Gerald Finnerman | |
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Born |
Gerald Perry Finnerman December 17, 1931 Los Angeles, California |
Died | April 6, 2011 | (aged 79)
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Cinematographer |
Parent(s) | Perry Finnerman (father) |
Gerald Perry Finnerman (1931-2011), was an American cinematographer who had worked on shows such as Moonlighting and Star Trek: The Original Series. He served as vice president of the American Society of Cinematographers, and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography in Entertainment Programming for a Special.
Gerald Finnerman was born on December 17, 1931 in Los Angeles, California. He attended Hollywood High School, and afterwards went to Loyola Marymount University where he majored in abnormal psychology. Finnerman became a combat photographer before joining his father's team at Warner Brothers; Perry Finnerman was a camera operator (later cinematographer) contracted to Warner Brothers. After the death of his father at the age of 56, he began to work with Harry Stradling Sr. at Warner Brothers. Stradling promoted Finnerman from focus puller to operator, and in 1964 the two left together to become freelance.
They worked together for Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Colombia Pictures on films such as Walk, Don't Run starring Cary Grant, and the Jack Lemmon movie How to Murder Your Wife. Finnerman was Stradling's camera operator when he won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for My Fair Lady. Stradling recommended him as a cinematographer to Desilu Productions for their new science fiction series, Star Trek after Harry Stradling Jr. turned down the role.