Motion-Picture Cinematographer. He helped pioneer glamour photography in Hollywood movies, switching from harsh contrast to softer lighting that was more flattering to the actors. Folsey received 13 Oscar nominations, for "Reunion in Vienna" (1933), "Operator 13" (1934), "The Gorgeous Hussy" (1936), "Thousands Cheer" (1943), "The White Cliffs of Dover" (1944), "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944), "The Green Years" (1946), "Green Dolphin Street" (1947), "Million Dollar Mermaid" (1952), "All Brothers Were Valiant" (1953), "Executive Suite" (1954), "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" (1954), and "The Balcony" (1963), but never won the award. Folsey was born in New York City, and entered films at age 16 as an office boy and camera assistant for producer Jesse Lasky. His most notable early work can be seen in "Applause" (1929), which proved that fluid camera movement could be adapted to the initially crude technology of talkies; and the first two films of The Marx Brothers, "The Cocoanuts" (1929) and "Animal Crackers" (1930). In 1933 Folsey found a congenial home at MGM, where he remained for a quarter of a century, shooting many of that studio's glossiest productions. His other credits include "Men in White" (1934), "The Great Ziegfeld" (co-photography, 1936), "A Guy Named Joe" (co-photography, 1943), "The Harvey Girls" (1946), "State of the Union" (1948), "Adam's Rib" (1950), "Forbidden Planet" (1956), "Tip on a Dead Jockey" (1957), "Glass Houses" (1972), and the new sequences for the documentary "That's Entertainment, Part II" (1976). Folsey was president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) from 1956 to 1957, and received that organization's Lifetime Achievement Award a few months before his death at 90. He was the father of film editor and producer George Folsey, Jr.
Motion-Picture Cinematographer. He helped pioneer glamour photography in Hollywood movies, switching from harsh contrast to softer lighting that was more flattering to the actors. Folsey received 13 Oscar nominations, for "Reunion in Vienna" (1933), "Operator 13" (1934), "The Gorgeous Hussy" (1936), "Thousands Cheer" (1943), "The White Cliffs of Dover" (1944), "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944), "The Green Years" (1946), "Green Dolphin Street" (1947), "Million Dollar Mermaid" (1952), "All Brothers Were Valiant" (1953), "Executive Suite" (1954), "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" (1954), and "The Balcony" (1963), but never won the award. Folsey was born in New York City, and entered films at age 16 as an office boy and camera assistant for producer Jesse Lasky. His most notable early work can be seen in "Applause" (1929), which proved that fluid camera movement could be adapted to the initially crude technology of talkies; and the first two films of The Marx Brothers, "The Cocoanuts" (1929) and "Animal Crackers" (1930). In 1933 Folsey found a congenial home at MGM, where he remained for a quarter of a century, shooting many of that studio's glossiest productions. His other credits include "Men in White" (1934), "The Great Ziegfeld" (co-photography, 1936), "A Guy Named Joe" (co-photography, 1943), "The Harvey Girls" (1946), "State of the Union" (1948), "Adam's Rib" (1950), "Forbidden Planet" (1956), "Tip on a Dead Jockey" (1957), "Glass Houses" (1972), and the new sequences for the documentary "That's Entertainment, Part II" (1976). Folsey was president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) from 1956 to 1957, and received that organization's Lifetime Achievement Award a few months before his death at 90. He was the father of film editor and producer George Folsey, Jr.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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