Lee Garmes, A.S.C. was a renowned American cinematographer, born on May 27, 1898, in Peoria, Illinois. He began his career in Hollywood in 1916, initially working as an assistant in the paint department at Thomas H. Ince Studios before progressing to become a camera assistant and eventually a full-time cameraman.
Garmes' early films were comedy shorts, but his career didn't truly take off until the introduction of sound. He went on to work with some of the most esteemed directors of his time, including Howard Hawks, Max Ophüls, Josef von Sternberg, Alfred Hitchcock, King Vidor, Nicholas Ray, and Henry Hathaway.
Garmes was married to film actress Ruth Hall from 1933 until his passing in 1978. He is laid to rest in the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Throughout his illustrious career, Garmes was an early advocate for video technology, even going so far as to test its viability for shooting feature films in 1972.
One of Garmes' most notable contributions to the film industry was his work on the iconic film Gone with the Wind. Although officially unaccredited, Garmes photographed a significant portion of the film, including the renowned railroad yard sequence, which many consider to be among his finest cinematic achievements.
In addition to his impressive body of work, Garmes was also interviewed by Kevin Brownlow for the television series Hollywood in 1980, sharing his insights and experiences with a new generation of filmmakers.
