William A. Fraker ASC BSC (29 September 1923 – 31 May 2010) was an American cinematographer and director whose career encompassed feature films, television and education. He also served three terms as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), in 1979, 1984 and 1991 and was elected to the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) in 1977.
Fraker was born in Los Angeles and came from a family with a background in studio photography. His grandmother worked as a photographer in Los Angeles, and Fraker assisted her with photographic processing during his youth. After serving in the U.S. military during the Second World War, he attended the University of Southern California's cinema school, where he studied alongside future cinematographer Conrad Hall.
He entered professional filmmaking through the camera department and initially worked in television before moving into feature cinematography. His early feature credits included The President's Analyst (1967) and Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (1968). He subsequently photographed Bullitt (1968), Paint Your Wagon (1969), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) and Heaven Can Wait (1978).
Fraker's cinematography on Bullitt included the photography of the film's San Francisco locations and its extended car-chase sequence. He received the American Film Critics Award for cinematography for the film in 1969. His work on Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Heaven Can Wait subsequently earned him his first two Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography.
Further Academy Award nominations followed for 1941 (1979), WarGames (1983) and Murphy's Romance (1985), bringing his total to five nominations for Best Cinematography. He also shared a BAFTA nomination with Haskell Wexler ASC for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).
Other notable cinematography credits included The Great Gatsby (1974), The Electric Horseman (1979), The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981), The Freshman (1990), The Chamber (1996) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1999). His work covered a range of genres and included collaborations with directors such as Roman Polanski, Peter Yates, Steven Spielberg, Warren Beatty, John Badham and Martin Ritt.
Fraker also worked as a director. His feature films included Monte Walsh (1970), A Reflection of Fear (1972) and The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981). He directed television films and episodes in addition to his feature work.
Alongside his professional work, Fraker had a long association with cinematography education. He returned to USC School of Cinematic Arts as an instructor in 2000, teaching cinematography and visual communication. He was also involved in cinematography education and masterclasses internationally.
Fraker served as president of the ASC on three occasions and received the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He was also honoured at Camerimage in 2003. The BSC notes his contribution to the Society through his honorary membership and his continuing professional relationship with British cinematographers.
William Fraker died in Los Angeles on 31 May 2010, aged 86..