The Yearling (1946)

Born in Brooklyn, NY. Cinematographer who entered American film at Vitagraph with J. Stuart Blackton & Wilfrid North's THE BATTLE CRY OF PEACE in 1915. He also shot two 1916 Vitagraph releases directed by Henry Davenport: FOR A WOMAN'S FAIR NAME and THE SUPREME TEMPTATION. In 1924, Smith worked at the Lloyd Davenport studio, shooting the Davenport two-reeler JONAH JONES. 1925 found him at Chadwick Pictures Corp. for two films: a Larry Semon short entitled THE CLOUDHOPPER, and Semon's WIZARD OF OZ, a feature-length film with Semon as the Toymaker/Farmhand/Scarecrow and none other than Oliver Hardy as the Tin Woodman. From 1926 to 1928, Smith shot a series of two-reelers back at Lloyd Hamilton directed by Norman Taurog -- some starring Hamilton and some featuring Lupino Lane. Moving to MGM at the beginning of the sound era, Smith was behind the camera for THE IDLE RICH and SO THIS IS COLLEGE (both 1929), and a series of English and Spanish-language films from 1930 to 1931. Other credits in that decade include SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK (1931), ESKIMO (1933), TARZAN ESCAPES (1936), SONG OF THE CITY and LONDON BY NIGHT (both 1937), MARIE ANTOINETTE (uncredited) and PARADISE FOR THREE (both 1938), MAISIE and AT THE CIRCUS (both 1939), THE MORTAL STORM (uncredited), THE CAPTAIN IS A LADY and GO WEST (all 1940). Smith began shooting in Technicolor in 1940 with BILLY THE KID, for which he received an Oscar® nomination, and this eventually became his specialty. Subsequent director of photography credits include SMILIN' THROUGH (also 1941), SHIP AHOY and SEVEN SWEETHEARTS (both 1942), BEST FOOT FORWARD and LASSIE COME HOME (both 1943), BROADWAY RHYTHM and NATIONAL VELVET (both 1944), and his last two films, COURAGE OF LASSIE and THE YEARLING (both 1946). Smith served as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) from 1943-1947. His career was cut short by a heart attack at age 51.  Nominated for Cinematography (Color) 1941: BILLY THE KID (w. William V. Skall)  Nominated for Cinematography (Color) 1943: LASSIE COME HOME  Nominated for Cinematography (Color) 1945: NATIONAL VELVET  Cinematography (Color) 1946: THE YEARLING (w. Charles Rosher & Arthur E. Arling) 4 nominations, 1 Award