Born Alexander Thomson in London, England. Former assistant to Nicolas Roeg who shot such first-rate, visually challenging films as John Boorman's EXCALIBUR (1981) and Roeg's EUREKA (1981). He entered British film as an uncredited clapper loader in 1947. Early camera operator credits include MOULIN ROUGE (1952), RICHARD III (1955), LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962), THE CARETAKER (1963), THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964), DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965, uncredited), FAHRENHEIT 451 and A FUNNY THING... FORUM (both 1966), CASINO ROYALE and FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (both 1967). Thomson's career suffered a hiatus in the mid 1970s when he was injured after falling off a camera rostrum on the set of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973). After becoming a lighting cameraman, some other notable camera operator credits include THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (1975), THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION (1976), SUPERMAN (1978, add'l photographer), INCHON (1981, spec. effects camera op.), and THE SAINT (1997). As lighting cameraman or director of photography some of Thomson's notable cinematography credits include ALFRED THE GREAT (1969), DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN (1972), THE KEEP (1983), ELECTRIC DREAMS (1984), YEAR OF THE DRAGON and LEGEND (both 1985), LABYRINTH (1986), THE SICILIAN (1987), HIGH SPIRITS (1988), LEVIATHAN (1989), THE KRAYS and MR. DESTINY (both 1990), ALIEN3 (1992), CLIFFHANGER and DEMOLITION MAN (both 1993), BLACK BEAUTY (1994), THE SCARLET LETTER (1995), EXECUTIVE DECISION and HAMLET (both 1996), LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST and A SHOT AT GLORY (both 2000), LISTENING (2003), and his last film, DER LETZTE FLUG (2004). His daughter, Chyna Thomson, works assistant camera "a" and "b"; she frequently worked with her father.  Nominated for Cinematography 1981: EXCALIBUR 1 nomination