show business as a camera pusher , camera operator , and director for a local NBC - affiliated Dallas television station . After moving to Los Angeles , California , in 1956 , he hosted a short - lived children ' s show ; with that show ' s cancellation , he turned to acting . He received roles on such television series as " Dragnet " , " Perry Mason " , , " Bewitched " , and " The Wild Wild West " . He also appeared in a few feature films , most notably the 1960 Western classic " The Magnificent Seven " , which also featured Whit Bissell and Joseph Ruskin . In the mid - 1960s , Alonzo began doing camera work for TV documentaries . In 1969 , producer / director gave Alonzo his first feature film credit as a Director of Photography , the crime drama " Bloody Mama " . Five years later , Alonzo received his first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography for his work in ' s acclaimed mystery , " Chinatown " . Among the other " Star Trek " alumni associated with this film are actors Perry Lopez , Roy Jenson , and Noble Willingham , composer Jerry Goldsmith and stuntman Hal Needham . Alonzo was the cinematographer of over fifty other feature films . Prominent among these are " Harold and Maude " ( 1971 , featuring Ellen Geer and costumes by William Ware Theiss ) , " The Fortune " ( 1975 , featuring Ian Wolfe ) for , " The Bad News Bears " ( 1976 ) , " Blue Thunder " ( 1983 , starring Malcolm McDowell ) , and " Scarface " ( 1983 , featuring F . Murray Abraham and Harris Yulin ) . In addition , Alonzo frequently worked with director ; their collaborations include " Sounder " ( 1972 , starring Paul Winfield ) , " Pete ' n ' Tillie " ( 1972 , featuring Rene Auberjonois and Whit Bissell ) , " Conrack " ( 1974 , starring Paul Winfield , Madge Sinclair , and Tige Andrews ) , the acclaimed " Norma Rae " ( 1979 , featuring Gail Strickland and Noble Willingham ) , and " Cross Creek " ( 1983 , featuring Alfre Woodard and Malcolm McDowell ) . Besides " Generations " , more recent film credits include " Steel Magnolias " ( 1989 , featuring Bibi Besch ) , " HouseSitter " ( 1992 ) , and " The Grass Harp " ( 1995 ) . In addition to his film credits , Alonzo has worked as cinematographer on several made - for - TV movies , including 1988 ' s " Roots : The Gift " ( starring Avery Brooks , Kate Mulgrew , and Tim Russ ) and " World War II : When Lions Roared " ( 1994 , directed by Joseph Sargent and featuring Ed Begley , Jr . ) . Alonzo earned his first Emmy Award nomination for his work on this latter project , and received a second nomination for 1998 ' s " Lansky " . He earned a third Emmy Award , and his first win , for his lighting direction in the 2000 TV movie " Fail Safe " ( starring James Cromwell ) . Alonzo died of natural causes in Beverly Hills , California , in 2001 . He was 66 years old . The last project he worked , the 2002 film " Deuces Wild " , was dedicated to his memory .