Orson Welles with cameraman Gary Graver
“Gary is an absolutely first-class cinematographer. He has a strong visual sense and the taste to go with it. He commands the highest degree of technical expertise, and I know of nobody who can lead a crew with more authority. His people always like him, and he knows how to get that extra degree of effort, and to maintain an atmosphere of enthusiasm on the set. As a director-producer, I especially prize him for being such an exceptionally fast worker. You are always ahead of schedule with Gary Graver… Above all, he knows how to get it all up on the screen, to make every dollar count. This degree of efficiency and this combination of talent is rare indeed.” – Orson Welles
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Ten years ago on November 16, 2006, Gary Graver, faithful cinematographer to Orson Welles, lost his battle with cancer. He was 68.
Graver worked on numerous completed and unfinished films with Welles, including F For Fake, Filming Othello, The Other Side of the Wind, The Dreamers, Filming The Trial, The Magic Show, The Orson Welles Show, and others.
Graver was born in Portland, Oregon. While at high school, he produced his own radio show and acted at the Portland civic theatre. At 20, he moved to Hollywood and studied acting with Lee J Cobb before being drafted into the army, where he developed his photographic skills as a member of the U.S. Navy combat camera group in Vietnam.
After leaving the military, he sought work in Hollywood. His career included Roger Corman movies, adult films and music videos (He was the cinematographer on Ron Howard’s directorial debut, Grand Theft Auto.)
In July 1970, Graver left his phone number and a message for Welles, who was staying at the Beverly Hills Hilton, saying that he would love to work for him. Graver returned to his Los Angeles apartment to find the phone ringing. It was Welles: “Come over to my hotel right away.” Welles explained that Graver was only the second cameraman who had ever called him, the first being Gregg Toland, the great cinematographer on Citizen Kane.
Graver was almost immediately given the task of photographing Welles’ still-unfinished The Other Side of the Wind.
Graver worked tirelessly in his later years to see that The Other Side of the Wind would be completed.
His widow, actress Jillian Kesner, died a year his passing from complications of a staph infection, which she contracted after having been diagnosed with leukemia.He is survived by his children, Chris and Sean. A memorial website can be found at garygraver.com
Graver’s memoir, Making Movies with Orson Welles, co-written by Andrew J. Rausch, was published two years after his passing by Scarecrow Press.
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