John Hora, ASC- A gifted thespian?

July 6, 2005

Anyone remember cinematographer John Hora's supporting role as the chief scientist in the Joe Dante movie Innerspace? Despite being Dante's regular DP, the movie was shot by Andrew Lazlo, ASC (Dante wanted a harder light, according to his DVD commentary). Cinematographer's have made goofy cameos many a time, (Robert Paynter BSC in John Landis' SPIES LIKE US and INTO THE NIGHT), but I can't count one other who has had a proper acting job in a big Hollywood picture. This is perhaps the only time a DP has given a considerable acting job in a major Hollywood movie, and a major plot device at that.

Anyone have any thoughts, information or opinions on Hora's performance, DP's as actors, the behind the scenes politics of Innerspace or anything else to bring to the table?

This may be a once in a lifetime thread! :lol:

Wendell_Greene · July 6, 2005

Cinematographer's have made goofy cameos many a time.... but I can't count one other who has had a proper acting job in a big Hollywood picture.

Michael Chapman, ASC has had a few acting roles in films, the one I remember most being "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid". Harris Savides had a brief role in "Se7en" as a 911 operator. I'm sure there are others. I need to watch "Innerspace" again, I enjoyed reading the chapter devoted to the film in Andrew Lazlo's [ASC] book, "Every Frame A Rembrandt".

July 6, 2005

Andrew Lazlo has a book???!! :o

These were bit parts though, right? I mean Hora actually gets a big credit in the opening title sequence of Innerspace!! I'm sure he was billed ABOVE many high profile support players on that show.

David Mullen ASC · July 6, 2005

Andrew Lazlo has a book???!! :o

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He has two books.

I can't remember any speaking parts given to a cinematographer as big as Hora's, unless you count John Bailey's appearance in "Incident at Loch Ness" as himself (I haven't seen the movie yet.)

Caleb Deschanel has a cameo in "Message in a Bottle" as a man staying at the B&B that Robin Wright has pointed out to as an eligible bachelor.

Bob Hayes · July 6, 2005

John Hora?s character was one of the best parts of ?Innerspace?.

July 6, 2005

Thankyou Wendell and David for the heads up- I'll have to check those out asap!! Any info on both of the books? Are they both a great read (seems a no brainer)? :)

I still can't get my head around Hora's Innerspace performance- it's the fact he is a top billed support character, above Dante regulars Kathleen Freeman and Dick Miller, and he didn't even light the movie!! :D only Savides on Se7en seems to come close, but it's still nothing by comparison. To the generation who grew up with Innerspace, it seems Hora may well be the closest a DP comes to having public recognition!!

Edited July 6, 2005 by fstop

Ignacio Aguilar · July 6, 2005

And the of Hora's character was "Ozzie Wexler"...

I remember that Billy Williams [bSC] had a small supporting role in John Milius "The Wind and the Lion". He had about four or five lines of dialogue with Candice Bergen at the beginning of the film, before Sean Connery and his troops attack their mansion.

And Williams, trying to defend Bergen and her two children, manages to kill about five bad guys with a gun! :)

Ignacio Aguilar · July 6, 2005

For some reason I can't edit my previous post. I wanted to say "And the NAME of Hora's character was "Ozzie Wexler"..."

Also, I forgot to say that Billy Williams photographed "The Wind and the Lion", so his acting is not as rare as Hora's.

Edited July 6, 2005 by Ignacio Aguilar

David Mullen ASC · July 6, 2005

Yes, I forgot about Billy Williams, who got a speaking part and a cool death scene in that movie.

Vilmos Zsigmond had a cameo in "Maverick" as a photographer in Yosemite Valley.

Andrew Lesnie got to play a pirate along with Jackson and other key members of "Lord of the Rings" in the third movie.

Don't forget Storaro's cameo in "Apocalypse Now"...

Besides Hora's part, I guess the only DP I can think of with an even bigger part is Chris Doyle, who has acted in some Hong Kong films. He played an English teacher in Peter Chan's "Comrades: Almost A Love Story."

Wendell_Greene · July 6, 2005

One more.... Ernest Dickerson, ASC has a speaking role/cameo as one of the "dawgs" in Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It"

Tim, you'll enjoy both of Lazlo's books, worth the purchase IMO.

Sean Azze · July 7, 2005

How dare you guys forget Gregg Toland in Citizen Kane :o

He only had a minor role as a reporter interviewing Charles Foster Kane in the beginning news role footage, but it has to be one of the more notable DP cameos.

Bob Hayes · July 7, 2005

How about Haskell Wexler at the end of "Medium Cool" operating a crane shot. It will be hard to beat Greg Toland in "Citizen Kane".

J. Lamar King IMPOSTOR · July 7, 2005

Don't forget John Alonzo in numerous film and TV roles. To name a few...

Invitation to a Gunfighter

Terror at Black Falls

Five Fingers of Death

Susan Slade

The Long Rope

The Magnificent Seven

The Wild Wild West

Bewitched

The Twilight Zone

Perry Mason

Dragnet

Here he is as "Bialos" in "COMBAT!"

Edited July 7, 2005 by J. Lamar King

July 8, 2005

J, I really can't believe I had forgotten Alonzo!! I recall you mentioning this in a past thread in great detail which I enjoyed immensely- it's great to see DPs coming from all kinds of backgrounds as oppose to just the mundane and expected filmschool/teaboy/stillsman route.

David, I will have to check out the Doyle pictures in which he has a major acting part- many thanks for the heads up!

Wendell-

You have got me all excited for these Lazlo books!! If his writing is anywhere near as well constructed as his lighting I'm in for a helluva read! :D Many many thanks again!

Leo Anthony Vale · October 31, 2005

Anyone have any thoughts, information or opinions on Hora's performance, DP's as actors, the behind the scenes politics of Innerspace or anything else to bring to the table?

This may be a once in a lifetime thread! :lol:

---Not really an apperance, but in the 'corpus earthling' episode of 'The Outer Limits',one of the creepier episodes, Robert Culp and Salome Jens are holed up in a seedy apartment. There's a noise in the hall.

Saolme Jens peeks out the door and says: 'It's Billy Fraker. He's drunk again.'

Billy Fraker,of course, was Conrad Hall's operator on the series.

Hal Mohr photograhed 'The Last Voyage' entirely on an ocean liner which was partially sunk for the movie. No miniatures or mock ups in atank. One of the last shots which has the main characters running on the deck which is already cover with water is quite startling.

Anyway, early in the picture, R.Stack and D.Malone are walking down one of the main staircases. Behind them is a white haired man with a camera around his neck. That's Hal Mohr. Some teenagers run up the stairs and bump into him. He says something on the order of: 'Young people today have no respect.'

An entertaining cameo.

---LV

Boone Hudgins · November 2, 2005

Michael Chapman played a doorman in House of D. He was in two scenes, I believe, and had quite a few lines.

Mark T. Ingham · November 10, 2005

I just noticed Owen Roizman as a club manager in "Havana." He has one line of dialogue with Redford's character. B)

Also, Michael Chapman as the carnie annoyed with Woody Harrelson's character in "Doc Hollywood."

Mitch Gross · November 10, 2005

Michael Chapman has appeared in a number of films. Tellingly, he'll usually play a gruff hard-ass character. ;-) Check out the smarmy mob lawyer in Shoot to Kill (aka Deadly Pursuit).

Thomas Cousin · February 5, 2006

hello,

at the beginning of "scream 2", you can see Peter Deming selling pop-corn at the cinema playing "Stab".

i have to watch the movie again, but it seems that Lance Acord is playing a little cameo as a hunter in the monkey's flashback in "being john malkovich", beside Spkie Jonze himself.

and , as everybody must have noticed (it is said in the american cinematographer), you can see Rodrigo Prieto playing a small part as a mexican male prostitute in "brokeback mountain".

thomas