---
name: "Allen Daviau"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/allen-daviau"
fi1m_id: "allen-daviau"
imdb_id: "nm0005679"
tmdb_id: 9965
wikidata_id: "Q720068"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "14 June 1942"
died: "15 April 2020"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 72
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-05T03:32:26.935689+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Allen Daviau

## Identity

Allen Daviau

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/allen-daviau
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** allen-daviau
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005679
- **TMDB ID:** 9965
- **Wikidata ID:** Q720068
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Daviau, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q720068, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005679/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9965

Cinematographer. Born 14 June 1942 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Died 15 April 2020.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 14 June 1942, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- **Died:** 15 April 2020
- **Active:** 1982–2004
- **Frequently works with:** [Steven Spielberg](https://film.one/person/steven-spielberg.md), [Kathleen Kennedy](https://film.one/person/kathleen-kennedy.md), [Frank Marshall](https://film.one/person/frank-marshall.md), [Melissa Mathison](https://film.one/person/melissa-mathison.md)
- **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA (1 won)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 72 (6), 1990s 76 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 74 to 66 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Crime 2, History 2, Science Fiction 2, Adventure 1, Comedy 1
- **Screen time:** 15 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,127m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Daviau, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q720068, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005679/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9965

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Bugsy*](https://film.one/film/bugsy.md) (76), [*The Color Purple*](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple.md) (64), [*The Falcon and the Snowman*](https://film.one/film/the-falcon-and-the-snowman.md) (54)
- **Disney+:** [*E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*](https://film.one/film/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial.md) (91)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Twilight Zone: The Movie*](https://film.one/film/twilight-zone-the-movie.md) (63)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Allen Daviau (14 June 1942 – 15 April 2020) was an American cinematographer. Born in New Orleans and raised in Los Angeles, he began his career shooting commercials, documentaries and early music videos before entering feature films.

He is best known for his collaborations with Steven Spielberg, serving as director of photography on *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* (1982), *The Color Purple* (1985) and *Empire of the Sun* (1987). His other notable credits include *Twilight Zone: The Movie* (1983), *Bugsy* (1991), *Avalon* (1990) and *Van Helsing* (2004).

Daviau received five Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and won a BAFTA Film Award for *Empire of the Sun*. He was awarded the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, variety.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *Bugsy* (1991), Fi1m 76, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/bugsy.md)
- *Empire of the Sun* (1987), Fi1m 81, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/empire-of-the-sun.md)
- *The Color Purple* (1985), Fi1m 64, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple.md)
- *The Falcon and the Snowman* (1985), Fi1m 54, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-falcon-and-the-snowman.md)
- *Top Secret!* (1984), Fi1m 76, Additional Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/top-secret.md)
- *Twilight Zone: The Movie* (1983), Fi1m 63, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/twilight-zone-the-movie.md)
- *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* (1982), Fi1m 91, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial.md)

## Complete filmography (26)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Van Helsing* (2004), Director of Photography
- *The Tigger Movie* (2000), Director of Photography
- *The Astronaut's Wife* (1999), Director of Photography
- *Congo* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Fearless* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Protozoa* (1993), Thanks
- *Bugsy* (1991), Director of Photography — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/bugsy.md)
- *Defending Your Life* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Avalon* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Empire of the Sun* (1987), Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/empire-of-the-sun.md)
- *Harry and the Hendersons* (1987), Director of Photography
- *The Color Purple* (1985), Director of Photography — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple.md)
- *Amazing Stories* (1985), series, Cinematography
- *The Falcon and the Snowman* (1985), Director of Photography — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-falcon-and-the-snowman.md)
- *Top Secret!* (1984), Additional Photography — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/top-secret.md)
- *Twilight Zone: The Movie* (1983), Director of Photography — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/twilight-zone-the-movie.md)
- *Legs* (1983), Director of Photography
- *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* (1982), Director of Photography — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial.md)
- *Rage!* (1980), Director of Photography
- *The Boy Who Drank Too Much* (1980), Director of Photography
- *The Streets of L.A.* (1979), Cinematography
- *Everything You Know Is Wrong* (1975), Director of Photography
- *Names of Sin* (1975), Cinematography
- *Brothers O'Toole* (1973), Director of Photography
- *Mooch Goes to Hollywood* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Amblin'* (1968), Director of Photography

## Gallery

- ![Peter Deyell, Steven Spielberg, Allen Daviau](https://film.one/media/person/59874/gallery-e0099b422f50.jpg) Peter Deyell, Steven Spielberg, Allen Daviau — Chupacabra2008 (talk), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Deyellspielbergdaviau.jpg/1280px-Deyellspielbergdaviau.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Allen Daviau](https://film.one/media/person/59874/gallery-c8fbb79837c8.jpg) Allen Daviau — Chupacabra2008 (talk), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Deyellspielbergdaviau_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Peter Deyell, Steven Spielberg, Allen Daviau](https://film.one/media/person/59874/gallery-1174dc85fc9d.jpg) Peter Deyell, Steven Spielberg, Allen Daviau — Chupacabra2008 (talk), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Deyellspielbergdaviau_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 5 nominated

- 1992: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Bugsy*
- 1991: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Avalon*
- 1988: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Empire of the Sun*
- 1986: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *The Color Purple*
- 1983: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 1989: Best Cinematography (won), for *Empire of the Sun*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/allen-daviau