1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Michael Ballhaus Biography (1935-)

Born August 5, 1935, in Berlin, Germany (some sources say Eichelsdorf, Germany); immigrated to the United States, 1982; son of Oscar Ballhaus (an actor) and Lenna (maiden name, Huhev) Heinz (an actress); married Helga Mavia Betten,August 23, 1958; children: Florian (a camera operator), Jan Sebastian (a production assistant). Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency, 1325 6thAve., New York, NY 10019-6026.; Manager: Parseghian/Planco Management, 23 East 22nd St., New York, NY 10010; Untitled Entertainment, 23 East 22nd St., 3rdFloor, New York, NY 10010.

Nationality

German

Gender

Male

Occupation

Cinematographer, producer, director, actor

Birth Details

August 5, 1935

Berlin, Germany

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Cinematographer
• Traumland der Sehnsucht (also known as Dreamland of Desireand Ellas, i hora ton oneiron), 1961
• Deine Zaertlichkeiten, 1969
• Darf ich Sie zur Mutter machen? (also known as Mehrmals taeglich), 1969
• Whity, Atlantis Film/Antiteater-X-Film, 1970
• Wir zwei (also known as We Two), 1970
• Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte, Antiteater-X-Film/Nova International, 1970, released in the United States as Beware of a Holy Whore (also known as Beware the Holy Whore), New Yorker, 1971
• Sand, 1971
• The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (also known as Die bitterenTraenen der Petra von Kant), New Yorker, 1972
• Tschetan, der Indianerjunge (also known as Tschetan, the IndianBoy), 1973
• (As Michael Alexander) Das Suendige Bett (also known as The Sinful Bed), 1973
• Made in Germany und USA, 1974
• Aus der Familie der Panzereschen, 1974
• Das Amulett des Todes (also known as Cold Blood), 1975
• Das Faustrecht der Freiheit, Fox (also known as Fist-Fight of Freedom), Tango Film, 1975, released in the United States as Fox and His Friends (also known as Survival of the Fittest), New Yorker, 1976
• Mutter Kuesters faehrt zum Himmel, Tango Film, 1975, released in the United States as Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven (also known as Mother Kuster's Trip to Heaven), New Yorker, 1976
• Satansbraten (also known as Satan's Brew), New Yorker, 1976
• Summer Guests (also known as Sommergaeste), Constantin, 1976
• Also es war so ... , 1976
• Chinesisches Roulette (also known as Chinese Roulette and Roulette chinoise), New Yorker, 1977
• Adolf und Marlene (also known as Adolph and Marlene and Der Mann vom Obersalzberg--Adolf und Marlene), 1977
• Nur zum Spass, nur zum Spiel (also known as Kaleidoskop ValeskaGert and Valeska Gert), 1977
• Despair (also known as Despair--Eine Reise ins Licht), SwanDiffusion, 1978
• (With Juergen Juerges, Bodo Kessler, Dietrich Lohmann, Colin Mounier, andJoerg Schmidt-Reitwein) Germany in Autumn (also known as Deutschland im Herbst), Projekt-Filmverlag der Autoren-Hallelujah-Kairos Film, 1978
• Die erste Polka (also known as The First Polka), 1978
• Venedig--Die Insel der Glueckseligen am Rande des Untergangs, 1978
• Bourbon Street Blues, 1978
• Die Ehe der Maria Braun Albatros-Film, 1978, released in the United States as The Marriage of Maria Braun, New Yorker, 1979
• Der Aufstand (also known as The Uprising and La insurreccion), 1979
• Gross und Klein (also known as Big and Little), 1980
• Looping (also known as Looping--Der lange Traum vom kurzen Glueck), 1981
• (Uncredited) Lili Marleen, 1981
• Heute spielen wir den Boss (also known as Die Blonde mit den scharfen Kurven and Wo geht's denn hier zum Film?), 1981
• Oye Raimundo, adonde vas? (also known as Kindheit in Amacueca and Oye Rey ... A donde vamos?), 1981
• Malou, 1981
• Der Zauberberg (also known as The Magic Mountain and Lamontagne magique), 1982
• Baby, It's You, Paramount, 1983
• Dear Mr. Wonderful (also known as Ruby's Dream), Lilienthal, 1983
• Friends and Husbands (also known as Heller Wahn, L'amie, and Sheer Madness), Miracle, 1983
• Edith's Tagebuch (also known as Edith's Diary), 1983
• Reckless, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1984
• The Autograph (also known as Das Autogramm and L'autographe), Cine-International, 1984
• Old Enough, Orion Classics, 1984
• Heartbreakers, Orion, 1984
• After Hours, Geffen/Warner Bros., 1985
• The Color of Money, Buena Vista, 1986
• Under the Cherry Moon, Warner Bros., 1986
• The Glass Menagerie, Cineplex Odeon, 1987
• Broadcast News, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
• The House on Carroll Street, Orion, 1988
• The Last Temptation of Christ, Universal, 1988
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Orion, 1988
• Working Girl, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988
• The Fabulous Baker Boys, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1989
• Postcards from the Edge, Columbia, 1990
• Goodfellas (also known as GoodFellas), Warner Bros., 1990
• Guilty by Suspicion (also known as La liste noire), WarnerBros., 1991
• What about Bob?, Buena Vista, 1991
• The Mambo Kings, Warner Bros., 1992
• Bram Stoker's Dracula (also known as Dracula), Columbia, 1992
• The Age of Innocence, Columbia, 1993
• I'll Do Anything (also known as Make Believe It's Only a Movie), Columbia, 1994
• Quiz Show, Buena Vista, 1994
• Outbreak, Warner Bros., 1995
• Sleepers, Warner Bros., 1996
• Kreuz & quer, 1996
• Air Force One (also known as AFO), Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1997
• Primary Colors (also known as Mit aller Macht and Perfect Couple), Universal, 1997
• Wild Wild West, Warner Bros., 1999
• What Planet Are You From?, Columbia, 2000
• The Legend of Bagger Vance, DreamWorks, 2000
• Gone Underground (short film), 2000
• Gangs of New York, Miramax, 2002
• Uptown Girls, Metro-Goldwyn-Entertainment, 2003
• Something's Gotta Give, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2003
• Also worked as cinematographer on Two of Us.
• Film Work
• Other
• Executive producer, The Thirteenth Floor (also known as The 13th Floor), Columbia TriStar, 1999
• Consulting producer, Last Night (short film), 2004
• Visual consultant, Stranded (short film), Zero Film Berlin, 2004
• Film Appearances
• Second film director's cameraman, Der Kleine Godard, 1978
• Dr. Mueller, Spiel der Verlierer, 1978
• Anwalt, Die Ehe der Maria Braun, Albatros-Film, 1978, released inthe United States as The Marriage of Maria Braun, New Yorker, 1979
• Interviewee, Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography (documentary), American Film Institute/NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp., 1992
• Himself, Ich will nicht nur, dass ihr mich liebt (documentary; also known as I Don't Just Want You to Love Me), Pro-ject Filmproduktionim Filmverlag der Autoren, 1993
• (In archive footage) Himself, Ausverkauft! (short film), 1999
• Himself, Fuer mich gab's nur Fassbinder (also known as Fassbinder's Women), 2000
• Himself, Michael Ballhaus--Begegnung mit dem Auge Hollywoods (documentary short film), 2001
• Himself, Starbuck Holger Meins (documentary), 2002
• Himself, Fassbinder in Hollywood (documentary), 2002
• Himself, Getting Made: The Making of `GoodFellas' (documentary short film), Warner Home Video, 2004
• Television Cinematographer
• Series
• Ein Haus fuer uns--Jugenderholungsheim, 1974
• Television Director
• Movies
• Fassbinder Produces Film No.8 (also known as Fassbinder produziert: Film Nr. 8), 1970
• Television Cinematographer
• Specials
• Landscape with Waitress, PBS, 1986
• Movies
• Die Nachbarskinder, 1960
• Die Kassette, 1961
• Das Martyrium des Peter O'Hey, 1964
• Grosse Liebe, 1966
• Abschied, 1966
• Ein Haus aus lauter Liebe, 1966
• Ganze Tage in den Baeumen, 1968
• Adele Spitzeder, 1972
• Der Marquis von Keith, 1972
• Ich bin ein Buerger der DDR, 1973
• Welt am Draht (also known as World on Wires and World ona Wire), 1973
• Tatort--Tote brauchen keine Wohnung, 1973
• Martha, 1973
• Ich will doch nur, dass ihr mich liebt (also known as I Only Want You to Love Me), 1976
• Frauen in New York (also known as Women in New York), 1977
• Bolweiser (also known as The Stationmaster's Wife), 1977
• Der Gehilfe, 1978
• Alpensaga-Teil 5: Der Deutsche Fruehling, 1979
• Der Deutsche Fruehling (also known as German Spring), 1979
• Trilogie des Wiedersehens, 1979
• Also es war so... (also known as Willy and the Chinese Cat), 1980
• Der Ausloeser, 1982
• Death of a Salesman (also known as Der Tod eines Handlungreisenden), CBS, 1985
• Baja Oklahoma, HBO, 1988
• Television Appearances
• Episodic
• "Private Conversations: On the Set of `Death of a Salesman,'" AmericanMasters, PBS, 1986
• "Martin Scorsese Directs," American Masters, PBS, 1990
• RECORDINGS
• Music Videos; as Cinematographer
• Cinematographer on Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" and "True Blue," 1986.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 4: Writers and Production Artists, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000