11 Cinematographers Who Became Great Directors

9) Ronald Neame

Possibly the most prolific of any of the included filmmakers on this list was Ronald Neame, who served not only as a cinematographer and director but also a frequent producer and even a screenwriter—it was for writing that he earned two of his three Academy Award nominations. The third was for Special Effects for the war film One of Our Aircraft is Missing, on which he served as cinematographer. His credits as cinematographer and director through the 30s and 40s are many, although a film called To Hell With Hitler certainly stands out, as does Major Barbara for anyone who has watched the latest season of Girls.

From 1947 onward he worked as a director on a range of films, collaborating with Judy Garland, Maggie Smith, and Alec Guiness, with whom he worked on three films in the 1950s as well as the 1970 musical Scrooge. His best known credit is like the 1972 disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, which he said allowed him to retire comfortably. Good for him.

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