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G.W. Bitzer(1872-1944)

  • Cinematographer
  • Director
  • Camera and Electrical Department
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
G.W. Bitzer
G.W. Bitzer was born on 21 April 1872 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA. He was a cinematographer and director, known for The Birth of a Nation (1915), Broken Blossoms (1919) and Logging in Maine (1906). He was married to Ethel Boddy. He died on 29 April 1944 in Hollywood, California, USA.
BornApril 21, 1872
DiedApril 29, 1944(72)
BornApril 21, 1872
DiedApril 29, 1944(72)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

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Known for

The Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Birth of a Nation
6.0
  • Cinematographer
  • 1915
Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess in Broken Blossoms (1919)
Broken Blossoms
7.2
  • Cinematographer
  • 1919
Logging in Maine (1906)
Logging in Maine
4.2
Short
  • Cinematographer
  • 1906
Intolerance (1916)
Intolerance
7.6
  • Cinematographer
  • 1916

Credits

IMDbPro

Cinematographer

  • Red Buttons, Frankie Carle, Leon Errol, Inesita, Liberace, Melissa Mason, Jerry Murad, Jack Paar, Grace Ramanos, Buster West, The Sportsmen Quartet, and The Harmonicats in Footlight Varieties (1951)
    Footlight Varieties
    5.0
    • Cinematographer (segment "Confidence")
    • 1951
  • Olive Borden in Hotel Variety (1933)
    Hotel Variety
    6.3
    • Cinematographer
    • 1933
  • William Boyd and Lupe Velez in Lady of the Pavements (1929)
    Lady of the Pavements
    6.7
    • photography by
    • 1929
  • Don Alvarado, Belle Bennett, Phyllis Haver, Jean Hersholt, and Sally O'Neil in The Battle of the Sexes (1928)
    The Battle of the Sexes
    6.5
    • photography by (as Billy Bitzer)
    • 1928
  • Drums of Love (1928)
    Drums of Love
    5.6
    • photography by
    • 1928
  • Lila Lee in The Midnight Girl (1925)
    The Midnight Girl
    5.7
    • Cinematographer (as William Bitzer)
    • 1925
  • Harry O'Neill in America (1924)
    America
    6.3
    • Cinematographer
    • 1924
  • The White Rose (1923)
    The White Rose
    6.1
    • Cinematographer
    • 1923
  • Johnny Hines in Sure-Fire Flint (1922)
    Sure-Fire Flint
    • Cinematographer (as Billy Bitzer)
    • 1922
  • Orphans of the Storm (1921)
    Orphans of the Storm
    7.3
    • Cinematographer
    • 1921
  • Richard Barthelmess and Carol Dempster in The Love Flower (1920)
    The Love Flower
    6.1
    • Cinematographer
    • 1920
  • The Idol Dancer (1920)
    The Idol Dancer
    5.1
    • Cinematographer
    • 1920
  • The Greatest Question (1919)
    The Greatest Question
    6.0
    • Cinematographer
    • 1919
  • Scarlet Days (1919)
    Scarlet Days
    5.3
    • Cinematographer
    • 1919
  • Robert Harron and Mae Marsh in The Mother and the Law (1919)
    The Mother and the Law
    7.0
    • Cinematographer
    • 1919

Director

  • The Adventures of Dollie (1908)
    The Adventures of Dollie
    5.7
    Short
    • Director (uncredited)
    • 1908
  • John Paul Jones Ceremonies (1906)
    John Paul Jones Ceremonies
    Short
    • directed by
    • 1906
  • Logging in Maine (1906)
    Logging in Maine
    4.2
    Short
    • Director
    • 1906
  • The Impossible Convicts (1906)
    The Impossible Convicts
    5.5
    Short
    • Director
    • 1906
  • A Kentucky Feud (1905)
    A Kentucky Feud
    4.1
    Short
    • Director (as Billy Bitzer)
    • 1905
  • Sparring at the N.Y.A.C.
    2.8
    Short
    • Director
    • 1905
  • A Ballroom Tragedy (1905)
    A Ballroom Tragedy
    4.7
    Short
    • Director
    • 1905
  • 2 A.M. in the Subway (1905)
    2 A.M. in the Subway
    4.6
    Short
    • Director
    • 1905
  • New York Subway (1905)
    New York Subway
    5.8
    Short
    • Director
    • 1905
  • Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son (1905)
    Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son
    4.4
    Short
    • Director
    • 1905
  • President Roosevelt's Homecoming (1904)
    President Roosevelt's Homecoming
    3.3
    Short
    • directed by
    • 1904
  • Steam Whistle (1904)
    Steam Whistle
    3.8
    Short
    • Director
    • 1904
  • The Georgetown Loop (Colorado)
    6.0
    Short
    • Director (as Billy Bitzer)
    • 1903
  • Orphans in the Surf
    3.4
    Short
    • Director
    • 1903
  • Expert Bag Punching
    3.7
    Short
    • Director (as Billy Bitzer)
    • 1903

Camera and Electrical Department

  • Daniel Repas, Jake Hellbach, and William Irving Grossman in 11 O'Clock: a Sense of Imminent Calamity (2023)
    11 O'Clock: a Sense of Imminent Calamity
    Short
    • cameraman: archival film - public domain
    • 2023
  • Apomixis
    Short
    • camera operator
    • 2010
  • Ronald Colman and Lili Damita in The Rescue (1929)
    The Rescue
    6.8
    • cameraman: additional photography (uncredited)
    • 1929
  • Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess in Way Down East (1920)
    Way Down East
    7.3
    • cinematographer: camera (uncredited)
    • 1920
  • A Day with Governor Whitman
    5.8
    Short
    • camera operator
    • 1916
  • Jeffries-Sharkey Contest (1899)
    Jeffries-Sharkey Contest
    3.8
    • camera operator
    • 1899
  • Little Egypt (1896)
    Little Egypt
    4.4
    Short
    • camera operator
    • 1896

Personal details

  • Alternative names
    • Billy Bitzer
  • Height
    • 5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
  • Born
    • April 21, 1872
    • Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA
  • Died
    • April 29, 1944
    • Hollywood, California, USA(heart attack)
  • Spouse
    • Ethel BoddyApril 5, 1923 - April 29, 1944 (his death, 1 child)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Print Biography
    • 6 Articles

Did you know

  • Trivia
    Bitzer fell out with Griffith in 1924. Work became harder to come by and he worked on just a handful of films afterwards, retiring in 1933. He had done well financially by investing his lifetime savings ($7000) in the hugely successful The Birth of a Nation (1915), but ended up losing it all. His last job was restoring old movies at the Museum of Modern Art for $20 a week and he died in relative obscurity.
  • Nickname
    • Billy

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