Ballhaus, Michael 1935–

BALLHAUS, Michael 1935–

(Michael Alexander)

PERSONAL

Born August 5, 1935, in Berlin, Germany (some sources say Eichelsdorf, Germany); immigrated to the United States, 1982; son of Oscar Ballhaus (an actor) and Lenna (maiden name, Huhev) Heinz (an actress); married Helga Mavia Betten, August 23, 1958; children: Florian (a camera operator), Jan Sebastian (a production assistant). Education: Studied photography for two years.

Addresses:

Agent— William Morris Agency, 1325 6th Ave., New York, NY 10019–6026. Manager— Parseghian/Planco Management, 23 East 22nd St., New York, NY 10010; Untitled Entertainment, 23 East 22nd St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10010.

Career:

Cinematographer, producer, director, and actor. Worked with German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1970–c. 1982.

Member:

American Society of Cinematographers, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Akademie der Kuente Berlin.

Awards, Honors:

Film Strip in Gold, outstanding individual achievement: cinematography, German Film Awards, 1973, for Die Bitteren Traenen der Petra von Kant; Film Strip in Gold, outstanding individual achievement, German Film Awards, 1978, for Despair; Independent Spirit Award nomination, best cinematographer, 1986, for After Hours; Academy Award nomination, best achievement in cinematography, 1988, for Broadcast News; Academy Award nomination, best achievement in cinematography, Achievement Award for best cinematography, best cinematography, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, National Society of Film Critics Award, best cinematography, 1989, all for The Fabulous Baker Boys; Los Angeles Critics Award, best cinematography, 1990, for Goodfellas; Best Cinematography Award nomination, British Society of Cinematographers, 1990, Film Award nomination, best cinematography, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1991, both for Goodfellas; Golden Frog Award nomination, Camerimage, 1993, for The Age of Innocence; Film Award nomination, best cinematography, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1994, for The Age of Innocence; Honorary Award, German Camera Awards, 1996; Golden Screen—Special Achievement, 2000, for lifetime achievement; Golden Goblet, best technology, Shanghai International Film Festival, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best cinematography, 2001, both for The Legend of Bagger Vance; Academy Award nomination, best cinematography, Online Film Critics Society Award nomination, best cinematography, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best cinematography, Chicago Film Critics Association Award nomination, best cinematography, Film Award nomination, best cinematography, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, ASC Award nomination, outstanding achievement in cinematography in theatrical releases, American Society of Cinematographers, 2003, all for Gangs of New York.

CREDITS

Film Cinematographer:

Traumland der Sehnsucht (also known as Dreamland of Desire and Ellas, i hora ton oneiron ), 1961.

Deine Zaertlichkeiten, 1969.

Darf ich Sie zur Mutter machen? (also known as Mehrmals taeglich ), 1969.

Whity, Atlantis Film/Antiteater–X–Film, 1970.

Wir zwei (also known as We Two ), 1970.

Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte, Antiteater–X–Film/Nova International, 1970, released in the United States as Beware of a Holy Whore (also known as Beware the Holy Whore ), New Yorker, 1971.

Sand, 1971.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (also known as Die bitteren Traenen der Petra von Kant ), New Yorker, 1972.

Tschetan, der Indianerjunge (also known as Tschetan, the Indian Boy ), 1973.

(As Michael Alexander) Das Suendige Bett (also known as The Sinful Bed ), 1973.

Made in Germany und USA, 1974.

Aus der Familie der Panzereschen, 1974.

Das Amulett des Todes (also known as Cold Blood ), 1975.

Das Faustrecht der Freiheit, Fox (also known as Fist–Fight of Freedom ), Tango Film, 1975, released in the United States as Fox and His Friends (also known as Survival of the Fittest ), New Yorker, 1976.

Mutter Kuesters faehrt zum Himmel, Tango Film, 1975, released in the United States as Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven (also known as Mother Kuster's Trip to Heaven ), New Yorker, 1976.

Satansbraten (also known as Satan's Brew ), New Yorker, 1976.

Summer Guests (also known as Sommergaeste ), Constantin, 1976.

Also es war so …, 1976.

Chinesisches Roulette (also known as Chinese Roulette and Roulette chinoise ), New Yorker, 1977.

Adolf und Marlene (also known as Adolph and Marlene and Der Mann vom Obersalzberg—Adolf und Marlene ), 1977.

Nur zum Spass, nur zum Spiel (also known as Kaleidoskop Valeska Gert and Valeska Gert ), 1977.

Despair (also known as Despair—Eine Reise ins Licht ), Swan Diffusion, 1978.

(With Juergen Juerges, Bodo Kessler, Dietrich Lohmann, Colin Mounier, and Joerg Schmidt–Reitwein) Germany in Autumn (also known as Deutschland im Herbst ), Projekt–Filmverlag der Autoren–Hallelujah–Kairos Film, 1978.

Die erste Polka (also known as The First Polka ), 1978.

Venedig—Die Insel der Glueckseligen am Rande des Untergangs, 1978.

Bourbon Street Blues, 1978.

Die Ehe der Maria Braun Albatros–Film, 1978, released in the United States as The Marriage of Maria Braun, New Yorker, 1979.

Der Aufstand (also known as The Uprising and La insurreccion ), 1979.

Gross und Klein (also known as Big and Little ), 1980.

Looping (also known as Looping—Der lange Traum vom kurzen Glueck ), 1981.

)(Uncredited) Lili Marleen, 1981.

Heute spielen wir den Boss (also known as Die Blonde mit den scharfen Kurven and Wo geht's denn hier zum Film? ), 1981.

Oye Raimundo, adonde vas? (also known as Kindheit in Amacueca and Oye Rey … A donde vamos? ), 1981.

Malou, 1981.

Der Zauberberg (also known as The Magic Mountain and La montagne magique ), 1982.

Baby, It's You, Paramount, 1983.

Dear Mr. Wonderful (also known as Ruby's Dream ), Lilienthal, 1983.

Friends and Husbands (also known as Heller Wahn, L'amie, and Sheer Madness ), Miracle, 1983.

Edith's Tagebuch (also known as Edith's Diary ), 1983.

Reckless, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1984.

The Autograph (also known as Das Autogramm and L'autographe ), Cine–International, 1984.

Old Enough, Orion Classics, 1984.

Heartbreakers, Orion, 1984.

After Hours, Geffen/Warner Bros., 1985.

The Color of Money, Buena Vista, 1986.

Under the Cherry Moon, Warner Bros., 1986.

The Glass Menagerie, Cineplex Odeon, 1987.

Broadcast News, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1987.

The House on Carroll Street, Orion, 1988.

The Last Temptation of Christ, Universal, 1988.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Orion, 1988.

Working Girl, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1988.

The Fabulous Baker Boys, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1989.

Postcards from the Edge, Columbia, 1990.

Goodfellas (also known as GoodFellas ), Warner Bros., 1990.

Guilty by Suspicion (also known as La liste noire ), Warner Bros., 1991.

What about Bob?, Buena Vista, 1991.

The Mambo Kings, Warner Bros., 1992.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (also known as Dracula ), Columbia, 1992.

The Age of Innocence, Columbia, 1993.

I'll Do Anything (also known as Make Believe It's Only a Movie ), Columbia, 1994.

Quiz Show, Buena Vista, 1994.

Outbreak, Warner Bros., 1995.

Sleepers, Warner Bros., 1996.

Kreuz & quer, 1996.

Air Force One (also known as AFO ), Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1997.

Primary Colors (also known as Mit aller Macht and Perfect Couple ), Universal, 1997.

Wild Wild West, Warner Bros., 1999.

What Planet Are You From?, Columbia, 2000.

The Legend of Bagger Vance, DreamWorks, 2000.

Gone Underground (short film), 2000.

Gangs of New York, Miramax, 2002.

Uptown Girls, Metro–Goldwyn–Entertainment, 2003.

Something's Gotta Give, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2003.

Also worked as cinematographer on Two of Us.

Film Work; Other:

Executive producer, The Thirteenth Floor (also known as The 13th Floor ), Columbia TriStar, 1999.

Consulting producer, Last Night (short film), 2004.

Visual consultant, Stranded (short film), Zero Film Berlin, 2004.

Film Appearances:

Second film director's cameraman, Der Kleine Godard, 1978.

Dr. Mueller, Spiel der Verlierer, 1978.

Anwalt, Die Ehe der Maria Braun, Albatros–Film, 1978, released in the United States as The Marriage of Maria Braun, New Yorker, 1979.

Interviewee, Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography (documentary), American Film Institute/NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp., 1992.

Himself, Ich will nicht nur, dass ihr mich liebt (documentary; also known as I Don't Just Want You to Love Me ), Pro–ject Filmproduktion im Filmverlag der Autoren, 1993.

(In archive footage) Himself, Ausverkauft! (short film), 1999.

Himself, Fuer mich gab's nur Fassbinder (also known as Fassbinder's Women ), 2000.

Himself, Michael Ballhaus—Begegnung mit dem Auge Hollywoods (documentary short film), 2001.

Himself, Starbuck Holger Meins (documentary), 2002.

Himself, Fassbinder in Hollywood (documentary), 2002.

Himself, Getting Made: The Making of 'GoodFellas' (documentary short film), Warner Home Video, 2004.

Television Cinematographer; Series:

Ein Haus fuer uns—Jugenderholungsheim, 1974.

Television Director; Movies:

Fassbinder Produces Film No.8 (also known as Fassbinder produziert: Film Nr. 8 ), 1970.

Television Cinematographer; Specials:

Landscape with Waitress, PBS, 1986.

Television Cinematographer; Movies:

Die Nachbarskinder, 1960.

Die Kassette, 1961.

Das Martyrium des Peter O'Hey, 1964.

Grosse Liebe, 1966.

Abschied, 1966.

Ein Haus aus lauter Liebe, 1966.

Ganze Tage in den Baeumen, 1968.

Adele Spitzeder, 1972.

Der Marquis von Keith, 1972.

Ich bin ein Buerger der DDR, 1973.

Welt am Draht (also known as World on Wires and World on a Wire ), 1973.

Tatort—Tote brauchen keine Wohnung, 1973.

Martha, 1973.

Ich will doch nur, dass ihr mich liebt (also known as I Only Want You to Love Me ), 1976.

Frauen in New York (also known as Women in New York ), 1977.

Bolweiser (also known as The Stationmaster's Wife ), 1977.

Der Gehilfe, 1978.

Alpensaga–Teil 5: Der Deutsche Fruehling, 1979.

Der Deutsche Fruehling (also known as German Spring ), 1979.

Trilogie des Wiedersehens, 1979.

Also es war so… (also known as Willy and the Chinese Cat ), 1980.

Der Ausloeser, 1982.

Death of a Salesman (also known as Der Tod eines Handlungreisenden ), CBS, 1985.

Baja Oklahoma, HBO, 1988.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Private Conversations: On the Set of 'Death of a Salesman,'" American Masters, PBS, 1986.

"Martin Scorsese Directs," American Masters, PBS, 1990.

RECORDINGS

Music Videos; as Cinematographer:

Cinematographer on Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" and "True Blue," 1986.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 4: Writers and Production Artists, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000.