Joseph Westheimer, ASC
Joseph Westheimer, ASC, a veteran cinematographer and director of visual effects, died at the age of 82 on Friday, November 6, 1998, following a long illness. He had been a member of the American Society of Cinematographers for 32 years.
Westheimer was born in Los Angeles on May 18, 1916. Like most youngsters, he had a favorite playground: it happened to be the old Warner Bros. Studio on Sunset Boulevard, where his aunt was secretary to production manager Bryan Foy. At the historic studio — now home to KTLA-TV — the 10-year-old watched the filming of The Jazz Singer, the picture which ushered in the "talkie" era of moviemaking. One of Westheimer's prized possessions from that time was an Al Jolson autograph obtained on the set which quotes a line from the film: "What a little boy learns, he never forgets."
Those words were prophetic. At 15, Westheimer was working as a studio messenger, later moving to the prop department. After graduating as an electrical engineer from California Institute of Technology (class of '38) he was hired by Byron Haskin, ASC, head of the Warner Bros. Special Effects Department on Stage 5 in Burbank. Since this was the largest such department in the movie business, Westheimer was able to work with some of the top cinematographers in the effects field, such as ASC fellows Edwin DuPar, Hans Koenekamp and Warren Lynch. During the next three years, he also designed projection process screens and rear-projection equipment for Warners.
In 1942, following America's entry into World War II, Westheimer joined the 18th Base Unit's first motion-picture unit of the Army Air Force. Housed at the Hal Roach Studio in Culver City, this complete working studio was dubbed "Fort Roach." There, he photographed training films until early 1946, when he was mustered out, and returned to Stage 5. In 1947, he joined the special effects unit at Eagle-Lion, a lively young company which had taken over the old Fine Arts Studio on Sunset Boulevard. In 1949, Westheimer left to take charge of optical effects and insert photography at the venerable Consolidated Film Industries in Hollywood, where he worked for six years.
In 1955, he founded The Westheimer Company, located on Seward Street in Hollywood, and ran it for more than 30 years. This was one of the best equipped and most respected effects houses in the industry, providing a full range of visual effects for motion pictures and TV shows. The company was especially noted for elegant optical titles with lettering superimposed over live backgrounds, and matte shots in which painted or miniature elements were composited with previously photographed images. Several leading visual effects experts learned the business at the Westheimer Company, including Richard Edlund, ASC, who refers to Westheimer as "my mentor."
In making opticals, Westheimer usually worked on the set with the director of photography and then completed the scenes at his studio. The Westheimer Company provided unusual effects for features such as The Glory Guys, Cyborg 2087, Dimension 5, The Empire Strikes Back, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?. The firm also lent is magic touch to numerous television shows, including Star Trek, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, Amos Burke — Secret Agent, The Big Valley, Honey West, The Smothers Brothers, Lassie, Branded, Dynasty and Shogun.
Westheimer was a longtime Officer of the Board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For years he was in charge of the Special Visual Effects Awards Committee, and presided at the meetings during which effects men present their work to a large body of professionals who vote on the awards. A tall and imposing man with a ready wit, he was a very popular host at the annual event. In the interest of keeping the proceedings lively, he even provided "shills" in the audience with technically sophisticated questions to ask the nominees. He was also a lifetime member of IATSE.
In 1975, Westheimer won an Academy Class III Scientific or Technical Award "for the development of a device to obtain shadowed titles on motion picture film." Photography was his avocation, and his collection of rare and unusual movie and still cameras was always on display at his studio. Upon his retirement, some of these were donated to the ASC Clubhouse.
Katherine and Joseph Westheimer were married for 50 years and traveled to many parts of the world. They had two children, Joseph Z. (Jody) Westheimer and the late Katherine W. Stauffer, and a grandson, Joseph Lee Stauffer.
Services were private. Any donations may be made to a charity of one's personal choice.
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