Gary Graver 1938-2006
Tuesday, January 30th, 2007
Cinematographer Gary Graver, a close friend of Orson Welles, who shot many late projects for the master — most prominently THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND, which was never completed — died this past November.
Looking back through Graver’s credits is a strange exercise, as he photographed a broad range of material, including: BUGS BUNNY SUPERSTAR; Ron Howard’s directorial debut, GRAND THEFT AUTO; THE ORSON WELLES SHOW with Jim Henson, Angie Dickinson, and Burt Reynolds; five (count ‘em, f-i-v-e) made-for-TV-movies with Gary Coleman; interviews for IT’S ALL TRUE, the 1993 documentary about Orson Welles’ unfinished follow-up to THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS; a music video for Kool and the Gang; documentaries on subjects as diverse as Douglas Sirk and the Harlem Globetrotters; Welles’ late masterpiece F FOR FAKE; and a TV re-make of John Ford’s STAGECOACH, starring Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings.
Believe me, there were many more. Gary worked steadily from the mid-Sixties on.
According to his website, he and Oja Kodar were planning to complete Welles’ THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND when Graver died. A memorial service was held for him at the American Cinemateque in Los Angeles this past Sunday.
