Cinematographer. A consummate artisan, he worked in all genres and visual styles but was at his best in lush Technicolor photography. He won Academy Awards for "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945) and "My Fair Lady" (1964), and received 12 Oscar nominations. Henry Stradling was born in Newark, New Jersey and entered films as a camera assistant in 1920, having studied the craft with his uncle, pioneer cinematographer Walter Stradling. Confined to B features and two-reelers in Hollywood, he sought greater challenges in France and established his reputation with director Jacques Feyder's "Carnival in Flanders" (1935). After shooting several distinguished British productions he returned to the US in 1940. For the next 30 years he was behind the camera for many important films, mostly at MGM and Warner Bros. His 130 credits include "Pygmalion" (1938), "The Citadel" (1938), "Jamaica Inn" (1939), "Suspicion" (1941), "The Human Comedy" (1943), "The Pirate" (1948), "Easter Parade" (1948), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951), "Johnny Guitar" (1954), "Guys and Dolls" (1955), "A Summer Place" (1959), "A Majority of One" (1962), "Gypsy" (1962), "How to Murder Your Wife" (1965), and "Funny Girl" (1968). In 1965, director Mike Nichols fired Stradling early in the production of "Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf" for making Elizabeth Taylor look too glamorous for her role; he was replaced by Haskell Wexler. Far more appreciative was Barbara Streisand, who was so delighted with Stradling's sensitive lensing of her in "Funny Girl" she thanked him in her Oscar acceptance speech and demanded his services for "Hello Dolly!" (1969), "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" (1970), and "The Owl and the Pussycat" (1970). He died during filming of the latter. His son is noted cinematographer Harry Stradling, Jr.
Cinematographer. A consummate artisan, he worked in all genres and visual styles but was at his best in lush Technicolor photography. He won Academy Awards for "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945) and "My Fair Lady" (1964), and received 12 Oscar nominations. Henry Stradling was born in Newark, New Jersey and entered films as a camera assistant in 1920, having studied the craft with his uncle, pioneer cinematographer Walter Stradling. Confined to B features and two-reelers in Hollywood, he sought greater challenges in France and established his reputation with director Jacques Feyder's "Carnival in Flanders" (1935). After shooting several distinguished British productions he returned to the US in 1940. For the next 30 years he was behind the camera for many important films, mostly at MGM and Warner Bros. His 130 credits include "Pygmalion" (1938), "The Citadel" (1938), "Jamaica Inn" (1939), "Suspicion" (1941), "The Human Comedy" (1943), "The Pirate" (1948), "Easter Parade" (1948), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951), "Johnny Guitar" (1954), "Guys and Dolls" (1955), "A Summer Place" (1959), "A Majority of One" (1962), "Gypsy" (1962), "How to Murder Your Wife" (1965), and "Funny Girl" (1968). In 1965, director Mike Nichols fired Stradling early in the production of "Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf" for making Elizabeth Taylor look too glamorous for her role; he was replaced by Haskell Wexler. Far more appreciative was Barbara Streisand, who was so delighted with Stradling's sensitive lensing of her in "Funny Girl" she thanked him in her Oscar acceptance speech and demanded his services for "Hello Dolly!" (1969), "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" (1970), and "The Owl and the Pussycat" (1970). He died during filming of the latter. His son is noted cinematographer Harry Stradling, Jr.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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