Adam Greenberg obit

Adam Greenberg Dies: Oscar-Nominated ‘The Terminator’ Cinematographer Was 88

 He was not on the list.

Adam Greenberg, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer known for his work on The Terminator and many other films, has died. He was 88.

Fellow cinematographer Avraham Karpick, who worked for Greenberg on the 1984 J. Lee Thompson film The Ambassador, was one of several industry peers to mourn the director of photography’s death, announcing that he died on Thursday.

“Adam did not speak to impress — he spoke to connect. He did not lead by direction — he led by example. He never commanded — he swam beside us, anchored in clarity, wisdom, and calm,” he wrote on Facebook. “Free of ego, far from vanity, he stayed above noise, gossip, and distraction.

“Now we are left with echoes — of his words, his spirit, his way. Because whales never truly vanish. They become part of something deeper,” added Karpick.

Assistant director Eddie Ziv and camera operator Mosh Levin also paid their condolences to Greenberg on social media.

Born April 11, 1937 in Kraków, Poland, Greenberg was raised in Tel Aviv, where he began working as a film lab technician and documentary cameraman in the 1950s and 60s.

Greenberg’s first job as DP was on the 1966 Israeli movie musical The Flying Matchmaker, before going on to film Hasamba (1971), I Love You Rosa (1972), My Michael (1974) and Lemon Popsicle (1978).

After breaking into the American film industry, he joined director James Cameron as cinematographer on The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), earning an Oscar nomination for the latter. Greenberg also worked on such films as Once Bitten (1985), La Bamba (1987), Three Men and a Baby (1987), Turner & Hooch (1989), Ghost (1990), Sister Act (1992), Rush Hour (1998), Inspector Gadget (1999) and Snakes on a Plane (2006).

In 2013, Greenberg returned to Israel to make the documentary Footsteps in Jerusalem, an homage to David Perlov’s In Jerusalem (1963), which was his first camera credit.

Cinematographer

Footsteps in Jerusalem (2013)

Footsteps in Jerusalem

4.7

Cinematographer

2013

 

Samuel L. Jackson and Nathan Phillips in Snakes on a Plane (2006)

Snakes on a Plane

5.5

director of photography

2006

 

Tim Allen in The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

The Santa Clause 2

5.8

director of photography

2002

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Collateral Damage (2002)

Collateral Damage

5.5

Cinematographer

2002

 

Matthew Broderick and Rupert Everett in Inspector Gadget (1999)

Inspector Gadget

4.2

director of photography

1999

 

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour (1998)

Rush Hour

7.0

director of photography

1998

 

Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sharon Stone in Sphere (1998)

Sphere

6.1

Cinematographer

1998

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vanessa Williams in Eraser (1996)

Eraser

6.2

director of photography

1996

 

Sean Connery, Richard Gere, and Julia Ormond in First Knight (1995)

First Knight

6.0

director of photography

1995

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, and Emma Thompson in Junior (1994)

Junior

4.8

director of photography

1994

 

Elijah Wood in North (1994)

North

4.6

director of photography

1994

 

Danny DeVito in Renaissance Man (1994)

Renaissance Man

6.2

Cinematographer

1994

 

Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver in Dave (1993)

Dave

6.9

director of photography

1993

 

Robin Williams in Toys (1992)

Toys

5.1

director of photography

1992

 

Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act (1992)

Sister Act

6.5

director of photography

1992

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Pantellas in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

8.6

director of photography

1991

 

Judy Freudberg, Stephen Lawrence, Emily Squires, Norman Stiles, Jon Stone, Cathi Turow, and Lisa Simon in Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake (1991)

Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake

7.0

TV Movie

director of photography

1991

 

Steve Guttenberg, Tom Selleck, Ted Danson, and Robin Weisman in Three Men and a Little Lady (1990)

Three Men and a Little Lady

5.5

director of photography

1990

 

Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)

Ghost

7.1

director of photography

1990

 

Love Hurts (1990)

Love Hurts

5.4

Cinematographer

1990

 

Madeleine Stowe, Lesley Ann Warren, Mark Harmon, and Maria Holvoe in Worth Winning (1989)

Worth Winning

5.7

director of photography

1989

 

Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog in Turner & Hooch (1989)

Turner & Hooch

6.2

director of photography

1989

 

Arik Einstein, Shalom Hanoch, Moshe Ish-Kassit, Tzvi Shissel, and Uri Zohar in Lool (1988)

Lool

7.8

Cinematographer

1988

 

Alien Nation (1988)

Alien Nation

6.3

Cinematographer

1988

 

Spellbinder (1988)

Spellbinder

5.8

director of photography

1988

 

Steve Guttenberg, Tom Selleck, and Ted Danson in Three Men and a Baby (1987)

Three Men and a Baby

6.1

director of photography

1987

 

Bill Paxton in Near Dark (1987)

Near Dark

6.9

Cinematographer

1987

 

Lou Diamond Phillips in La Bamba (1987)

La Bamba

7.0

director of photography

1987

 

A Walk on the Moon (1987)

A Walk on the Moon

5.3

Cinematographer

1987

 

Wisdom (1986)

Wisdom

5.8

director of photography

1986

 

Jocks (1986)

Jocks

3.8

director of photography

1986

 

Jason Gedrick and Louis Gossett Jr. in Iron Eagle (1986)

Iron Eagle

5.6

director of photography

1986

 

The Ladies Club (1985)

The Ladies Club

5.4

Cinematographer

1985

 

Jim Carrey, Lauren Hutton, and Karen Kopins in Once Bitten (1985)

Once Bitten

5.6

director of photography

1985

 

War and Love (1985)

War and Love

6.6

director of photography

1985

 

Private Resort (1985)

Private Resort

5.2

director of photography

1985

 

The Ambassador (1984)

The Ambassador

5.3

Cinematographer

1984

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)

The Terminator

8.1

director of photography

1984

 

Margaux Hemingway, Elliott Gould, Carol Kane, Shelley Winters, Sid Caesar, and Burt Young in Over the Brooklyn Bridge (1984)

Over the Brooklyn Bridge

5.6

Cinematographer

1984

 

Private Manoeuvres (1983)

Private Manoeuvres

4.4

Cinematographer

1983

 

Charles Bronson in 10 to Midnight (1983)

10 to Midnight

6.3

photography

1983

 

Private Popsicle (1982)

Private Popsicle

5.4

Cinematographer

1982

 

Ron Glass and Demond Wilson in The New Odd Couple (1982)

The New Odd Couple

4.7

TV Series

director of photography

1982

4 episodes

 

Kirk Douglas in Remembrance of Love (1982)

Remembrance of Love

6.0

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1982

 

The Last American Virgin (1982)

The Last American Virgin

6.3

director of photography

1982

 

Safari 3000 (1982)

Safari 3000

4.7

director of photography

1982

 

Ingrid Bergman in A Woman Called Golda (1982)

A Woman Called Golda

7.5

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1982

 

Phoebe Cates and Willie Aames in Paradise (1982)

Paradise

4.9

Cinematographer

1982

 

Seed of Innocence (1980)

Seed of Innocence

5.3

Cinematographer

1980

 

Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin in The Big Red One (1980)

The Big Red One

7.1

director of photography

1980

 

Mary and Joseph: A Story of Faith (1979)

Mary and Joseph: A Story of Faith

6.2

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1979

 

Going Steady (1979)

Going Steady

5.7

Cinematographer

1979

 

Belfer (1978)

Belfer

8.2

Cinematographer

1978

 

It's a Funny, Funny World (1978)

It's a Funny, Funny World

5.2

Cinematographer

1978

 

The Uranium Conspiracy (1978)

The Uranium Conspiracy

4.7

Cinematographer

1978

 

Lemon Popsicle (1978)

Lemon Popsicle

6.4

Cinematographer

1978

 

Hamesh Ma'ot Elef Shahor (1977)

Hamesh Ma'ot Elef Shahor

6.2

Cinematographer

1977

 

A Movie and Breakfast (1977)

A Movie and Breakfast

9.0

Cinematographer

1977

 

David Janssen in Warhead (1977)

Warhead

4.3

director of photography (as Adam Grinberg)

1977

 

Operation Thunderbolt (1977)

Operation Thunderbolt

6.5

Cinematographer

1977

 

The Passover Plot (1976)

The Passover Plot

3.9

Cinematographer

1976

 

Diamonds (1975)

Diamonds

5.2

Cinematographer

1975

 

My Michael (1974)

My Michael

6.7

Cinematographer

1974

 

Shaike Ophir in Daughters, Daughters (1973)

Daughters, Daughters

6.9

Cinematographer

1973

 

The House on Chelouche Street (1973)

The House on Chelouche Street

6.7

Cinematographer

1973

 

The Pill (1972)

The Pill

8.7

Cinematographer

1972

 

Take Two (1972)

Take Two

Cinematographer

1972

 

Arik Einstein and Uri Zohar in Metzitzim (1972)

Metzitzim

7.1

Cinematographer

1972

 

I Love You Rosa (1972)

I Love You Rosa

6.3

Cinematographer

1972

 

I Am a Jerusalemite (1971)

I Am a Jerusalemite

8.0

Cinematographer

1971

 

Hasamba & the Black Handkerchief Gang (1971)

Hasamba & the Black Handkerchief Gang

6.5

Cinematographer

1971

 

Arik Einstein and Uri Zohar in Lool (1970)

Lool

7.9

TV Series

Cinematographer

1970–1973

 

Madron (1970)

Madron

5.2

photography by

1970

 

42:6 - Ben Gurion (1969)

42:6 - Ben Gurion

Cinematographer

1969

 

Before Tomorrow (1969)

Before Tomorrow

7.7

Cinematographer

1969

 

Hol Ba'eynayim

Cinematographer

1967

 

Fanny Lubitsch in Slow Down (1967)

Slow Down

8.3

Short

Cinematographer

1967

 

Theatre in Israel (1967)

Theatre in Israel

Short

Cinematographer

1967

 

In Jerusalem (1963)

In Jerusalem

7.5

Short

Cinematographer

1963

 

Camera and Electrical Department

William H. Macy, James Spader, Jon Cryer, Leslie Mann, Kat Dennings, Trevor Gagnon, Devon Gearhart, Jimmy Bennett, Leo Howard, Rebel Rodriguez, Jolie Vanier, and Jake Short in Shorts (2009)

Shorts

4.7

still photographer

2009

 

Roberto Benigni in Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

Son of the Pink Panther

3.9

director of photography: main title sequence

1993

 

Sylvia Kristel and Howard Hesseman in Private Lessons (1981)

Private Lessons II

3.8

photographer: re-shoots

1993

 

Party Games for Adults Only (1984)

Party Games for Adults Only

5.2

Video

camera operator

1984

 

Two Kuni Lemel (1966)

Two Kuni Lemel

6.7

camera operator

1966

 

Additional Crew

Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sharon Stone in Sphere (1998)

Sphere

6.1

underwater lighting design

1998

 

Sylvia Kristel and Howard Hesseman in Private Lessons (1981)

Private Lessons II

3.8

director: re-shoots

1993

 

Thanks

Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic (2007)

Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic

7.5

Video

special thanks

2007

 

Ghost: Alchemy of a Love Scene (2006)

Ghost: Alchemy of a Love Scene

7.0

Video

special thanks

2006

 

Self

International Cinematographer's Guild Heritage Series

Self

ReleasedTV Series

1991

1 episode

 

Eskimo Limon - Eis am Stiel: Von Siegern und Verlierern (2018)

Eskimo Limon - Eis am Stiel: Von Siegern und Verlierern

6.9

TV Movie

Self

2018

 

In Praise of Smaller Movies: Adam Greenberg on 'The Last American Virgin'

Video

Self

2013

 

Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic (2007)

Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic

7.5

Video

Self

2007

 

Ghost: Alchemy of a Love Scene (2006)

Ghost: Alchemy of a Love Scene

7.0

Video

Self

2006

 

The Snake Pit: On the Set of 'Snakes on a Plane'

7.0

Video

Self

2006

 

Pure Venom: The Making of 'Snakes on a Plane'

6.2

Video

Self - Cinematographer

2006

 

Joe Christofori and Joseph Christofori in Cinematographer Style (2006)

Cinematographer Style

6.9

Self

2006

 

Tim Allen in The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

Inside the North Pole with Curtis

Video

Self (uncredited)

2003

 

Tim Allen in The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

The Santa Clause 2: Gag Reel

6.3

Video

Self (uncredited)

2003

 

Living in Darkness (2002)

Living in Darkness

7.1

Video

Self

2002

 

The Making of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991)

The Making of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'

7.2

TV Short

Self

1991

 

Samuel Fuller & The Big Red One

6.1

Self - Cameraman (uncredited)

1979

Alternative name

Adam Grinberg

Born

April 11, 1937Kraków, Malopolskie, Poland

Died

October 30, 2025

Spouse

Varda Greenberg