Who is Vilmos Zsigmond? See Net-worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

Vilmos Zsigmond Wiki Biography

Along with László Kovács, a fellow student who fled Hungary in 1956, Zsigmond rose to prominence in the 1970s. He is known for his use of natural light and vivid use of color on features such as The Long Goodbye (1973) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). 

Full Name Vilmos Zsigmond
Net Worth $15 Million
Date Of Birth June 16, 1930
Died January 1, 2016, Big Sur, California, United States
Place Of Birth Szeged, Hungary
Profession Cinematographer, Camera Department, Producer
Education Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest
Spouse Susan Roether
Children Julia Zsigmond, Susi Zsigmond
Parents Vilmos Zsigmond, Bozena Zsigmond
IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005936
Awards Academy Award for Best Cinematography, American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award, BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography, American Soc…
Nominations American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases, Satellite Award for Best Cinematography, Golden Osella for Best Cinematography
Movies Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Deliverance, The Long Goodbye, Heaven’s Gate, Blow Out, The Black Dahlia, The Sugarland Express, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, The Hired Hand, Obsession, Melinda and Melinda, Cassandra’s Dream, The Two Jakes, The Witche…
Quote
1 I like to work with Michael Cimino. I don’t like him personally – he’s very difficult to work with, because he’s very demanding and he doesn’t think about anybody around him, he’s yelling at everybody. But as a film director, I think he’s one of the best.
2 We had a terrible situation on “Close Encounters”, because they wanted to fire me several times. The only reason they didn’t was because they didn’t have a replacement who could take over.
3 [on Heaven’s Gate (1980)] Michael [Cimino] really wanted to make a perfect film. He could have made this film for much less. He overdid it; he overcomplicated it. But they should not have killed him for it.
Fact
1 Owns a camera, lighting and grip company in Budapest.
2 Member of the American Society of Cinematographers.
3 Member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Cinematographers Branch) [2007-].
4 The name, if spelled correctly in Hungarian, should sound like “Vilmosh Sigmond”.
5 He and László Kovács shot footage of the Soviet invasion and then escaped to the United States where they sold the footage to CBS.
6 Began his career photographing the Hungarian revolution of 1956. Won several international and domestic awards as director of TV commercials.

Cinematographer

Title Year Status Character
What’s Up Front! 1964 as William Zsigmond
Story of the Wholesale Produce Market 1963 Documentary short
Living Between Two Worlds 1963
The Sadist 1963 director of photography – as William Zsigmond
Hajnal elött 1955 Short
A Föld 1953 Short
Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks 2014
God the Father 2014 Documentary
The Mindy Project 2012-2014 TV Series 24 episodes
Compulsion 2013/I
Kickstart Theft 2012 Short
A halálba táncoltatott leány 2011 director of photography
Summer Children 2011
Louis 2010
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger 2010
Torn from the Flag: A Film by Klaudia Kovacs 2007 Documentary
Cassandra’s Dream 2007
The Black Dahlia 2006
Surrender, Dorothy 2006 TV Movie
Melinda and Melinda 2004
Medicine Chest 2004 Video short
Jersey Girl 2004 director of photography
Bánk bán 2002
Life as a House 2001 director of photography
The Body 2001
The Mists of Avalon 2001 TV Mini-Series 2 episodes
Ljuset håller mig sällskap 2000 Documentary
The Argument 1999 Short
Illegal Music 1998
Playing by Heart 1998 director of photography
Freak the Mighty 1998 Video short
The Ghost and the Darkness 1996
Assassins 1995
The Crossing Guard 1995
Maverick 1994
Intersection 1994 director of photography
Sliver 1993
Stalin 1992 TV Movie
The Bonfire of the Vanities 1990 director of photography
The Two Jakes 1990
Fat Man and Little Boy 1989 director of photography
Journey to Spirit Island 1988
The Witches of Eastwick 1987
Real Genius 1985
The River 1984
No Small Affair 1984
Table for Five 1983
Jinxed! 1982
Blow Out 1981 director of photography
Heaven’s Gate 1980
Making Xanadu: The Musical Fantasy Movie 1980 TV Movie documentary
The Rose 1979
Flesh & Blood 1979 TV Movie
Winter Kills 1979
The Deer Hunter 1978 director of photography
Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977 director of photography
Obsession 1976
Death Riders 1976 Documentary
Sweet Revenge 1976
Iron and Horse 1975 Short director of photography
The Girl from Petrovka 1974
The Sugarland Express 1974 director of photography
Cinderella Liberty 1973 director of photography
Scarecrow 1973 director of photography
The Long Goodbye 1973 photographed by
Country Music 1972
Deliverance 1972 director of photography
Images 1972
The Ski Bum 1971
The Hired Hand 1971
McCabe & Mrs. Miller 1971 director of photography
Red Sky at Morning 1971
Threshold 1971 Short as William Zsigmond
Horror of the Blood Monsters 1970 director of photography – as William Zsigmond
Baja Marimba Band 1969 TV Movie
Futz 1969 director of photography
Five Bloody Graves 1969 director of photography – as William Zsigmond
The Monitors 1969 director of photography – as William Zsigmund
The Bold Ones: The Protectors 1969 TV Series 1 episode
Satan’s Sadists 1969 uncredited
Hot Rod Action 1969 Documentary director of photography
The Picasso Summer 1969
Jennie: Wife/Child 1968 as William Zsigmond
Prelude 1968 Short
The World of Animals: Big Cats, Little Cats 1968 TV Movie documentary
The Name of the Game Is Kill! 1968 as William Zsigmond
The Road to Nashville 1967 as William Zsigmund
Psycho 1967 director of photography – as William Zsigmond
Mondo Mod 1967 Documentary as William Zsigmond
Psycho a Go-Go 1965 as William Zsigmond
The Market 1965 TV Movie documentary as William Zsigmond
Rat Fink 1965
Summer Children 1965 as William Zsigmond
Tales of a Salesman 1965 as William Zsigmond
Deadwood ’76 1965 director of photography – as William Zsigmond
The Nasty Rabbit 1964 as William Zsigmond
The Time Travelers 1964 director of photography – as William Zsigmond

Camera Department

Title Year Status Character
Kickstart Theft 2012 Short camera operator
Independent Lens 2009 TV Series documentary still photographer – 1 episode
Timeline 2003 director of photography: Los Angeles
China Beach 1989-1990 TV Series photographer – 2 episodes
The Border 1982 additional photographer / camera operator: additional photography
The Last Waltz 1978 Documentary additional director of photography
Mahogany 1975 additional photography by – uncredited
Dusty and Sweets McGee 1971 additional photographer: Whiskey-A-Go-Go
The Cat 1966 nature photographer – as William Zsigmond
The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!? 1964 camera operator – as William Zsigmond
Wild Guitar 1962 photographer: second unit – as William Zsigmond

Actor

Title Year Status Character
Louis 2010 Hungarian Photographer
Maverick 1994 Albert Bierstadt

Director

Title Year Status Character
The Long Shadow 1992

Producer

Title Year Status Character
Torn from the Flag: A Film by Klaudia Kovacs 2007 Documentary executive producer

Miscellaneous

Title Year Status Character
The Bombing 2016 cinematography consultant completed

Thanks

Title Year Status Character
Aghápe 2015 Short very special thanks
Alpha 2015/I Short very special thanks
Heartfelt Vacation 2009 Short in memory of
Lymelife 2008 special thanks
Reflections on Golden Pond 2003 Video documentary short special thanks
Imagining ‘Images’ 2003 Video documentary short special thanks
Vilmos Zsigmond Flashes ‘The Long Goodbye’ 2002 Video documentary short thanks
In Pursuit 2000 Video special thanks
Visions of Light 1992 Documentary special thanks: AFI
Summer Children 1965 very special thanks – special edition version

Self

Title Year Status Character
Phil Stern Eyewitness Documentary post-production Himself
Red Roofs Documentary filming Himself
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond 2016 Documentary Himself
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown 2015 TV Series documentary Himself – Interviewee
Painting Jackson County: An Interview with Vilmos Zsigmond 2013 Documentary short
Psycho’s Sister: Making ‘The Name of the Game Is Kill’ 2013 Documentary Himself
Black and White in Color: Vilmos Zsigmond on ‘Blow Out’ 2012 Video short Himself
Side by Side 2012 Documentary Himself
American Masters 2011 TV Series documentary Himself
Silhouettes in Shadow and Light 2010 Himself
A Cinematic Life: The Art & Influence of Conrad Hall 2010 Video short Himself
Light Is Everything: Vilmos Zsigmond on Cinematography 2008 Documentary Himself
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos 2008 Documentary Himself
Deliverance: Betraying the River 2007 Video short Himself
Deliverance: Delivered 2007 Video short Himself
Deliverance: The Journey 2007 Video short Himself
Master and the Disciples: Unfinished Conversation About Cinematography 2007 Documentary Himself
Wanderlust 2006 TV Movie documentary Himself
Cinematographer Style 2006 Documentary Himself
Who Needs Sleep? 2006 Documentary
Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven’s Gate 2004 Documentary Himself
Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession 2004 TV Movie documentary Himself
The Return of ‘The Hired Hand’ 2003 Video documentary Himself
Imagining ‘Images’ 2003 Video documentary short Himself
Who Killed ‘Winter Kills’? 2003 Video documentary short Himself
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘N’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood 2003 Documentary Himself
Shooting ‘The Deer Hunter’ 2003 Video short Himself
Vilmos Zsigmond Flashes ‘The Long Goodbye’ 2002 Video documentary short Himself
Character Building: Inside ‘Life as a House’ 2001 Video short documentary Himself
The Making of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ 2001 Video documentary Himself
‘Obsession’ Revisited 2001 Video documentary short Himself
Ljuset håller mig sällskap 2000 Documentary Himself – Interviewee
International Cinematographer’s Guild Heritage Series 1997 TV Series Himself
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western 1997 TV Movie documentary Himself
A Film és… I.-XIV 1995 TV Series documentary Himself (1995)
Visions of Light 1992 Documentary Himself
The 50th Annual Academy Awards 1978 TV Special Himself – Winner: Best Cinematography

Archive Footage

Title Year Status Character
The 88th Annual Academy Awards 2016 TV Special Himself – Memorial Tribute
Altman 2014 Documentary Himself

Won Awards

Year Award Ceremony Nomination Movie
2014 Lifetime Achievement Award Jameson CineFest – Miskolc International Film Festival
2006 Hollywood Film Award Hollywood Film Awards Cinematographer of the Year The Black Dahlia (2006)
2002 Best Film Adaptation of an Opera Camerimage Bánk bán (2002)
1999 Lifetime Achievement Award American Society of Cinematographers, USA
1999 Maverick Tribute Award Cinequest San Jose Film Festival
1997 Lifetime Achievement Award Camerimage
1994 CableACE CableACE Awards Direction of Photography and/or Lighting Direction in a Dramatic or Theatrical Special/Movie or Miniseries Stalin (1992)
1993 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special Stalin (1992)
1993 ASC Award American Society of Cinematographers, USA Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Pilots Stalin (1992)
1980 BAFTA Film Award BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography The Deer Hunter (1978)
1978 Oscar Academy Awards, USA Best Cinematography Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
1974 NSFC Award National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA Best Cinematography The Long Goodbye (1973)

Nominated Awards

Year Award Ceremony Nomination Movie
2014 Golden Frog Camerimage Feature Documentary Films Competition God the Father (2014)
2010 Golden Frog Camerimage Main Competition Louis (2010)
2007 Oscar Academy Awards, USA Best Achievement in Cinematography The Black Dahlia (2006)
2007 ASC Award American Society of Cinematographers, USA Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases The Black Dahlia (2006)
2006 Golden Frog Camerimage Main Competition The Black Dahlia (2006)
2006 Satellite Award Satellite Awards Best Cinematography The Black Dahlia (2006)
2002 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Movie The Mists of Avalon (2001)
1997 ASC Award American Society of Cinematographers, USA Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)
1985 Oscar Academy Awards, USA Best Cinematography The River (1984)
1979 Oscar Academy Awards, USA Best Cinematography The Deer Hunter (1978)
1979 BAFTA Film Award BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
1973 BAFTA Film Award BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

2nd Place Awards

Year Award Ceremony Nomination Movie
1982 NSFC Award National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA Best Cinematography Blow Out (1981)
1972 NSFC Award National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA Best Cinematography Images (1972)

3rd Place Awards

Year Award Ceremony Nomination Movie
1971 NSFC Award National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA Best Cinematography McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

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