A.C. Francis, ASC
A.C. (Al) Francis, ASC, a 62-year veteran of the motion picture industry, died on June 16, 1998. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on August 9, 1918. When he became an ASC member in 1972, Francis summarized his extensive career as follows:
"In 1936, I started working as a film loader in the Warner Bros. Camera Department. Approximately four years later, I became a first assistant, working for such cinematographers as Tony Gaudio, Sol Polito, Hal Mohr, James Wong Howe, Ernie Haller, Art Edison, Ted McCord, and others. In 1942, I joined the Army Air Force as a cameraman, making various kinds of 35mm pictures. Upon discharge in 1946, I returned as an assistant cameraman for Universal Pictures. In 1950, I was made a second cameraman [operating cameraman]. Some of the cinematographers I operated for were Harry Stradling Sr., Bill Daniels, Russ Metty, Ray Rennahan, Cliff Stine, Curly Lindon, Charlie Lang and George Robinson.
"In 1967, the creator and producer of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, advanced me to the position of director of photography, and in 1969 I was nominated for an Emmy for a segment of Mission Impossible."
For four years Francis remained at Paramount, where he photographed several series, including Star Trek (1967-68), Love American Style (1969 and 1972), Immortal (1970), Longstreet (1971) and Paper Moon (1974). He also shot the features Immortal, Escape and Heist. From 1973 onwards, he freelanced for various television producers, working for Lorimar, Quinn Martin, Warner Bros., Columbia, Disney, Metromedia and others. Although he continued to work in series television on such programs as The Streets of San Francisco and Quest, he increasingly specialized in Movies of the Week and pilot films. His many pilots include Quark, Tabitha, Flatbush, Getting There, and Super Cop. Some of the more popular of his impressive array of MOW entries include Banjo Hackett (1975), A Killing Affair (1976), Crisis in Sun Valley (1977), Donovan’s Kid (1978), Incredible Journey, Second Sight, Island of Sister Theresa and The Memory of Eva Ryker (all 1979), and The Dobermans (1980).
Francis is survived by his wife, Evelyn; his son, Ronald, and daughter, Beverly; a son-in-law, Ronald Reitz; and four grandchildren. A memorial service was held on June 27 at the Camarillo Christian Church in Camarillo, CA.
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