Sam Leavitt

Biography

Samuel Leavitt, known as Sam Leavitt, was an American cinematographer born in New York City who worked in Hollywood for several decades. He received three Academy Award nominations and won one for The Defiant Ones (1958).

He started out as an assistant camera operator on 1930s films. In the early 1950s he worked as a camera operator on Rancho Notorious (1952) and on the television series I Love Lucy, before moving into director of photography roles on feature films. His 1950s credits include A Star Is Born (1954), Carmen Jones (1954) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959), which earned him a nomination. He was also nominated for Exodus (1960) in the color category.

His filmography spans suspense and action titles such as Cape Fear (1962) and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), the latter a late entry in his career. He died in Woodland Hills, California, in 1984. He is remembered mainly for the craft he brought to both black-and-white courtroom and social dramas and to larger color productions.

Key films

• The Defiant Ones (1958): the film for which he won the Academy Award.
• Anatomy of a Murder (1959): nominated for Best Cinematography, Black and White.
• Exodus (1960): nominated for Best Cinematography, Color.
• Carmen Jones (1954): musical directed by Otto Preminger with an all-Black cast.
• A Star Is Born (1954): large-format version of the show business melodrama.