Gilbert Taylor

Taylor entered films at age 15, and by the early 60s--following a succession of J. Lee Thompson movies--developed into a leading cinematographer, capable in black-and-white and color. After his outstanding work on Stanley Kubrick's "Dr, Strangelove" (1963), Richard Lester's "A Hard Day's Night" (1964)--both employing a wide variety of photographic modes--and his three exceptional collaborations with Polanski ("Repulsion" 1965, "Cul-de-Sac" 1966, "Macbeth" 1971), he began working consistently in Hollywood. He also served as the cinematographer on George Lucas's influential science fiction epic, "Star Wars: A New Hope" (1977). Taylor lensed John Badham's remake of "Dracula" (1979) and his last credit to date is Curtis Hanson's "The Bedroom Window" (1987). Still remembered for his long and prolific career, Taylor died peacefully at his home on the Isle of Wight on August 23, 2013. He was 99.