Cinematographer. He was the first Hollywood cameraman to specialize in aerial photography. Although he rarely shot an entire feature solo, Dyer's often breathtaking airbourne sequences added thrills and authenticity to many classic films. He shared an Academy Award nomination with James Wong Howe for "Air Force" (1943). Dyer was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and moved to Los Angeles in 1906. From 1916 to 1921 he was a freelance cameraman selling newsreel footage to Paramount and Universal and was co-photographer of a few B westerns in the 1920s. With director Frank Capra's "Flight" (1929) he began to focus on his unique talent, which was firmly established through his lensing of the spectacular dogfight scenes in "Hell's Angels" (1930). For many years he worked in tandem with famed stunt pilot Paul Mantz. Dyer's other credits as aerial photographer include "The Dawn Patrol" (1930), "Dirigible" (1931), "Night Flight" (1932), "The Lost Squadron" (1932), "Lost Horizon" (1937), "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939), "The Flying Deuces" (1939), "Captains of the Clouds" (1942), and "Wake Island" (1942). During World War II Dyer served in the Army's First Motion Picture Unit and shot aerial footage for training films. He later established his own stock-shot library and was primarily active in that business after 1950. His papers are now housed at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Cinematographer. He was the first Hollywood cameraman to specialize in aerial photography. Although he rarely shot an entire feature solo, Dyer's often breathtaking airbourne sequences added thrills and authenticity to many classic films. He shared an Academy Award nomination with James Wong Howe for "Air Force" (1943). Dyer was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and moved to Los Angeles in 1906. From 1916 to 1921 he was a freelance cameraman selling newsreel footage to Paramount and Universal and was co-photographer of a few B westerns in the 1920s. With director Frank Capra's "Flight" (1929) he began to focus on his unique talent, which was firmly established through his lensing of the spectacular dogfight scenes in "Hell's Angels" (1930). For many years he worked in tandem with famed stunt pilot Paul Mantz. Dyer's other credits as aerial photographer include "The Dawn Patrol" (1930), "Dirigible" (1931), "Night Flight" (1932), "The Lost Squadron" (1932), "Lost Horizon" (1937), "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939), "The Flying Deuces" (1939), "Captains of the Clouds" (1942), and "Wake Island" (1942). During World War II Dyer served in the Army's First Motion Picture Unit and shot aerial footage for training films. He later established his own stock-shot library and was primarily active in that business after 1950. His papers are now housed at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Bio by: Bobb Edwards