ERNEST DAY BSC

Ernest Day began as clapper loader on three films released between 1944 and 1948, then focus puller at Teddington Studios.

He became a camera operator on Cockleshell Heroes (1955 Directed by José Ferrer, photographed by Ted Moore BSC and John Wilcox BSC). He then operated on such notable films as Exodus (1960 Directed by Otto Preminger photographed by Sam Leavitt) and Lord Jim (1965 Directed by Richard Brooks photographed by Freddie Young OBE BSC), Sinful Davey (1969 Directed by John Huston and photographed by Edward Scaife BSC and Freddie Young OBE BSC) and Clockwork Orange (1971 Directed by Stanley Kubrick photographed by John Alcott BSC)  as well as three films directed by David Lean: Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and  Ryan’s Daughter. All photographed by Freddie Young OBE BSC. His last film as a camera operator was Space Riders (1988 Directed by Joe Massot photographed by Alec Mills BSC).

In later years, interspersed with his operating he lit a number of feature films such as: Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains The Same (1976 documentary directed by Peter Clifton and Joe Massot), Revenge Of The Pink Panther (1978 Directed by Blake Edwards), Sphinx (1981 Directed by Franklin J. Shaffner) and most notably Passage To India (1984 Directed by David Lean) for which he received Oscar, BSC and BAFTA nominations for Best Cinematography and Superman IV (1987 Directed by Sidney Furie).

He also directed and photographed feature film second units, including The Spy Who Loved Me (Directed by Lewis Gilbert photographed by Claude Renoir), Moonraker (1979 Directed by Lewis Gilbert Photographed by Jean Tournier), and finally Mission Impossible (1996 Directed by Brian DePalma photographed by Stephen Burum ASC). He also worked in television and directed episodes of The New Avengers and The Professionals.

Ernie suffered a serious stroke shortly after his last credit and was bed-ridden until he died.