Cinematographer. Born in Germany, he was active as a portrait photographer before coming to the United States with his brother Jules in the late 1890s. In films from 1908, he was employed by Edison, Biograph, and Fox before embarking on a more adventurous career as a freelance. Cronjager quickly became one of the leading cameramen in the business, capable of creating subtly detailed images with the insensitive film stock of the era. The finest surviving examples of his work reveal the breadth of his talent. In "Crime and Punishment" (1917) his pioneering use of shadow effects anticipated the look of later German Expressionist films; "Daddy-Long-Legs" (1919) captured superstar Mary Pickford at her most beguiling; "Tol'able David" (1921) is still lauded for its glowing, lyrical exteriors, shot on location in the Virginia countryside. But as movies grew more sophisticated in technique Cronjager fell behind the times and he was at a loss with talkies. After being demoted to camera assistant on "Kentucky Kernels" (1934), he retired from films. His other credits include "An Unselfish Love" (1910), "The Unpardonable Sin" (1919), "The Love Light" (1921), "The Seventh Day" (1922), "The Heart Thief" (1927), and "The Primrose Path" (1931). He was the father of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Edward Cronjager.
Cinematographer. Born in Germany, he was active as a portrait photographer before coming to the United States with his brother Jules in the late 1890s. In films from 1908, he was employed by Edison, Biograph, and Fox before embarking on a more adventurous career as a freelance. Cronjager quickly became one of the leading cameramen in the business, capable of creating subtly detailed images with the insensitive film stock of the era. The finest surviving examples of his work reveal the breadth of his talent. In "Crime and Punishment" (1917) his pioneering use of shadow effects anticipated the look of later German Expressionist films; "Daddy-Long-Legs" (1919) captured superstar Mary Pickford at her most beguiling; "Tol'able David" (1921) is still lauded for its glowing, lyrical exteriors, shot on location in the Virginia countryside. But as movies grew more sophisticated in technique Cronjager fell behind the times and he was at a loss with talkies. After being demoted to camera assistant on "Kentucky Kernels" (1934), he retired from films. His other credits include "An Unselfish Love" (1910), "The Unpardonable Sin" (1919), "The Love Light" (1921), "The Seventh Day" (1922), "The Heart Thief" (1927), and "The Primrose Path" (1931). He was the father of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Edward Cronjager.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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