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