Victor J. Kemper, Cinematographer of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Clue, Dies at 96

Victor J. Kemper, an award-winning cinematographer who worked on some of the biggest comedies of the 1980s, has died. He was 96 years old. According to his son Steven (via The Hollywood Reporter), Kemper died on Monday of natural causes at his home in Sherman Oaks, California. His career began in the early 1960s, working as a camera operator on Arthur Hiller’s Tiger Makes Out (the film debut of Dustin Hoffman) and Arthur Penn’s Alice’s Restaurant (one of the a handful of dedicated “Thanksgiving movies”). Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Kemper would go on to work with a number of the biggest directors in Hollywood.

Kemper earned a lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Cinematographers. He also served as president of the organization from 1993 to 1996, and again from 1999 to 2001.

“We were very sorry to learn last night that former Society president Victor J. Kemper, ASC has passed away,”  the ASC said in a statement on Instagram. They promised a more in-depth memorial post coming soon.

In 1975, Kemper shot Dog Day Afternoon, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, and was later named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Later in his career, Kemper would shoot a lot of comedies, which Deadline quotes him as saying was harder to shoot than drama.

“Timing is essential,” Kemper said. “The reactions of people in the cast, the scenery and environment are all part of every joke. Everyone in the cast has to be looking in the right place at the right time, and responding flawlessly. That requires rehearsals, but if you over-prepare, the humor loses its edge and it’s not funny any more.” 

Kemper shot six films for director Arthur Hiller (The Tiger Makes Out, The Hospital, Author! Author!, The Lonely Guy, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Married to It); and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God!, The One and Only, and The Jerk. This makes him one of the pieces of connective tissue between Steve Martin’s comedy classic The Jerk and Lonely Guy, which came out a few years later to a mixed reception.

During his career, he worked with prominent directors including John Cassavetes, Elaine May, and Elia Kazan. He also filmed movies including Slap Shot, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Clue, Beethoven, and Tommy Boy. His final credit was on 2006’s Bring It On: All or Nothing.

Richard Crudo, ASC — a cinematographer and director who wrote a tribute to Kemper, said (via Variety) “He was a great mentor to many, not least of which myself, especially during my early years with the organization. I will always be grateful for his guidance. And now, along with the other giants I’ve been privileged to get to know there, I’ll always miss him, too.”