Ralph Woolsey, ASC to Receive the American Society of Cinematographers Presidents Award

LOS ANGELES—Ralph Woolsey, ASC will receive the AmericanSociety of Cinematographers Presidents Award, which is bestowedannually to an individual who has made unique and enduringcontributions to advancing the art of filmmaking. Woolsey will be fetedduring the 17th Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards on February16, 2003, at the Century Plaza Hotel.

“Ralph Woolsey has earned the respect and admiration of peersfor his innovative spirit and artistry as a cinematographer,”says Owen Roizman, ASC, chairman of the organization’s AwardsCommittee. “This tribute also recognizes his dedication toadvancing the art of filmmaking. Ralph has mentored literally hundredsof students at film schools, teaching the skills and aestheticsnecessary for success.”

Woolsey began his career shooting wildlife and conservation filmsfor the state of Minnesota during the late 1930s. After photographingtraining films for the U.S. Air Force during World War II, he packedhis belongings in a trailer and migrated to California to pursue adream of becoming a Hollywood cinematographer.

For about a dozen years, Woolsey shot documentaries, industrial andother non-fiction films, and he taught cinematography classes at theUniversity of Southern California (USC) until he became a contractcinematographer for Warner Bros. in 1957. During the next five years,he compiled nearly 140 hours of credits on such classic black-and-whitetelevision series as Maverick, Cheyenne, Sunset Strip andHawaiian Eye. Soon after, he shot early color shows includingBatman and Mr. Roberts.

With two previous nominations, Woolsey earned an Emmy in 1968 forhis innovative camerawork on It Takes a Thief. During the 1970sand ‘80s, he added such memorable feature films as LittleFauss and Big Halsy, The Culpepper Cattle Company, Lifeguard, The NewCenturions, The Iceman Cometh and The Great Santini, and thetelefilms I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and A Girl NamedSooner to his impressive body of work.

“Ralph Woolsey is a talented and unselfish artist who hastaught many students and inspired countless colleagues, includingmyself, with his total dedication to his profession,” says ASCPresident Steven Poster. “He deserves this recognition and it isour privilege to present it to him.”

Previous recipients of the ASC Presidents Award include actor RobertDuvall; visual effects visionaries Linwood Dunn, ASC, Hans Koenekamp,ASC and Douglas Trumbull; Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown; cameradesigners Tak Miyagishima and Albert Mayer, Jr.; documentary filmmakerAlbert Maysles; film archivist Kemp Niver, ASC; and cinematographersWilliam Clothier, ASC, Guy Green, BSC and Charles Wheeler, ASC.

Woolsey was recruited to teach cinematography at the USC film schoolin 1950. He has held filmmaking and cinematography classes and seminarsfor all or part of 17 years at USC, the American Film Institute and SanDiego State University.

Woolsey served as president of the ASC in 1983. He became a memberof the organization in 1956, and will celebrate his 50th anniversary in2006.

The ASC was chartered in 1919 for the purpose of advancing the artof filmmaking. From the beginning, membership has been by invitationbased on the individual’s body of narrative film work. There aresome 230 members in many parts of the world today, and another 100associate members from allied disciplines that support the art andcraft of cinematography.

For more information on the ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards, call323-969-4333.