Richard M. Rawlings Jr., Four-Time Emmy-Nominated Cinematographer, Dies at 82
The veteran cameraman shared a season of 'Charlie's Angels' with his father and received a career honor from the American Society of Cinematographers.
“This talented man worked his ass off for years to make me look good,”
Richard M. Rawlings Jr., a four-time Emmy-nominated cinematographer, has died at 82, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. His family announced he died on June 30 in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Rawlings Jr. was best known for his prolific television work. He and his father, Richard L. Rawlings, famously split duties on the third season of ABC's Charlie's Angels in 1978-79, with each handling half of the season's 22 episodes.
What was his career highlight?
In February 2014, he received the Television Career Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers. At the ceremony, Charlie's Angels star Cheryl Ladd paid tribute. "This talented man worked his ass off for years to make me look good," she said.
What other shows did he work on?
His extensive career spanned decades and numerous hit series. After his father left Charlie's Angels to work on Dynasty, Rawlings Jr. continued as cinematographer for the show's final two seasons. He later shot episodes of Matt Houston, L.A. Law, Boston Public, and Desperate Housewives. He earned his four Emmy nominations for his work on Ohara, Paradise, Reasonable Doubts, and the telefilm Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story.
Richard Maxwell Rawlings Jr. was born in Hollywood on Oct. 9, 1943. He started in the industry as a messenger at Warner Bros. before working as an assistant camera operator for his father on shows like Gilligan's Island. He made his cinematographer debut on Charlie's Angels in 1978, reportedly becoming one of Hollywood's youngest D.P.s at the time. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and sisters.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Richard M. Rawlings Jr. get his start in Hollywood?
He began his career as a messenger at Warner Bros. He then worked for his father as an assistant camera operator on television series like Gilligan's Island and The Doris Day Show, which he later described as the most important jobs in his career for the technical knowledge they provided.
Did his father also work on 'Charlie's Angels'?
Yes. His father, Richard L. Rawlings, worked on the show, shooting all episodes of its second season. When the elder Rawlings left to work on the new series Dynasty, his son took over and continued as the D.P. for the show's final two seasons.
What was unique about his father-son collaboration?
For the 1978-79 season of Charlie's Angels, the two cinematographers split the workload, with each handling half of the season's 22 episodes. Combined, the father-son pair shot 87 of the series' total 109 episodes.
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