Ernest Haller

Who was Ernest Haller?

Ernest Haller, A.S.C. also credited as Ernie B. Haller, was an American cinematographer.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Haller joined Biograph Studios as an actor in 1914, then began to freelance as a cinematographer. By 1920, he was a full-fledged director of photography and worked on some 180 films.

Among his notable films, many of which starred Bette Davis, are Captain Blood, Dangerous, That Certain Woman, Jezebel, Dark Victory, Gone with the Wind, All This, and Heaven Too, The Bride Came C.O.D., Mr. Skeffington, Mildred Pierce, Deception, Humoresque, Winter Meeting, Rebel Without a Cause, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Lilies of the Field and Dead Ringer.

On the second pilot episode for the television series Star Trek, "Where No Man Has Gone Before", Haller came out of semi-retirement to serve as director of photography. Director James Goldstone recommended Haller at the last minute, after attempts to locate a cameraman had proved problematic.

Haller was nominated for the Academy Award seven times and won the Oscar for Best Cinematography for Gone with the Wind.