Gene Polito

Gene Polito
Born
Eugene Emmanuel Polito

(1918-09-13)September 13, 1918
DiedNovember 28, 2010(2010-11-28) (aged 92)
OccupationCinematographer
Parent(s)Sol Polito
Frances Polito

Eugene Emmanuel Polito (September 13, 1918 – November 28, 2010)[1] was an American cinematographer,[2] mechanical engineer and academic. His numerous film and television credits included Futureworld, Up in Smoke and Lost in Space.[2]

Biography

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Polito was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1918, the son of cinematographer Sol Polito and his wife, Frances Polito.[3] Polito was just eight months old when his family moved to Los Angeles in 1919 so his father, Sol Polito, could continue working at Warner Brothers Studios.[3]

Polito graduated from Loyola High School in Los Angeles.[3] He attended Loyola University (now Loyola Marymount University), before earning his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California.[3] Polito was employed as an engineer for aerospace manufacturer, Douglas Aircraft Company, during World War II.[3]

Polito began his career as a cinematographer towards the end of World War II.[3] His career ultimately spanned more than forty years and included hundreds of film and television productions.[3] A member of the American Society of Cinematographers, Polito is credited with the invention of the "Polito Bracket," which film studio photographers now use as a mounting accessory for Reflectors and Bead Board.[3] Polito became a professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts when he was 62 years old.[3]

Death

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Polito died at his home in Irvine, California, on November 28, 2010, aged 92, following a three-year battle with esophageal cancer.[3] He was survived by his wife, Lucy, to whom he had been married for 66 years, as well as nine children, a brother and nine great-grandchildren.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "In Memoriam: Gene Polito, ASC (1918-2010)". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  2. ^ a b "Gene Polito". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Respected Cinematographer, Professor and USC Alumnus obituary". USC School of Cinematic Arts. 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2010-12-12.[permanent dead link]
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