James A. Crabe

Director Of Photography

About

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Also Known As

James Aubrey Crabe

Birth Place

Los Angeles, California, USA

Born

August 19, 1931

Died

May 02, 1989

Cause of Death

Complications Resulting From Aids

Biography

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Shot a total of eight John G. Avildsen films, first gaining attention for the gritty color of the director's "Rocky" (1976) and won two Emmy Awards (for the 1981 TV film, "The Letter" and the 1983 series "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer")....

Filmography

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For Keeps (1988)

Director Of Photography

Happy New Year (1987)

Director Of Photography

Code Name: Dancer (1987)

Director Of Photography

Deadly Care (1987)

Director Of Photography

The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

Director Of Photography

Long Time Gone (1986)

Director Of Photography

Photos & Videos

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China Syndrome, The -- (Original Trailer)

China Syndrome, The (1979) -- (Movie Clip) Take It To One Ten

Biography

Shot a total of eight John G. Avildsen films, first gaining attention for the gritty color of the director's "Rocky" (1976) and won two Emmy Awards (for the 1981 TV film, "The Letter" and the 1983 series "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer").

Filmography

Cinematography (Feature Film)

For Keeps (1988)

Director Of Photography

Happy New Year (1987)

Director Of Photography

Code Name: Dancer (1987)

Director Of Photography

Deadly Care (1987)

Director Of Photography

The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

Director Of Photography

Long Time Gone (1986)

Director Of Photography

When the Bough Breaks (1986)

Director Of Photography

Covenant (1985)

Director Of Photography

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)

Director Of Photography

Family Secrets (1984)

Director Of Photography

The Karate Kid (1984)

Director Of Photography

Concrete Beat (1984)

Director Of Photography

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer: More Than Murder (1984)

Director Of Photography

Two Kinds of Love (1983)

Director Of Photography

Night Shift (1982)

Director Of Photography

The Letter (1982)

Director Of Photography

The Formula (1980)

Director Of Photography

The Baltimore Bullet (1980)

Director Of Photography

How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980)

Director Of Photography

The China Syndrome (1979)

Director Of Photography

Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter (1979)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Death In Canaan (1978)

Director Of Photography

Sextette (1978)

Director Of Photography

Thank God It's Friday (1978)

Director Of Photography

Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977)

Director Of Photography

The Entertainer (1976)

Director Of Photography

The Disappearance of Aimee (1976)

Director Of Photography

F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood (1976)

Director Of Photography

The Dead Don't Die (1975)

Director Of Photography

The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)

Director Of Photography

W. W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1974)

Director Of Photography

The Great American Beauty Contest (1973)

Director Of Photography

Save the Tiger (1973)

Director Of Photography

Rhinoceros (1972)

Director Of Photography

Sweet, Sweet Rachel (1971)

Director Of Photography

The Honkers (1971)

Director Of Photography

Lost Flight (1970)

Director of Photography

Director of Photography

Agent for H. A. R. M. (1966)

Cinematographer

The Young Sinner (1965)

Photographer (see note)

The Touchables (1961)

Camera Operator

Misc. Crew (Feature Film)

The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

Dp/Cinematographer

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)

Dp/Cinematographer

The Karate Kid (1984)

Dp/Cinematographer

The Baltimore Bullet (1980)

The Formula (1980)

Dp/Cinematographer

The China Syndrome (1979)

Dp/Cinematographer

Cinematography (Special)

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer: More Than Murder (1983)

Director Of Photography

Cinematography (TV Mini-Series)

Director Of Photography

George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation (1986)

Director Of Photography

Life Events

1959

First feature credit as cinematographer, "The Proper Time"

1961

Began collaboration with director Tom Laughlin shooting TV commercials for Max Factor and Marlboro

1970

Shot the CBS TV-movie "Sole Survivor"

1973

First collaboration with John G. Avildsen, "Save the Tiger"

1976

Garnered Emmy nomination for his work on the NBC remake of "The Entertainer"

1976

Shot the Oscar-winning "Rocky", directed by Avildsen

1977

Received second Emmy nomination for cinematography on the ABC miniseries "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years"

1979

Was director of photography on "The China Syndrome"

1981

Received Oscar nomination for "The Formula"

1982

Won Emmy for his work on the TV remake of "The Letter" (ABC)

1988

Final feature, "For Keeps", also directed by Avildsen

1988

Last TV work, the ABC miniseries "Baby M"; received Emmy nomination

Videos

China Syndrome, The (1979) -- (Movie Clip) Take It To One Ten As Jane Fonda’s news team struggles with whether to go with the story, Jack Lemmon as engineer Godell, with colleague Spindler (Wilford Brimley) presses supervisor Deyoung (Scott Brady) to put the reactor through a tougher stress test, after the first incident, in The China Syndrome, 1979.

China Syndrome, The (1979) -- (Movie Clip) I Don't Like Reporters Popular feature reporter Kimberly (Jane Fonda) is looking for her cameraman who's stolen the film of the nuclear plant accident, checking the nearby bar where she meets gracious but cagey techs Jack (Lemmon) and Ted (Wilford Brimley), in The China Syndrome, 1979.

China Syndrome, The (1979) -- (Movie Clip) I Got The Lead Story Feature reporter Kimberly (Jane Fonda) and cameraman Richard (Michael Douglas) rush home with secretly shot film from the nuclear plant control room, featuring Jack Lemmon, received by producer Mac (James Karen) and newsroom boss Jacovich (Peter Donat), in The China Syndrome, 1979.

Formula, The (1980) -- (Movie Clip) It's Not Talcum Powder After a prologue in WWII Germany, when one Tom Neely gets near some Nazi secrets, in contemporary LA we meet George C. Scott as cop Caine, Ike Eisenmann his son, Calvin Jung intercepting them, then Francisco Prado the pathologist, in The Formula, 1980, from producer Steve Shagan’s novel and screenplay.

Formula, The (1980) -- (Movie Clip) Bag Man LA detective Caine (George C. Scott), investigating the killing of an old WWII buddy turned international financial fixer, has negotiated this audience with his former employer, cagey American oil-man Steiffel (Marlon Brando), in The Formula, 1980, from the novel by Steve Shagan.

China Syndrome, The (1979) -- (Movie Clip) Felt Like An Earthquake PR man Gibson (James Hampton) is giving the feature-story news crew (Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, Daniel Valdez) a tour of the nuclear plant when something happens, Jack Lemmon (as Jack Goddell) and Wilford Brimley (as "Ted') responding in the control room, early in The China Syndrome, 1979.

Rocky (1977) -- (Movie Clip) Meat Locker It's often forgotten that Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) was making a point to Paulie (Burt Young) when he first "invented" his meat-punching workout technique in Rocky, 1977.

Rocky (1977) -- (Movie Clip) Cold Night Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) drops in on Adrian (Talia Shire) at the pet store after he's lost his locker at the gym in Rocky, 1977, from Stallone's script, directed by John G. Avildsen.

Rocky (1977) -- (Movie Clip) Gonna Fly Now The famous training sequence cut to Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" shows Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) racing through South Philadelphia winding up at the Museum of Art in Rocky, 1977.

Rocky (1977) -- (Movie Clip) I Don't Belong Here Adrian (Talia Shire) is curious but not comfortable as she visits Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) in his apartment after their first date in Rocky, 1977.

Rocky (1977) -- (Movie Clip) Like a Big Flag Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) enter the ring for the title fight in Rocky, 1977, written by Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen.

Rocky (1977) -- (Movie Clip) Mr. Jergens Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) assumes he's being considered as a sparring partner for the champ until he hears a mesmerising pitch from Jergens (Thayer David) in Rocky, 1977, from Stallone's screenplay.

China Syndrome, The -- (Original Trailer) A television newswoman (Jane Fonda) stumbles onto deadly secrets at a nuclear power plant in The China Syndrome (1979).

Karate Kid, The - (Original Trailer) A boy (Ralph Macchio) learns karate from a retired master (Pat Morita) to deal with school bullies. From the director of Rocky (1976).

Save The Tiger - (Original Trailer) Jack Lemmon won a Best Actor Award portraying Harry Stoner, a clothing manufacturer at the end of his rope, in Save The Tiger (1973).

Family

Lydall Aubrey Crabe

Father

Animator. Worked at Disney.

Carmel Crabe

Mother

Bibliography

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