Frank V. Phillips

Frank Van Tuyl Phillips ASC was a child of Hollywood. As a child he was a neighborhood kid near Walt Disney's original garage studio. Like many others he played in the animated/live action series that Disney did. Dreaming of a football career at Notre Dame while attending Hollywood High School he was befriended by the son of the manager of the Grumman's Chinese Theater. There was an opening for a summer job at Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios. Frank signed up to work in the laboratory shipping department and was responsible for shipping the original silent "Ben Hur". Hanging around the studio he observed the intricacies of the camera and how sophisticated and in control the cinematographer was. He turned down upwardly mobile opportunities for the chance to become a film loader in the camera department. He slowly moved up the ladder with the help of life long friend, Harry Stradling Sr. ASC who took him under his wing, moving him up from loader to assistant cameraman. In time Frank was ready to operate and was given the opportunity on "King Solomon's Mine" and "Singing in the Rain". He decided there were more opportunities at other studios moving into second unit photography on several CinemaScope features before he decided to drop back down to camera operator on George Stevens "Giant". The television industry was looking for experienced young men hoping to become cinematographers. Frank's first full fledged job as director of photography was on the television series, "Navy Log". From there he became a sought after series cameraman on the hit series "Have Gun Will Travel", "Gunsmoke" and "Hawaii 5-0". Having done some 2nd Unit photography for Walt Disney on Mary Poppins, The Gnome-mobile" and Lt. Robinson Crusoe" he was offered a contract to work full time on many of Disney's television projects and feature films. His features at Disney included "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", "Scandalous John" (a beautifully photographed Panavision feature - very unusual for Disney) and "The Black Hole" for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Frank has two daughters from his first marriage, Diane and Corliss and many grandchildren. He is godfather to Phillip H. Wagner, a Google Educator and son of cinematographer Roy H. Wagner ASC. Frank had many interests aside from cinematography. He loved the outdoors, gardening and raising race horses. He was a gentle kind man and, like his mentor Harry Stradling, a gifted teacher.