Karl Freund: Difference between revisions

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Line 2: '''Karl W. Freund''', A.S.C. (January 16, 1890-May 3, 1969) was a [[cinematography\|cinematographer]] and [[film director]]. ==Early life== Born in [[Dvůr Králové nad Labem\|Dvůr Králové (Königinhof)]], [[Bohemia]], his career began in 1905 when, at age 15, he got a job as an assistant projectionist for a film company in [[Berlin]] where his family moved in 1901. ==Early Career== He worked as a cinematographer on over 100 films, including the [[German Expressionism\|German Expressionist]] films ''[[The Golem: How He Came into the World\|The Golem]]'' (1920), ''[[The Last Laugh]]'' (1924) and ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)\|Metropolis]]'' (1927). Freund emigrated to the [[United States]] in 1929 where he continued to shoot well remembered films such as ''[[Dracula (1931 film)\|Dracula]]'' (1931) and ''[[Key Largo (film)\|Key Largo]]'' (1948). He won an [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography]] for ''[[The Good Earth (film)\|The Good Earth]]'' (1937). In 1937, he went to Germany to bring his only daughter, Gerda Maria Freund, back to the United States, saving her from almost certain death in the concentration camps. Karl's ex-wife, Susette Freund (née Liepmannssohn), remained in Germany where she was interned at the [[Ravensbrück concentration camp]] and eventually taken in March, 1942 to Bernburg Euthanasia Center where she was murdered. ▼ He worked as a cinematographer on over 100 films, including the [[German Expressionism\|German Expressionist]] films ''[[The Golem: How He Came into the World\|The Golem]]'' (1920), ''[[The Last Laugh]]'' (1924) and ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)\|Metropolis]]'' (1927). Freund co-wrote, and was cinematographer on, ''[[Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis]]'' (1927), directed by [[Walter Ruttmann]]. Freund emigrated to the [[United States]] in 1929 where he continued to shoot well remembered films such as ''[[Dracula (1931 film)\|Dracula]]'' (1931) and ''[[Key Largo (film)\|Key Largo]]'' (1948). He won an [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography]] for ''[[The Good Earth (film)\|The Good Earth]]'' (1937). ==Directing, acting, and TV career== Between 1921 and 1935, Freund also directed ten films, of which the best known are probably ''[[The Mummy (1932 film)\|The Mummy]]'' (1932) starring [[Boris Karloff]], and his last film as director, ''[[Mad Love (1935 film)\|Mad Love]]'' (1935) starring [[Peter Lorre]]. Line 12 ⟶ 17: At the beginning of the 1950s, he was persuaded by [[Desi Arnaz]] at [[Desilu]] to be the cinematographer in 1951 for the televisions series ''[[I Love Lucy]]''. Critics have credited Freund for the show's lustrous [[black and white]] cinematography, but more importantly, Freund designed the "flat lighting" system for shooting sitcoms that is still in use today. This system covers the set in light, thus eliminating shadows and allowing the use of three moving cameras without having to modify the lighting in-between shots. And where Freund did not invent the three camera shooting system, he did perfect it for use with film cameras in front of a live audience. Freund and his production team also worked on other sitcoms produced at/through [[Desilu]] such as "''[[Our Miss Brooks]]"''.<ref>[http://www.framingbusiness.net/archives/1056 The Life and Films of Karl Freund, Hollywood Innovator]</ref> ==Personal life== ▲He worked as a cinematographer on over 100 films, including the [[German Expressionism\|German Expressionist]] films ''[[The Golem: How He Came into the World\|The Golem]]'' (1920), ''[[The Last Laugh]]'' (1924) and ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)\|Metropolis]]'' (1927). Freund emigrated to the [[United States]] in 1929 where he continued to shoot well remembered films such as ''[[Dracula (1931 film)\|Dracula]]'' (1931) and ''[[Key Largo (film)\|Key Largo]]'' (1948). He won an [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography]] for ''[[The Good Earth (film)\|The Good Earth]]'' (1937). In 1937, he went to Germany to bring his only daughter, Gerda Maria Freund, back to the United States, saving her from almost certain death in the concentration camps. Karl's ex-wife, Susette Freund (née Liepmannssohn), remained in Germany, where she was interned at the [[Ravensbrück concentration camp]] and eventually taken in March, 1942 to Bernburg Euthanasia Center , where she was murdered. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links==