A superior color cinematographer, John Bailey has enjoyed multi-film associations with directors Lawrence Kasdan (e.g., "The Big Chill" 1981; "The Accidental Tourist" 1988) and Paul Schrader (e.g., "American Gigolo" 1980; "Cat People" 1982). His strong visual sense has leant the proper atmospheric touches to films as diverse as Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" (1980) to Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day" (1993). With production designer Eiko Ishioka and composer Philip Glass, Bailey shared a prize at Cannes for Best Artistic Contribution for his stunning work on Schrader's "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters" (1985). He has directed two features, the film adaptation of Lily Tomlin's one-woman show, "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" (1991), which he also shot, and "China Moon" (1994). Bailey is married to film editor Carol Littleton.
- Born:
August 10, 1942 in Moberly, Missouri, USA
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Job Titles:
Director of photography, Camera operator
Education
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University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, film
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Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California
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University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Milestones
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1972 First film as director of photography, Premonition
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1975 Initial work with director Karen Arthur, Legacy
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1978 Reteamed with Arthur for The Mafu Cage
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1979 Served as cinematographer for the cult film Winter Kills
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1980 First collaboration with Paul Schrader, American Gigolo
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1980 Shot the Oscar-winning Best Picture Ordinary People , directed by Robert Redford
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1982 Reteamed with Schrader on the remake of Cat People
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1982 Was instructor at the American Film Institute (Los Angeles)
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1983 First collaboration with director Lawrence Kasdan, The Big Chill
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1984 Returned as instructor at the AFI (Los Angeles)
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1985 Collaborated again with Kasdan on the revisionist Western Silverado
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1985 Served as cinematographer on Schrader s Mishima
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1987 Shot Light of Day , directed by Schrader
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1987 Was visual consultant on Norman Mailer s directorial effort Tough Guys Don t Dance
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1988 Again collaborated with Lawrence Kasdan on The Accidental Tourist
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1991 Feature directorial debut, The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe , starring Lily Tomlin; also served as director of photography
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1992 Was an interviewee for the documentary Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography
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1993 Was director of photography on the comedy Groundhog Day and the thriller In the Line of Fire
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1994 Shot Nobody s Fool , directed by Robert Benton
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1997 Was cinematographer on the Oscar-nominated Best Picture As Good As It Gets
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1998 Shot Living Out Loud
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1999 Was the director of photography on For Love of the Game
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2000 Directed and served as cinematographer on Via Dolorosa , a film adaptation of David Hare s stage monologue
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Raised in California