George Kohut obit

George Kohut, ace camera man, union activist mourned

 He was not on the list.

George Kohut, considered one of the best camera operators in the country, a favorite of feature directors John Hughes and Andrew Davis, and a tireless advocate for workers’ rights, died May 8 from complications of a stroke.  He was 70 and had spent 44 years in the Chicago film industry.

A retired member of Cameraman’s IATSE Local 600 and its predecessor, Local 666, “George served for the majority of his career as an elected representative on behalf of the working men and women of Local 600,” said 600’s business agent, Justin Conway.

“We will all miss the sound of his deep baritone voice railing on about one issue or another. 

“He was a firm believer in the cause of unions and maintained a keen interest in politics and current events. During his time as a working member, George distinguished himself among his coworkers as one of Chicago’s most prolific camera operators.”

Mr. Kohut got into the film business through a series of fortuitous connections.  His family migrated from the Ukraine to Detroit and he went into service in 1961, the time of the Cuban missile crisis.

“He sat under the wing of a B52 bomber with famous Chicago photojournalist Michael O’Sullivan, who invited him to come to Chicago to work,” related cameraman Peter Kuttner, Mr. Kohut’s friend since the start of their film careers in 1970.

“He arrived in Chicago with his guitar, he loved folk music, and lived above a bar called the Fifth Peg, where folk artists hung out, in Lakeview.  The bar was owned by cameraman Bill Birch, one of the city’s top cameramen, whose father, Harry Birch, was one of the founders of Local 666.

“Bill told George he needed someone to drive him and his camera equipment for a documentary out west.  George learned from Bill and did a great job and when they returned, Bill got him into the camera union,” Kuttner recalled.

During his lengthy career, Mr. Kohut was camera operator on more than 60 features and TV movies, mainly classic movies filmed in Chicago, including “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “The Fugitive,” “Risky Business,” “Groundhog Day,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Next of King” and award-winning “The Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

Mr Kohut is survived by his wife, Mary, son, David and daughter-in-law Hannah.

Visitation: Friday, May 16, 2-9 p.m. at the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 W. 103rd St., Oak Lawn.  Funeral: May 17, 10 a.m., St. Denis Church, 8301 S. St. Louis, Chicago.

Camera and Electrical Department

Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in The Lake House (2006)

The Lake House

6.8

camera operator: "b" camera

2006

 

Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn in The Break-Up (2006)

The Break-Up

5.8

camera operator

2006

 

Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen in Derailed (2005)

Derailed

6.6

camera operator

2005

 

Shad Moss in Roll Bounce (2005)

Roll Bounce

6.3

camera operator

2005

 

The Third Vehicle (2005)

The Third Vehicle

camera operator: second unit

2005

 

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins

8.2

camera operator

2005

 

Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, and Diane Kruger in Wicker Park (2004)

Wicker Park

6.9

camera operator

2004

 

The Company (2003)

The Company

6.2

additional camera operator

2003

 

Below (2002)

Below

6.1

'b' camera operator: Michigan

2002

 

Ice Cube, Troy Garity, Anthony Anderson, Cedric The Entertainer, Sean Patrick Thomas, Michael Ealy, Eve, and Leonard Earl Howze in Barbershop (2002)

Barbershop

6.4

camera operator: "b" camera

2002

 

Joshua (2002)

Joshua

6.7

camera operator: "b" camera

2002

 

Keanu Reeves, A. Delon Ellis Jr., Julian Griffith, Bryan Hearne, Michael B. Jordan, Kris D. Lofton, Michael Perkins, Brian M. Reed, and DeWayne Warren in Hardball (2001)

Hardball

6.4

camera operator

2001

 

The Watcher (2000)

The Watcher

5.3

camera operator

2000

 

Robert De Niro, Rene Russo, Jason Alexander, June Foray, and Keith Scott in The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000)

The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle

4.3

camera operator: "b" camera, Chicago

2000

 

David Duchovny and Minnie Driver in Return to Me (2000)

Return to Me

7.0

camera operator

2000

 

Paula Marshall and Jeremy Piven in Cupid (1998)

Cupid

7.8

TV Series

camera operator

1998–1999

 

Bill Paxton, Bridget Fonda, and Billy Bob Thornton in A Simple Plan (1998)

A Simple Plan

7.5

camera operator: 'b' camera, second unit

1998

 

Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey in The Negotiator (1998)

The Negotiator

7.3

camera operator: Chicago

1998

 

Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Downey Jr., and Wesley Snipes in U.S. Marshals (1998)

U.S. Marshals

6.6

camera operator: second unit

1998

 

Henry Bumstead, Christopher Curry, Adrianne Duncan, Bruce Green, Darwin Harris, Rya Kihlstedt, Kevin Kilner, Darren T. Knaus, Olek Krupa, Krista Lally, Alex D. Linz, Julio Macat, Haviland Morris, Marian Seldes, David Thornton, and Lenny von Dohlen in Home Alone 3 (1997)

Home Alone 3

4.6

camera operator: "b" camera

1997

 

Matt Damon and Danny DeVito in The Rainmaker (1997)

The Rainmaker

7.2

camera operator: 2nd unit

1997

 

Kevin Bacon and Brad Renfro in Telling Lies in America (1997)

Telling Lies in America

6.2

camera operator

1997

 

Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence in Nothing to Lose (1997)

Nothing to Lose

6.7

camera operator

1997

 

Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, and Dermot Mulroney in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

My Best Friend's Wedding

6.4

camera operator: 'b' camera

1997

 

Nia Long, Larenz Tate, and Isaiah Washington in Love Jones (1997)

Love Jones

7.4

camera operator: additional photography

1997

 

The Relic (1997)

The Relic

5.8

camera operator: Chicago

1997

 

Morgan Freeman and Keanu Reeves in Chain Reaction (1996)

Chain Reaction

5.7

camera operator

1996

 

Spider the Dead: The First Chapter

camera operator: "Inside my Head" TV sequences

1995

 

Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

6.4

camera operator (uncredited)

1995

 

Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson in Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Miracle on 34th Street

6.7

camera operator

1994

 

Adam Robert Worton and Jacob Joseph Worton in Baby's Day Out (1994)

Baby's Day Out

6.3

camera operator

1994

 

Harrison Ford in The Fugitive (1993)

The Fugitive

7.8

director of photography: second unit, Chicago

1993

 

Gary Busey, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Albert Hall, and Daniel Stern in Rookie of the Year (1993)

Rookie of the Year

6.1

camera operator

1993

 

Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in Groundhog Day (1993)

Groundhog Day

8.0

director of photography: second unit

1993

 

The Cemetery Club (1993)

The Cemetery Club

5.8

camera operator

1993

 

Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito in Hoffa (1992)

Hoffa

6.6

additional camera operator: Chicago

1992

 

Geena Davis, Dustin Hoffman, and Andy Garcia in Hero (1992)

Hero

6.5

camera operator

1992

 

Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and Madonna in A League of Their Own (1992)

A League of Their Own

7.4

camera operator: second unit

1992

 

Far and Away (1992)

Far and Away

6.6

additional camera operator

1992

 

Warren Beatty and Annette Bening in Bugsy (1991)

Bugsy

6.8

first assistant camera: additional photography

1991

 

Another You (1991)

Another You

5.3

camera operator

1991

 

Mel Brooks in Life Stinks (1991)

Life Stinks

5.9

camera operator

1991

 

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky V (1990)

Rocky V

5.4

camera operator

1990

 

Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston (1990)

Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston

6.0

TV Movie

camera operator

1990

 

Shangri-La Plaza

6.4

TV Movie

camera operator

1990

 

Opportunity Knocks (1990)

Opportunity Knocks

6.0

camera operator

1990

 

Liam Neeson, Patrick Swayze, Valentino Cimo, Paul Herman, Andreas Katsulas, Ted Levine, and Michael J. Pollard in Next of Kin (1989)

Next of Kin

5.9

camera operator

1989

 

The Package (1989)

The Package

6.4

photographer: second unit

1989

 

Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, and Corbin Bernsen in Major League (1989)

Major League

7.2

camera operator

1989

 

Far North (1988)

Far North

4.9

director of photography: second unit

1988

 

Big Top Pee-wee (1988)

Big Top Pee-wee

5.2

camera operator

1988

 

Heather O'Rourke in Poltergeist III (1988)

Poltergeist III

4.7

camera operator

1988

 

Aloha Summer (1988)

Aloha Summer

5.7

camera operator

1988

 

Isabella Rossellini and Ryan O'Neal in Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987)

Tough Guys Don't Dance

5.0

camera operator

1987

 

Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett in Light of Day (1987)

Light of Day

5.6

camera operator

1987

 

Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

7.8

director of photography: second unit

1986

 

Band of the Hand (1986)

Band of the Hand

6.2

camera operator

1986

 

Lucas (1986)

Lucas

6.9

camera operator

1986

 

Lori Loughlin and Shannon Presby in The New Kids (1985)

The New Kids

6.1

camera operator

1985

 

Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges in Starman (1984)

Starman

7.0

camera operator: Tennessee

1984

 

Windy City (1984)

Windy City

5.8

camera operator

1984

 

Jamie Lee Curtis, Patrick Swayze, and C. Thomas Howell in Grandview, U.S.A. (1984)

Grandview, U.S.A.

5.5

camera operator

1984

 

American Playhouse (1980)

American Playhouse

7.3

TV Series

camera operator

1984

1 episode

 

Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay in Risky Business (1983)

Risky Business

6.8

camera operator

1983

 

Jackie Gleason, Richard Pryor, and Scott Schwartz in The Toy (1982)

The Toy

5.8

camera operator: Chicago

1982

 

Six Pack (1982)

Six Pack

6.0

camera operator

1982

 

The Beast Within (1982)

The Beast Within

5.6

camera operator

1982

 

American Dream (1981)

American Dream

6.1

TV Series

camera operator

1981

1 episode

 

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963)

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

8.6

TV Series

studio photography

1980–1981

2 episodes

 

Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson in Hopscotch (1980)

Hopscotch

7.1

first assistant camera

1980

 

John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and The Blues Brothers in The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers

7.9

second camera first assistant: Chicago

1980

 

Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)

Coal Miner's Daughter

7.5

camera assistant

1980

 

The Clonus Horror (1979)

The Clonus Horror

4.0

camera operator (uncredited)

1979

 

Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider (1979)

Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider

5.5

first assistant camera

1979

 

Peter Fonda and Kathleen Miller in Fighting Mad (1976)

Fighting Mad

5.7

assistant camera

1976

 

Return to Macon County (1975)

Return to Macon County

5.6

second assistant camera

1975

 

Cooley High (1975)

Cooley High

7.1

2nd assistant cameraman

1975

 

Tough Guys (1974)

Tough Guys

5.5

assistant camera (uncredited)

1974

 

Deliverance (1972)

Deliverance

7.6

camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

1972

 

Cinematographer

Robert Conrad in High Mountain Rangers (1987)

High Mountain Rangers

7.2

TV Series

director of photography

1987

1 episode

 

Two Fathers' Justice (1985)

Two Fathers' Justice

5.4

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1985

 

Hard Knox (1984)

Hard Knox

5.2

TV Movie

director of photography

1984