| William H. Clothier, A.S.C. | |
| Birth Date: | 21 February 1903 |
| Birth Place: | Decatur, Illinois, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Cinematographer |
William H. Clothier, A.S.C. (February 21, 1903 - January 7, 1996) was an American cinematographer.
Born in Decatur, Illinois, Clothier entered the film industry painting sets at Warner Bros., and at the end of the silent era began photographing such films as Wings (1927) and Ernst Lubitsch's The Patriot (1928). Between 1933 and 1938, he worked in Spain, where he was imprisoned during the Spanish Civil War. In August 1943, he became the first commanding officer of the new 4th Combat Camera Unit 4th Combat Camera Squadron (4th CCU). He advanced to a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force during World War II, and flew seventeen missions on the Memphis Belle.[1]
In 1955, Clothier filmed The Sea Chase, his first project as Director of Photography with John Wayne, after which the actor signed him to a contract with his Batjac Productions. The two went on to collaborate on 21 more films, including John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He retired in 1972 after filming The Train Robbers for Burt Kennedy.
Clothier was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Cinematography for The Alamo (1960) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964). His work on numerous Westerns earned him the 1973 Heritage Award from the Cowboy Hall of Fame, and he received the American Society of Cinematographers President's Award in 1995.
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1927 | Wings | Camera operator |
| 1932 | The Big Stampede | |
| 1933 | King Kong | First assistant camera |
| 1953 | Island in the Sky | Aerial cameraman |
| 1954 | The High and the Mighty | |
| 1957 | Jet Pilot |