William C. McGann — Little Close-Ups of the A. S. C. (1922) 🇺🇸
William M. McGann [William C. McGann], A. S. C, has been a cinematographer for about nine years and graduated into the profession from the still camera and the laboratory.
Billy was one of the boys of the A. S. C. who had the good fortune and the honor of going overseas with the A. E. F. and he can tell a lot of good stories about his experiences as an aviator only he won’t do it. Like nearly all the veterans of the World War he is almost as noisy about the war stuff as a cherrystone clam at a gingerbread picnic, but we know that Billy served with credit for two years in the aviation corps, 1917–1919, and was honorably discharged after the armistice. Before going to war Mr. McGann had photographed comedies for L. K. O., American and Fox, but after his return he took up features, preferring drama to the lighter form of expression.
He filmed “Hearts of Men” for George Beban; “A Man’s Desire” with Lewis Stone; and then went with Douglas Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.] to photograph The Mollycoddle and When the Clouds Roll By.
Allen Holubar then secured his services for “Man — Woman — Marriage,” and he had no sooner finished than Fairbanks called him back to film The Nut and The Mark of Zorro. This picture, Fairbanks’ first outstanding success and the forerunner of what may prove to be the greatest series of romantic films ever produced, increased the prestige of everybody connected with it and quite naturally the cinematographer came in for his share.
In speaking of the perils that sometimes beset the cameraman in the discharge of his duties Mr. McGann tells of a time when he had set up on the deck of a submarine to film some marine views. Just as he had things going right something went awry with the arrangements and the submarine submerged without warning leaving Billy and his camera to a watery grave for all it cared. He was rescued but the camera was lost, and any cameraman will tell you that if his camera has to go he’d just as lief go along with it.
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Collection: American Cinematographer, February 1922
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