Loyal Griggs

Director Of Photography

About

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Also Known As

Loyal Allen Griggs

Birth Place

Michigan, USA

Born

August 15, 1906

Died

May 06, 1978

Biography

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This director of photography entered the film industry right out of school, signing up with Paramount in 1924 and staying with that studio until 1969 (probably a record for longevity with one studio). Griggs worked in the studio's process department, first as an assistant photographer (on such features as Henry Hathaway's "Spawn of the North" 1938, Mitchell Leisen's "To Each His Own" 194...

Filmography

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Bunny O'Hare (1971)

Director of Photography

...tick...tick...tick... (1970)

Director of Photography

Paint Your Wagon (1969)

2nd unit Photographer

In Enemy Country (1968)

Director of Photography

Director of Photography

Hurry Sundown (1967)

Director Photographer (see note)

Photos & Videos

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Greatest Story Ever Told, The (1965) -- (Movie Clip) Your Brother Will Rise Again

Greatest Story Ever Told, The (1965) -- (Movie Clip) You Have Followed A Star?

Biography

This director of photography entered the film industry right out of school, signing up with Paramount in 1924 and staying with that studio until 1969 (probably a record for longevity with one studio). Griggs worked in the studio's process department, first as an assistant photographer (on such features as Henry Hathaway's "Spawn of the North" 1938, Mitchell Leisen's "To Each His Own" 1946 and John Farrow's "Easy Come, Easy Go" 1947) before moving up to second unit photographer ("Tripoli" 1950) and camera process photographer (George Stevens' "A Place in the Sun" 1951). In 1951, he was hired by Lewis R Foster as director of photography on three films: the gangster feature "Crosswinds," and the Westerns "Passage West" and "The Last Outpost": Griggs specialized in that genre, shooting eleven in all. His other films ranged from crime dramas to musicals to period epics.

Griggs won an Oscar for George Stevens' classically understated western "Shane" (1953), and went on to shoot more than a dozen high-budget films in that decade. "Elephant Walk" (1954) had both lush scenery and Elizabeth Taylor to highlight. Grigg's first musical was the Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire starrer "White Christmas" (1954). "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" (1955) was a sprawling war film. One of Grigg's most challenging assignments was "The Ten Commandments (1956). He was selected because he was the most experienced director of VistaVision photography at Paramount. Director Cecil B DeMille was exacting and unforgiving in his requirements, and this was certainly the largest, most expensive biblical epic of the decade. For his efforts, Griggs won the second of his four Oscar nominations.

Griggs worked steadily through the 1960s, on such ventures as the 1962 Elvis Presley comedy "Girls! Girls! Girls!," Otto Preminger's "In Harm's Way" and Stevens' biblical epic "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (both 1965; Griggs earned Oscar nominations for both features). He reteamed with Preminger for the Southern drama "Hurry, Sundown" (1967) and he was second unit photographer for Joshua Logan's musical "Paint Your Wagon" (1969). The remainder of his films--most for Paramount, some on loan-out--were largely forgettable fare such as "The Jayhawkers" (1959), "Visit to a Small Planet" (1960), "Papa's Delicate Condition" (1963), "Night of the Grizzly" (1966) and "... tick ... tick ... tick" (1970). Griggs' swan song was the appalling Bette Davis/Ernest Borgnine comedy "Bunny O'Hare" (1971).

Filmography

Cinematography (Feature Film)

Bunny O'Hare (1971)

Director of Photography

...tick...tick...tick... (1970)

Director of Photography

Paint Your Wagon (1969)

2nd unit Photographer

In Enemy Country (1968)

Director of Photography

Director of Photography

Hurry Sundown (1967)

Director Photographer (see note)

Director of Photography

The Young Warriors (1967)

Director of Photography

The Night of the Grizzly (1966)

Director of Photography

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

Director of Photography

Tickle Me (1965)

Cinematographer

In Harm's Way (1965)

Director of Photography

The Slender Thread (1965)

Director of Photography

Papa's Delicate Condition (1963)

Don't Knock the Twist (1962)

Camera Operator

Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962)

Director of Photography

Blueprint for Robbery (1961)

Director of Photography

Love in a Goldfish Bowl (1961)

Director of Photography

Man-Trap (1961)

Cinematographer

Walk Like a Dragon (1960)

Director of Photography

G.I. Blues (1960)

Director of Photography

Visit to a Small Planet (1960)

Director of Photography

The Jayhawkers! (1959)

Director of Photography

The Buccaneer (1959)

Director of Photography

The Hangman (1959)

Director of Photography

Hot Spell (1958)

Director of Photography

Director of Photography

Wild Is the Wind (1958)

2nd Unit Photography

Three Violent People (1957)

Director of Photography

The Buster Keaton Story (1957)

Director of Photography

The Sad Sack (1957)

Director of Photography

The Tin Star (1957)

Director of Photography

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Director of Photography

That Certain Feeling (1956)

Director of Photography

3 Ring Circus (1955)

Director of Photography

We're No Angels (1955)

Director of Photography

The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955)

Director of Photography

The Naked Jungle (1954)

2nd Unit Photography

Elephant Walk (1954)

Director of Photography

White Christmas (1954)

Director of Photography

Director of Photography

Jumping Jacks (1952)

2nd Unit Photography

Passage West (1951)

Director of Photography

The Last Outpost (1951)

Director of Photography

Crosswinds (1951)

Director of Photography

2nd Unit Photography

Masquerade in Mexico (1946)

1st Camera, Mexico

I Wanted Wings (1941)

Transparency Camera, 2d unit

Spawn of the North (1938)

Process Photographer Assistant

Marquis Preferred (1929)

Assistant Camera

Visual Effects (Feature Film)

Little Boy Lost (1953)

Process Photography

A Place in the Sun (1951)

Process Photography

Woman on the Run (1950)

Special Photography Effects

The Trouble with Women (1947)

Process Photography

Calcutta (1947)

Assistant transparency projection

Easy Come, Easy Go (1947)

Special Effects Assistant

Ladies' Man (1947)

Process Photographer Assistant

The Searching Wind (1946)

Process Photographer Assistant

Assistant process Photographer

Assistant transparency projection

To Each His Own (1946)

Transparency projection shots

Monsieur Beaucaire (1946)

Assistant process Photographer

Road to Utopia (1946)

Process Photographer Assistant

Two Years Before the Mast (1946)

Assistant transparency projection

Our Hearts Were Growing Up (1946)

Assistant process Photographer

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Process Photographer Assistant

Love Letters (1945)

Process Photographer Assistant

Salty O'Rourke (1945)

Assistant process Photographer

Hold That Blonde (1945)

Special Effects Assistant

You Came Along (1945)

Process Photographer Assistant

Practically Yours (1944)

Process Photographer Assistant

The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944)

2d unit transparencies

Florida Special (1936)

Special Photography Effects

International House (1933)

Special Effects staff

Gambling Ship (1933)

Farciot Edouart's Associate

College Humor (1933)

Farciot Edouart's Associate

The Eagle and the Hawk (1933)

Farciot Edouart's Associate

Life Events

1924

Joined Paramount Studios; worked in processing department

1951

First photography credit, "Crosswinds"

1953

Won Oscar for "Shane"

1958

First non-Paramount film, a loan-out to Disney for "Tonka"

1971

Last film, "Bunny O'Hare"

Videos

Greatest Story Ever Told, The (1965) -- (Movie Clip) Your Brother Will Rise Again Jesus (Max Von Sydow) has traveled to Bethany, where Martha (Ina Balin) can't see why he didn't prevent her brother Lazarus' death, Magdalene (Joanna Dunham) among observers as director George Stevens frames the renowned miracle, in The Greatest Story Ever Told, 1965.

Greatest Story Ever Told, The (1965) -- (Movie Clip) You Have Followed A Star? Impressive landscapes, three kings (Cyril Delevanti, Mark Lenard, Frank Silvera) visiting the duly worried Herod (Claude Rains), his son Antipas (Jose Ferrer) standing by, early in George Stevens' The Greatest Story Ever Told, 1965.

Greatest Story Ever Told, The (1965) -- (Movie Clip) Soon To Be Among Us More big aerial shots with a scripture-derived speech, delivered by The Baptist (Charlton Heston), the first scene for both him and the mature Jesus (Max Von Sydow), in George Stevens' The Greatest Story Ever Told, 1965.

Tickle Me (1965) -- (Movie Clip) Put The Blame On Me Fitness-camp employees Pam (Jocelyn Lane) and Lonnie (Elvis Presley) searching an old Western saloon, imagining an old-time musical number, song by Kay Twomey, Fred Wise and Norman Blagman, Edward Faulkner and Jack Mullaney their pals appearing in the fantasy, in Tickle Me, 1965.

Tickle Me (1965) -- (Movie Clip) Long Lonely Highway Opening on a Greyhound in the Mojave, Elvis Presley as cowboy Lonnie with a tune by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, from Tickle Me, 1965, co-starring Julie Adams and Jocelyn Lane, in Elvis’ only picture for Allied Artists, which rescued the the studio from financial straits.

Tickle Me (1965) -- (Movie Clip) Such An Easy Question Schtick with Elvis as cowboy Lonnie working at a fitness ranch for women, making eyes with fellow staffer Jocelyn Lane, Jack Mullaney his pal, the song by Otis Blackwell and Scotty Moore, a #11 Billboard hit, but like all the songs, a previously-recorded cut, selected for the movie, Tickle Me, 1965.

3 Ring Circus (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Dig That Crazy Sawdust Out of the Army on the G-I Bill, Dean Martin as Pete is broke and tagging along with Jerry Lewis as “Jerome,” who has a gig as an apprentice lion tamer at a circus, meeting Zsa Zsa Gabor briefly, and getting in trouble, in the Paramount vehicle 3 Ring Circus, 1955.

3 Ring Circus (1954) -- (Movie Clip) Colonel Fritz Schlitz Jerry Lewis is de-mobbed Army private “Jerome,” an aspiring circus clown, who took a gig as an apprentice lion tamer because it was the only G-I Bill opening at the circus, reporting here to lion tamer Schlitz (Sig Ruman), in the Paramount Martin And Lewis vehicle 3 Ring Circus, 1953.

...tick...tick...tick... (1970) -- (Movie Clip) Set Yourself Free Introduction of the Glaser Brothers theme song (Set Yourself Free, by Willis Hoover), as we’ve learned that Mississippi sheriff Little (George Kennedy) lost the election to a black man (Jim Brown), and manages his disgruntled deputies (Don Stroud, Mills Watson), early in director Ralph Nelson’s …tick…tick…tick…, 1970.

...tick...tick...tick... (1970) -- (Movie Clip) It's About That Time First scene for newly elected Mississippi sheriff Jim Price (Jim Brown), at home with brother Fred (Leonard Smith) and wife Mary (Janet MacLachlan) in director Ralph Nelson's ...tick...tick...tick..., 1970.

...tick...tick...tick... (1970) -- (Movie Clip) There's A Rumor Goin' Round Opening director Ralph Nelson’s uneven and sometimes brilliant feature from James Lee Barrett’s original screenplay, menacing Dub Taylor as Junior fries an egg and George Kennedy begins his striking performance as Mississippi sheriff John Little, in …tick…tick…tick…, 1970, starring Jim Brown.

...tick...tick...tick... (1970) -- (Movie Clip) What If You Can't? Director Ralph Nelson inserts a song from the soundtrack by country music pioneers The Glaser Brothers, as new Mississippi sheriff Jim Price (Jim Brown) arrives to take over, predecessor Little (George Kennedy), deputies (Don Stroud, Mills Watson) and mayor Parks (Fredric March) receiving, in ...tick...tick...tick..., 1970.

Girls! Girls! Girls! - (Original Trailer) Elvis is back in Hawaii and Stella Stevens and Laurel Goodwin are just two of the many Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962).

G.I. Blues - (Original Trailer) Elvis returned from his Army stint with a case of the G.I. Blues (1960). Featuring the hits "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Wooden Heart".

Buccaneer, The (1958) - (Original Trailer) French pirate Jean Lafitte (Yul Brynner) tries to redeem his name helping the U.S. in the War of 1812 in Anthony Quinn's The Buccaneer (1958).

Bridges At Toko-Ri, The - (Re-Issue Trailer) Two jet pilots forge a lasting friendship while fighting the Korean War in The Bridges At Toko-Ri (1954).

Greatest Story Ever Told, The - (Original Trailer) The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) is an epic re-telling of the life of Christ, directed by George Stevens and starring Max Von Sydow, Dorothy McGuire, Claude Rains and many more

Sad Sack, The - (Original Trailer) A hopelessly innocent private (Jerry Lewis) gets himself kidnapped in Morocco in The Sad Sack (1957).

White Christmas - (Original Trailer) Bing Crosby and the most popular song of all time in the colorful seasonal favorite, White Christmas (1954).

Tin Star, The - (Original Trailer) An experienced bounty hunter (Henry Fonda) helps a young sheriff (Anthony Perkins) learn the meaning of his badge in Anthony Mann's The Tin Star (1957).

Wild Is The Wind - (Original Trailer) Anna Magnani marries Anthony Quinn but finds love with his son from a previous marriage in George Cukor's Wild Is The Wind (1958).

Slender Thread, The - (Original Trailer) Sidney Poitier mans the suicide hotline in Sydney Pollack's first movie The Slender Thread (1965).

Tickle Me - (Original Trailer) Elvis battles monsters in a Western ghost town in the light-hearted musical Tickle Me (1965).

tick...tick...tick - (Original Trailer) Racial fireworks are set off in a small southern town when a black sheriff (Jim Brown) arrives in ...tick...tick...tick (1970).

Bibliography

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