KING KONG Cinematographer to Receive Lifetime Award From American Society of Cinematographers

KING KONG Cinematographer to Receive Lifetime Award From American Society of Cinematographers

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) announced today that Richard H. Kline, ASC will receive their prestigious ASC Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made exceptional and enduring contributions to advancing the art of filmmaking. Kline will be feted during the 20th Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards on February 26, 2006, at the Century Plaza Hotel.

Kline earned Oscar nominations for CAMELOT in 1968 and for KING KONG in 1977. His credits include HANG 'EM HIGH, THE BOSTON STRANGLER, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, SOYLENT GREEN, BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, THE TERMINAL MAN, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, BODY HEAT and BREATHLESS.

"Richard Kline has made an indelible impression on the art of cinematography," says Russ Alsobrook, ASC who chairs the organization's awards committee. "He is an innovative artist who had the courage to explore and open new frontiers, and the talent to succeed in those endeavors."

Kline is a second-generation filmmaker. His father, Benjamin Kline, and uncles, Phil Rosen and Sol Halprin, were also cinematographers. Rosen was an ASC founding member, and he and Halprin served as ASC presidents.

When Kline finished high school, he worked on crews at Columbia Pictures before serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Kline planned to attend UCLA and pursue law, but he heeded a call from Columbia to return as an assistant cameraman on THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI, directed by Orson Welles. In 1948, Kline took advantage of the G.I. Bill of Rights to study fine arts at the Sorbonne in France.

He returned to Columbia Pictures in 1951 and spent the next dozen years working with legendary cinematographers. Kline earned his first director of photography credit in 1966 for CHAMBER OF HORRORS.

"Critics tend to praise cinematographers for beautiful pictures, especially sunsets, but my job is to visually enhance the story, create moods, properly capture the actors' performances, and especially protect their image," says Kline. "This has to be done seamlessly without stealing the audiences' attention from the drama or action."

Among the distinguished list of previous recipients, Kline joins Haskell Wexler, Conrad Hall, Gordon Willis, Sven Nykvist, Owen Roizman, Victor J. Kemper, Vilmos Zsigmond, William Fraker, Vittorio Storaro, Laszlo Kovacs, Bill Butler, Michael Chapman and Fred Koenekamp.

The ASC was founded in 1919. There are currently some 275 members from around the world, in addition to 140 associate members from allied sectors of the industry.

For information about the ASC, call 323-969-4333 or visit the ASC website at www.theasc.com.

Source: American Society of Cinematographers

CONTACT: Lisa Muldowney or Sally Christgau, both of CCS PR, Inc, +1-760-438-5250, CCSPR@aol.com, for The American Society of Cinematographers

Web Site: http://www.theasc.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: A photo and in-depth Q&A with Richard Kline are available upon request. The Q&A backgrounder is also posted at www.theasc.com.

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