Ronnie Taylor obit

 Cinematographer Ronnie Taylor Has Died

He was not on the list.

Brilliant, much-respected camera operator and cinematographer, who worked for some of the biggest names in British, American and Italian Cinema. Starting out as an operator and working on many beautifully shot films throughout his career, he later served as cinematographer for Dario Argento and Richard Attenborough, sharing the Best Cinematography Oscar with the great Billy Williams for "Gandhi". He collaborated three times with Italian horror master, Dario Argento, most notable on the audaciously shot 1987 film, "Opera".

Taylor was born on 27 October 1924 in Hampstead, London. At the age of 18 and in search of a job, Taylor pursued a radio operator certificate to find work with the Merchant Navy. However, a family neighbour, Jack Swinburne, offered to give Taylor a tour of Gainsborough Pictures Studio at Lime Grove in Shepherd Bush. After seeing how films were made, he quickly fell in love with the line of work and wanted to partake in the creation of films. Taylor's first film was as a clapper boy in The Young Mr. Pitt (1942), that same year he entered the Merchant Navy. in service for the Second World War. After returning home, he continued working in the film industry. The following year, he pulled focus during the filming of the man in Grey (1943), solidifying the start of his career in the industry.

Taylor would then primarily shift to free-lance work. At times, he would work and would be contracted with studios like Pinewood Studios, Ealing Studio, and the Vera Cruz company. In his interview with David A. Ellis for his book Conversations with Cinematographers, Pinewood was mentioned as a personal favourite he had worked with and also where he would build a name for himself among his peers as a noteworthy operator.

In 1952, He would meet his future wife, Mary Devetta during the production of Secret People (1952) at Ealing Studios, West London. The two would move over to Brazil due to a two-year contract Taylor had signed with the Vera Cruz and stayed an additional two more years before the company closed.

Taylor moved back to Britain worked on projects and cemented a relationship with fellow cinematographer Freddie Francis. While not credited, he worked alongside the former on films such as Virgin Island (1958), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), and The Innocents (1961). Taylor would continue working on films and commercials as a freelancer operating on films. In 2001, at the age of 77, Taylor announced his retirement. He bought a property with a swimming pool in Ibiza, Spain, where he spent the rest of his life. Taylor continued his passion for film past his retirement, frequently participating in the Ibiza International Film Festival and was awarded the Ibiza IFF's achievement award.

In 2018, Taylor suffered a stroke and during his battle for recovery, his health deteriorated, eventually leading to subsequent health problems. Taylor died on August 3, 2018. He is survived by his two daughters, Tracey Taylor and Nikki Watson as well as two grandchildren.

 

Camera and Electrical Department

Green Ice (1981)

Green Ice

5.5

second unit cameraman (as Ronald Taylor)

1981

 

All Quiet on the Western Front (1979)

All Quiet on the Western Front

7.1

TV Movie

camera operator: second unit

1979

 

Zulu Dawn (1979)

Zulu Dawn

6.6

camera operator

1979

 

Game for Vultures (1979)

Game for Vultures

4.4

camera operator

1979

 

Who'll Stop the Rain (1978)

Who'll Stop the Rain

6.7

additional photographer (as Ron Taylor)

1978

 

Robert Mitchum and Candy Clark in The Big Sleep (1978)

The Big Sleep

5.8

camera operator

1978

 

Rudolf Nureyev and Michelle Phillips in Valentino (1977)

Valentino

6.1

camera operator

1977

 

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

The Island of Dr. Moreau

5.9

director of photography: second unit

1977

 

Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, and Kenny Baker in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

8.6

camera operation

1977

 

The Return of a Man Called Horse (1976)

The Return of a Man Called Horse

6.1

additional photographer

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1976

 

James Coburn, Charles Aznavour, Robert Culp, and Susannah York in Sky Riders (1976)

Sky Riders

5.9

camera operator

1976

 

Barry Lyndon (1975)

Barry Lyndon

8.1

camera operator

1975

 

Ava Gardner and Dirk Bogarde in The Executioner (1975)

The Executioner

5.6

camera operator

1975

 

Sean Connery and Candice Bergen in The Wind and the Lion (1975)

The Wind and the Lion

6.8

camera operator (uncredited)

1975

 

William Finley in Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Phantom of the Paradise

7.3

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1974

 

Tales That Witness Madness (1973)

Tales That Witness Madness

5.6

camera operator

1973

 

Vincent Price and Diana Rigg in Theater of Blood (1973)

Theater of Blood

7.1

camera operator

1973

 

Young Winston (1972)

Young Winston

6.7

camera operator

1972

 

Savage Messiah (1972)

Savage Messiah

6.9

camera operator

1972

 

The Devils (1971)

The Devils

7.7

camera operator

1971

 

Peter O'Toole in Murphy's War (1971)

Murphy's War

6.7

aerial photography (as Ron Taylor)

1971

 

The Man Who Had Power Over Women (1970)

The Man Who Had Power Over Women

5.1

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1970

 

Samantha Eggar and David Hemmings in The Walking Stick (1970)

The Walking Stick

6.5

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1970

 

Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)

Oh! What a Lovely War

7.0

camera operator

1969

 

Marcello Mastroianni and Elaine Taylor in Diamonds for Breakfast (1968)

Diamonds for Breakfast

4.7

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1968

 

Deadfall (1968)

Deadfall

5.7

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1968

 

Edith Evans in The Whisperers (1967)

The Whisperers

7.2

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1967

 

The Bobo (1967)

The Bobo

5.5

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1967

 

Shirley Knight and Al Freeman Jr. in Dutchman (1966)

Dutchman

7.1

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1966

 

Finders Keepers (1966)

Finders Keepers

5.0

cameraman

1966

 

The Wrong Box (1966)

The Wrong Box

6.7

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1966

 

Morgan! (1966)

Morgan!

6.5

camera operator

1966

 

The Avengers (1961)

The Avengers

8.3

TV Series

camera operator

1965

5 episodes

 

Ballad in Blue (1965)

Ballad in Blue

5.5

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1965

 

Das Verrätertor (1964)

Das Verrätertor

5.7

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1964

 

Tamahine (1963)

Tamahine

5.9

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1963

 

The Very Edge (1963)

The Very Edge

6.4

camera operator (as Don Taylor)

1963

 

Robert Wagner and Shirley Anne Field in The War Lover (1962)

The War Lover

6.5

aerial sequences photographed by (as Ron Taylor)

1962

 

Two and Two Make Six (1962)

Two and Two Make Six

6.2

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1962

 

The Innocents (1961)

The Innocents

7.7

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1961

 

Snowball (1960)

Snowball

6.8

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1960

 

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

7.5

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1960

 

Donald Pleasence, Peter Sellers, and Constance Cummings in The Battle of the Sexes (1960)

The Battle of the Sexes

6.6

camera operator

1960

 

Tony Britton and Nadja Tiller in Portrait of a Sinner (1959)

Portrait of a Sinner

6.0

camera operator (uncredited)

1959

 

Van Johnson and Vera Miles in Web of Evidence (1959)

Web of Evidence

6.3

camera operator

1959

 

Home Is the Hero (1959)

Home Is the Hero

7.6

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1959

 

Laurence Harvey and Simone Signoret in Room at the Top (1958)

Room at the Top

7.5

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1958

 

Our Virgin Island (1958)

Our Virgin Island

5.8

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1958

 

Betsy Drake and Kenneth More in Next to No Time! (1958)

Next to No Time!

5.7

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1958

 

Strange Affection (1957)

Strange Affection

6.5

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1957

 

Paul Carpenter, Roland Culver, William Hartnell, and Patricia Roc in Scotland Yard Dragnet (1957)

Scotland Yard Dragnet

5.9

camera operator

1957

 

Seven Days from Now (1957)

Seven Days from Now

7.5

camera operator

1957

 

The Baby and the Battleship (1956)

The Baby and the Battleship

5.4

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1956

 

Tears for Simon (1956)

Tears for Simon

6.4

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1956

 

Brandy for the Parson (1952)

Brandy for the Parson

5.7

camera operator (as Ron Taylor)

1952

 

Secret People (1952)

Secret People

6.2

camera operator (uncredited)

1952

 

Boys in Brown (1949)

Boys in Brown

6.1

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1949

 

A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949)

A Boy, a Girl and a Bike

6.2

camera operator (uncredited)

1949

 

It's Not Cricket (1949)

It's Not Cricket

6.0

camera operator (as Ronald Taylor)

1949

 

Greta Gynt in Easy Money (1948)

Easy Money

6.1

focus puller (uncredited)

1948

 

Holiday Camp (1947)

Holiday Camp

6.6

assistant camera (uncredited)

1947

 

Phyllis Calvert in Two Thousand Women (1944)

Two Thousand Women

6.5

focus puller (uncredited)

1944

 

Millions Like Us (1943)

Millions Like Us

6.8

focus puller (uncredited)

1943

 

James Mason in The Man in Grey (1943)

The Man in Grey

6.5

focus puller (uncredited)

1943

 

Phyllis Calvert and Robert Donat in The Young Mr. Pitt (1942)

The Young Mr. Pitt

6.8

clapper loader (uncredited)

1942

 

Cinematographer

Chiara Caselli in Sleepless (2001)

Sleepless

6.2

Cinematographer

2001

 

Splat! (1999)

Splat!

Short

Cinematographer

1999

 

Asia Argento in The Phantom of the Opera (1998)

The Phantom of the Opera

4.3

Cinematographer

1998

 

Alfred Molina and Helen Slater in The Steal (1995)

The Steal

4.8

director of photography

1995

 

Redwood Curtain (1995)

Redwood Curtain

5.7

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1995

 

Good King Wenceslas (1994)

Good King Wenceslas

6.3

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1994

 

Veronica Hamel and Jack Scalia in Shadow of Obsession (1994)

Shadow of Obsession

6.5

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1994

 

Bryan Brown, Matthias Hues, and Sophie Okonedo in Age of Treason (1993)

Age of Treason

5.9

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1993

 

Annette O'Toole in Jewels (1992)

Jewels

6.9

TV Mini Series

Cinematographer

1992

2 episodes

 

The Timekeeper (1992)

The Timekeeper

7.2

Short

Cinematographer

1992

 

Jill Schoelen in Popcorn (1991)

Popcorn

5.9

Cinematographer

1991

 

The Rainbow Thief (1990)

The Rainbow Thief

5.8

director of photography

1990

 

Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin in Sea of Love (1989)

Sea of Love

6.8

Cinematographer

1989

 

John Travolta and Arye Gross in The Experts (1989)

The Experts

4.9

director of photography

1989

 

Opera (1987)

Opera

6.9

director of photography

1987

 

Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington in Cry Freedom (1987)

Cry Freedom

7.4

director of photography

1987

 

Amanda Donohoe, Victor Banerjee, Eve Ferret, and Jane Laurie in Foreign Body (1986)

Foreign Body

6.0

Cinematographer

1986

 

A Chorus Line (1985)

A Chorus Line

6.2

director of photography

1985

 

Charlton Heston, Maud Adams, and John Savage in Nairobi Affair (1984)

Nairobi Affair

5.1

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1984

 

Champions (1984)

Champions

6.5

Cinematographer

1984

 

Dyan Cannon, Harry Hamlin, and Ian Charleson in Master of the Game (1984)

Master of the Game

7.3

TV Mini Series

Cinematographer

1984

1 episode

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983)

The Hound of the Baskervilles

6.5

TV Movie

Cinematographer (lighting cameraman)

1983

 

Tom Selleck, Bess Armstrong, Robert Morley, and Jack Weston in High Road to China (1983)

High Road to China

6.0

Cinematographer

1983

 

Splitz (1982)

Splitz

4.0

director of photography

1982

 

Gandhi (1982)

Gandhi

8.0

director of photography

1982

 

Say No to Strangers (1981)

Say No to Strangers

6.6

Short

Cinematographer (as Ronald C. Taylor)

1981

 

Savage Harvest (1981)

Savage Harvest

5.7

Cinematographer

1981

 

Circle of Iron (1978)

Circle of Iron

5.7

Cinematographer

1978

 

Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Keith Moon, John Entwistle, Paul Nicholas, Robert Powell, Pete Townshend, and Tina Turner in Tommy (1975)

Tommy

6.6

Cinematographer (photographed by)

1975

 

Two and Two Make Six (1962)

Two and Two Make Six

6.2

Cinematographer

196