JAMES WONG HOWE: THE MAN WHO PAINTED WITH LIGHT (132)

JAMES WONG HOWE: THE MAN WHO PAINTED WITH LIGHT (132)

From From Beneath the Hollywood Sign by Steve Cubine & Nan McNamara

March 23, 2026 · 35 min · Season 3 · Episode 132

About this episode

This episode explores the life and career of cinematographer James Wong Howe, highlighting his influence on the visual language of film.

“JAMES WONG HOWE: THE MAN WHO PAINTED WITH LIGHT” - 3/16/2026 (132) Today, we’re going to step behind the camera and shine a spotlight—quite literally—on one of the most brilliant craftsmen Hollywood has ever seen. A man who helped shape the way movies look. If you’ve ever admired the stark black-and-white photography in Hud, the shadowy nighttime streets of Sweet Smell of Success, or the striking boxing scenes in Body and Soul, then you’ve already seen the artistry of cinematographer JAMES WONG HOWE. And whether you realized it or not, you were looking at the work of someone who had a huge influence on the visual language of film. Join us as we examine the life and career of this technical master. SHOW NOTES: Sources: James Wong Howe: The Camera Eye (2010), by Alain Silver; “Focusing In On James Wing Howe,” May 31, 2024, TriviaMafia.com; “James Wong Howe: Unsung Hero of Golden Age Hollywood,” April 27, 2022, by Nicholas Rapold, The Financial Times; “James Wong Howe: Master of Lights,” December 14, 2012, by Roger Ebert; RogerEbert.com; “James Wong Howe Dies; Noted Cinematographer,” July 16, 1976, by Robert Hanley, New York Times; Oscars.org Wikipedia.com; TCM.com; IMDBPro.com…

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