JAMES M. GLENNON, ASC Cinematographer
International Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600 ~
"Send the kid who knows about cameras."
-- Warner Bros. Camera Dept. at the start of Jim Glennon's work as a cinematographer
2007
If you ever had the pleasure to meet Jim Glennon, you would have a friend for life. He was generous with his time and treated everyone he came into contact with the same courtesy and interest.
My favorite memory is a commercial project Jim did with us (AckermanBenson) that took us to the mountains and plains of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The campaign was for Chevron and J. Walter Thompson, San Francisco. We were to track and photograph a herd of elk who at the time were to give birth their babies in the wild. That's a project that obviously called for great patience and ingenuity. I realized Jim was the perfect choice.
One particular shot was designed to move the camera 60 feet off the ground, across a wooded canyon, through the trees, and lowering down into the elks' nesting area. Jim supervised and designed an all day rigging of cables, pulleys and various gear secured from a yacht supply store. When it came time to test the traveling rig, Jim loaded it with sand bags to simulate the weight of the operator. Jim was a big guy and the sandbags he was loading looked more like the weight of the assistant cameraman. I could see the AC's face turn flush and Jim looked at him with that great smile and said "You always wanted to be an operator, right?"
We'll miss you Jim.
Gregg Ackerman
Thanks for sending this.
Everyone that knew Jim should write their thoughts/memories
down.
I will try to do the same.
Best Regards,
Mark
H. Baker |
November 14, 2006
I met Jim through our local mechanic, probably a common thing for Jim who as long as I've known him always seemed to be hunting down some ridiculously hard to find auto part.
His enthusiasm and interests were boundless. Though always working on ten projects at once, none gave him him more pleasure than his number one project -- his family. He would light up when talking about them.
I remember Jim was once real ticked off about this cop car that would hide behind an overgrown bush near his house and nail speeders. One day, the bush was gone. And so was the cop. I later learned Jim and his chainsaw had been out the night before, doing some roadside brush removal.
Once, on road trip, I was having a hard time driving Jim's truck, just mashing the gears. It would have pissed anyone off but he was calm as could be. As burnt gear smell filled the cab, I pulled over and asked him to drive. But he refused and then coached me through the task till I got the hang of it.
Jim had qualities that count. He was kind and unpretentious. He despised phonyness and bullies. He had a wicked sense of humor and could say the funniest things. I must confess, sometimes I steal his "best lines" and deliver them as my own. Our friendship made my life richer. I will miss the heck out of him.
Jaime Glantz
James Glennon, 64
cinematographer won an Emmy for the HBO series 'Deadwood'
By Valerie J. Nelson, Los
Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 4, 2006
James Glennon, a cinematographer known for his evocative camera work on the 1983 film "El Norte" and who also won an Emmy last year for the HBO series "Deadwood," has died. He was 64.
"He was the king of all sets," actress Laura Dern told The Times earlier this week. "He was the stand-up comic of the set, the meditative easer of all tensions for the crew. And he was the greatest gift to any actor... He made the performance better, always."
His "masterful photography" helped turn "El Norte" into a "brilliant film," the Omaha World-Herald said in 1995. Gregory Nava's independent film, which follows the plight of a brother and sister who illegally emigrate from Guatemala to Los Angeles, is credited with helping to bring the immigrant experience to Hollywood's attention.
For "El Norte," Glennon had to figure out how to light the set in Central America without using electricity. At night, he moved around groups of lighted votive candles, and during the day he relied on mirrors to reflect light onto the set, he recalled in an interview on Kodak.com.
Of the more than 40 films he worked on, Glennon made a trio — "Citizen Ruth" (1996), "Election" (1999) and "About Schmidt" (2002) — with director Alexander Payne that he felt were among his best work, his agent said.
"Above and beyond his remarkable talent as a cinematographer, he was so full of positive energy," Payne told The Times on Thursday. "He was the master of the art of the possible and one of the funniest men I have ever met.
"I make comedies, and I felt so blessed to have such a visually funny man working with me."
Dern, who worked with Glennon on "Citizen Ruth" and other films, said he had an intuitive approach that came from growing up on film sets. His father, Bert, was a noted cinematographer who received an Oscar nomination for "Stagecoach," the 1939 John Ford western that starred John Wayne.
Glennon "could problem-solve in the great old-school way," Dern said. "If you didn't have the money, time or equipment, he had an unbelievably inventive way to get the shot. It could be using a wheelchair or a skateboard. He didn't need a dolly."
He remained proud of his cinematography on the 1986 science-fiction adventure "Flight of the Navigator," his agent said. The Times' review called the film "handsome" and his work "first-rate."
For the title sequence of "Ordinary People" (1980), Glennon had a visitor to the set — his wife, Charmaine — pose in a red coat on a bench, he said in the Kodak interview.
He also shot the U.S. sequences for "Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" (1983).
In television, Glennon got his start on two shows from the 1960s, "Batman" and "Gilligan's Island," and listed about 30 series among his credits, including HBO's "Big Love."
James Michael Glennon was born Aug. 29, 1942. His mother, the former Mary Coleman, was a script supervisor.
At UCLA, he earned a bachelor's in filmmaking in 1968 and started his career in the mailroom at Warner Bros. He often delivered mail to studio President Jack Warner because "the other mail boys were terrified to walk into his office," Glennon recalled in the Kodak interview.
Warner advised him to buy a camera, rent it out for $100 a day and throw in his services for free. That led to Glennon's first feature film, "Jaws of Death" (1977), about killer whales off Vancouver Island.
Combined, the careers of Glennon and his father spanned 90 years in the film business, A.C. Lyles, a longtime producer at Paramount who worked with Glennon on "Deadwood," told The Times.
Glennon is survived by Charmaine, his wife of 29 years; children Meghan, Allison, Andrew and Juliet; and three brothers.
A public memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. today at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.
Memorial contributions may be made to the UCLA School
of Theater, Film and Television, Box 951622, Los Angeles, CA 90095; or
the Cedars-Sinai Prostate Cancer Research Institute, P.O. Box 48750, Room
2416, Los Angeles, CA 90048.
October 31, 2006
Jim Glennon was not only a wonderful cameraman, he was an exceptional human being and I will miss him dearly. I learned so much from him about film and life.
When we made DECEMBER (1991) together it was my first feature as a director. I had written the screenplay a year or so before and I was shopping it around. I had gotten Jim’s name from a mutual friend and on this friend’s urging I cold called Jim and introduced myself. I had seen Jim’s work and very much wanted him to shoot my film. Mind you I had no money yet and was nowhere near a production start date. I was a kid out of film school with a screenplay. He told me to send the script over right away which I did. A couple days later Jim called and we talked about the script. Not for 10 or 15 minutes, but for over two hours! He was enthusiastic, excited and as passionate about this yet to be financed film as I was. I told him I would keep in touch and when I was financed I would let him know. What struck me as I hung up was that in the whole two plus hours we had talked, never once did we discuss lenses, film stock or shot selection. We talked about story, characters, emotion, actors I wanted, where I wanted to shoot it. That was the beauty of Jim. He had drawn out of me my vision for the film and actually made me solidify it by verbalizing it.
About a year later I got the film set up and called Jim. He was eager to make the film. As a first time director I had my share of nerves and though he’d done so many films and was far more experienced, he was nothing but supportive of my vision and made me feel like I had done this many times, giving me not only guidance and support, but confidence in myself and the choices I made.
Jim is the standard by which I measure other DP’s I have worked with over the years and few have come close to him. I was so lucky to have Jim with me on that first film.
I have so many memories of Jim and I will treasure not only the on-set experiences, but also the joy of having him in my life. I remember him coming with me to check out the first house I was going to buy and rightly advising me not to buy it. There was a time when I wasn’t speaking to my parents as much should have been and I remember Jim telling me talk to my parents and never leave anything unsaid, because I would regret it when they were gone. I took his advice and talked to them more, brought them closer to me.
I will miss his great humor, boundless energy and love of life, which I have always admired and aspired to. No matter how cold, how long the day or how hard the work, he always had a smile and a “Glennonism,” catch phrases and jokes that were purely Jim. We shared lunch our last time back this Summer before I left town on a show and we talked about so many things, his new ventures, upcoming shows, my new script. He reminisced about his high school which was nearby the restaurant. It was a wonderful afternoon. As always he demonstrated an excitement for life and a passion for whatever he was involved in. That passion was infectious when you were with Jim. After time spent with Jim I was always ready to take on the world and make great films. Time spent with Jim was a dose of artistic adrenaline. Jim’s work and artistry lives on in the hearts of artists like myself who were fortunate enough to know him and work with him. He inspired, energized and enlightened me.
Thank you, Jim.
I will miss you my friend.
October 27, 2006
Dear Members,
Today, I was saddened by the news about the passing of National Executive Board Member and distinguishing Director of Photography James M. Glennon, ASC. Brother Glennon was a hardworking Emmy Award-winning Cinematographer, whose credits included HBO’s “Big Love” and “Deadwood,” as well as the feature films “About Schmidt” and “Election.” Prior to becoming a Director of Photography, Brother Glennon worked as a Camera Operator on classic films as “Breaking Away,” “Ordinary People,” “The Electric Horseman,” “Altered States” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”
Known as “Jimmy” to his friends, Brother Glennon was the son of legendary Cinematographer, Bert Glennon, whose body of work included John Ford’s “Stagecoach” and “Rio Grande” as well as Josef von Sternberg’s “The Scarlet Empress” and “Blonde Venus,” both starring Marlene Dietrich.
It was Brother Glennon’s love for the craft that made him a passionate voice in the leadership of IATSE Local 600, where he served as a member of the International Cinematographers Guild’s National Executive Board from 2004 to October 2006.
I am glad to have known Brother Glennon and feel honored to have served with him on the Board. He was an active union member for 39 years and enjoyed great respect from his peers in the entertainment industry. Jimmy and I were colleagues and members together at the American Society of Cinematographers. We always had great talks about the Art and Craft of Cinematography. He was a passionate man.
Jim is survived by his wife, Charmaine, and his children, Meghan, Allison, Andrew & Juliet.
— President Steven
Poster |
International
Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600 ~
Thursday, October 26, 2006
A Tribute to James Glennon
Jim Glennon passed away a few days ago. The news shocked and saddened me. I couldn’t believe such a vibrant, talented, brilliant, fun man was gone. Jim, who’d received an Emmy for his work as Director of Cinematography on the HBO show, Deadwood, had an impressive array of work in his resume, yet he’d remained down to Earth, always ready to mentor others. And I’d been the recipient of his generosity.
I’d met Jim through my previous boyfriend, Guy, who’d made his acquaintance in Malibu. One weekend, the three of us, and Jim’s son, Andrew, had lunch together, then went to see the movie, War of the Worlds. (Which none of us liked.) While in line for the tickets, Jim discovered that I’d written a historical Western romance, and he asked to read it. Surprised by his offer, I quickly accepted, although I warned him that the story wasn’t gritty like Deadwood.
The next time I saw him at a 4th of July party, I handed him the disk of Wild Montana Sky. Over the next several weeks, he read the book on his computer. It wasn’t until I saw his home office and the stacks of scripts and books he had waiting to be read, that I realized what an honor he’d done me by moving my manuscript to the top of the stack.
When he’d finished, he called Guy and left his opinion on Guy’s voicemail. He really liked the story, although he thought it was “a bit flowery at first, but got used to it.” He also said I had “an excellent grasp on the 19th century woman.” Later, when I talked to him, he offered to take 10 pages of the manuscript to David Milch, to see if David would be interested in me working for Deadwood.
Excited by Jim’s offer, I experienced a renewed interest in Wild Montana Sky. I’d become discouraged by the stream of rejections on the book, not because it wasn’t a good read, but because it was historical, Western, and sweet instead sexy. Three strikes against it in the current market. I made another editing pass through the book, then did one on the next book in the series, Starry Montana Sky, just in case David wanted to read them.
Although nothing came of submitting the pages... other things occurred. But it took Jim’s death, and a backward review of what has happened since that time last summer to make me realize what a pivotal role Jim has played in my life this past year.
As I reflect on my relationship with Jim, I realized he’d made a larger impact on me than one would have thought from just a handful of meetings, phone calls, and emails. Mostly he was an important link in a chain that formed in that mysteriously spiritual way of networking opportunities.
I’d mentioned to my friend, Bill Freda, an actor who’d been cast in an independent film, Ghostriders, about Jim and the possible opportunity at Deadwood. At the time, I didn’t even know about Bill’s role in the Western. He mentioned me to the director who wanted to meet me because he needed someone with knowledge of the West to read the script.
To make a long story short, I read the script, made a lot of changes, realized I really do know what I’m doing when it comes to scripts, and instead of just consulting, was brought in as the actual writer. Although (as yet) the movie hasn’t been made, I still had a script under my belt, even if the story wasn’t mine.
That gave me the confidence to adapt Wild Montana Sky into a screenplay, which I submitted to the Kairos Prize contest for spiritually uplifting screenplays. When the script made the semi-finals, Jim was thrilled for me. He read the script, made some positive comments, and had a few suggestions, mainly to add a scene he’d really liked in the book, but which I’d left out of the screenplay.
This last weekend, I attended the Screenwriting Expo 5. While there, I realized how different things were for me this time around. Last year at Expo 4, I didn’t have a screenplay, and actually writing one was just a dream. This year it’s a reality. Happy with my progress, I made a mental note to email Jim and thank him again for being my catalyst. I didn’t know that I’d never have a chance to send the note.
I wish I could do a better job at describing Jim. I’m supposed to be a writer, but how do you capture someone’s essence, especially when they are so multifaceted? All I know is that his energy was upbeat and positive. He had a playful way of giving people nicknames such as buckaroo. His mind was always churning out ideas, both artistic such as producing screenplays, or business, for example developing a biofuel company. He should have lived a lot longer to have a chance to realize those dreams.
I have a new agent who’s edited Wild Montana Sky one more time. She’s found some new markets for the book, and sent it out. Once again, I have hope for selling the book. If it gets published... Jim Glennon will be named in my acknowledgements.
Rest in peace, Jim.
I will always be grateful to you.
Debra Holland
October 22, 2006
James Glennon was an absolutely splendid human being, one of the truest gentlemen it has been my pleasure to know in this business. He was kind, funny, vastly encouraging, and unfailingly upbeat. In the four years since I began work on DEADWOOD, I never once recall seeing him without a smile, and he rarely let a take go by without a compliment to someone involved.
There's nothing wrong with Hollywood that a dozen Jim Glennons wouldn't cure.
RIP my friend.
Jim
Beaver |
Los Angeles Times • November
4, 2006
