Harry Thorpe — Little Close-Ups of the A. S. C. (1922) 🇺🇸

The handsome young American who looks out at you here is Harry Thorpe, A. S. C, born at St. Paul and educated there and in Los Angeles.

Mr. Thorpe started with the Kalem Motion Picture Company several years ago and has had a varied experience since, but his biggest adventure was, of course, the war. Harry was called to the colors in January, 1918, and served in France eighteen months with the 26th and 77th Combat Divisions, but he was also for a time in the naval destroyer service and in naval aviation as a cinematographer. Like all ex-service men the writer has met, Mr. Thorpe has little to say about his experiences overseas, but the scenes of war have made a very serious young man of him and he is now the student where formerly he was the dreamer. He went overseas as a private in the signal corps and was commissioned in France.

Mr. Thorpe served as cinematographer with Douglas Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.] during 1917 and left him to go to war, but the job was waiting for him when he returned and in August, 1919, he was again at the crank at Fairbanks’ studio where he remained until May 1, 1921. With this star he photographed Wild and Woolly, “Down to Earth“ “Reaching for the Moon,” “The Man from Painted Post,” “A Modern Musketeer,” Headin’ South, “When the Clouds Roll By,” “The Mollycoddle,” The Mark of Zorro, “The Nut.” After leaving Fairbanks Mr. Thorpe photographed “Peter Jane,” starring ZaSu Pitts, and then went to Universal to act as cinematographer for Priscilla Dean. His first work with this star was “Wild Honey.”

His only commercial experience was as a member of the firm of the Thorpe Engraving Company, of Los Angeles. He takes his profession seriously and rightly looks upon it as second to none in its value to mankind.

—

Collection: American Cinematographer, February 1922

—

see here all Little Close-Ups of the A. S. C. (1922)