James Crabe, A.S.C. (August 19, 1931 – May 2, 1989) was an American cinematographer.
He was a regular collaborator of director John G. Avildsen, known for his work in Rocky and The Karate Kid, as well as other movies from the 1970s and 80s, like The China Syndrome, Night Shift, and Thank God It's Friday.
Crabe was also a two-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, received multiple nominations the ASC Awards, and one from the Academy Awards.
Biography James Crabe was one of the few openly gay cinematographers in Hollywood. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for director John G. Avildsen's The Formula (1980). He also photographed Avildsen's films Save the Tiger (1973), W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975), Rocky (1976), The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986), Happy New Year (1987) and For Keeps (1988) as well as Thank God It's Friday (1978), The China Syndrome (1979), and Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985).
He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie for The Letter (1982) and was nominated for The Entertainer (1976), Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977) and his final film Baby M (1988). He won Outstanding Cinematography for a Series for The New Mike Hammer episode "More Than Murder" in 1984.
Death On May 2, 1989, James Crabe died at his home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, from complications of AIDS at the age of 57. The Karate Kid Part III was dedicated to his memory.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Notes 1962 The Proper Time Tom Laughlin The Soldier Richard A. Colla Short film 1964 Everybody Loves It Phillip Mark 1965 One Way Wahine William O. Brown 1966 Agent for H.A.R.M. Gerd Oswald 1970 Zig Zag Richard A. Colla 1972 All About Alice Ray Harrison Uncredited The Honkers Steve Ihnat 1973 Save the Tiger John G. Avildsen 1974 Rhinoceros Tom O'Horgan 1975 W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings John G. Avildsen 1976 Rocky 1978 Sextette Ken Hughes Thank God It's Friday Robert Klane 1979 The China Syndrome James Bridges Players Anthony Harvey 1980 The Baltimore Bullet Robert Ellis Miller How to Beat the High Cost of Living Robert Scheerer The Formula John G. Avildsen Nominated- Academy Award for Best Cinematography 1982 Night Shift Ron Howard 1984 The Karate Kid John G. Avildsen 1985 Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment Jerry Paris 1986 The Karate Kid Part II John G. Avildsen 1987 Happy New Year 1988 For Keeps
Television Year Title Director Notes 1964 Hollywood and the Stars Mel Stuart Episode "Natalie Wood: Hollywood's Child" 1965-1966 Time-Life Specials: The March of Time William KronickAlan Landsburg Episodes "Frontiers of the Mind" and "The Longs: A Louisiana Dynasty" 1972 The Last of the Wild Mustangs Gus Jekel Documentary short 1984 Paper Dolls Harry Winer Episode "Pilot" 1988 Baby M James Steven Sadwith Miniseries
Documentary film Year Title Director 1965 The Bold Men William Friedkin Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon
TV movies Year Title Director 1970 Sole Survivor Paul Stanley Lost Flight Leonard J. Horn 1971 A Step Out of Line Bernard McEveety Sweet, Sweet Rachel Sutton Roley 1973 The Great American Beauty Contest Robert Day 1974 The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman John Korty 1975 The Entertainer Donald Wrye F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood Anthony Page 1976 The Disappearance of Aimee Anthony Harvey 1977 Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years Daniel Petrie 1978 A Death in Canaan Tony Richardson 1979 Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter Milton Katselas 1982 The Letter John Erman 1983 Two Kinds of Love Jack Bender 1984 More Than Murder Gary Nelson Family Secrets Jack Hofsiss Concrete Beat Robert Butler 1985 The Hugga Bunch Gus Jekel The Covenant Walter Grauman 1986 Long Time Gone Robert Butler George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation William Graham When the Bough Breaks Waris Hussein 1987 Deadly Care David Anspaugh Code Name: Dancer (aka Her Secret Life) Buzz Kulik
References
External links
James Crabe at Find a Grave