---
name: "Donald E. Thorin"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/donald-e-thorin"
fi1m_id: "donald-e-thorin"
imdb_id: "nm0004241"
tmdb_id: 6490
wikidata_id: "Q1239835"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "12 October 1934"
died: "9 February 2016"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-05T01:47:48.388906+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."
---

# Donald E. Thorin

## Identity

Donald E. Thorin

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/donald-e-thorin
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** donald-e-thorin
- **IMDb ID:** nm0004241
- **TMDB ID:** 6490
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1239835
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_E._Thorin, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1239835, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004241/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6490

Cinematographer. Born 12 October 1934 in Omaha. Died 9 February 2016.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 12 October 1934, Omaha
- **Died:** 9 February 2016
- **Active:** 1976–1999
- **Frequently works with:** [Martin Brest](https://film.one/person/martin-brest.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 78 (3), 1980s 71 (5), 1990s 65 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 69 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 7, Comedy 5, Romance 5, Crime 4, Adventure 2, Music 2
- **Screen time:** 21 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $794m across 9 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_E._Thorin, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1239835, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004241/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6490

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*An Officer and a Gentleman*](https://film.one/film/an-officer-and-a-gentleman.md) (70)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Mickey Blue Eyes*](https://film.one/film/mickey-blue-eyes.md) (66)

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

## Biography

Donald E. Thorin was an American cinematographer. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he graduated from Creighton University and moved to Hollywood in 1957, beginning work at 20th Century Fox before progressing through the camera department.

He worked as a camera operator on films including *Annie Hall* (1977). His first feature as director of photography was *Thief* (1981). Thorin served as cinematographer on *An Officer and a Gentleman* (1982), *Midnight Run* (1988), *Scent of a Woman* (1992), *Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls* (1995) and *Shaft* (2000), among others. He was a member of the American Society of Cinematographers and the father of cinematographer Donald E. Thorin Jr.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, hollywoodreporter.com.*

## On Fi1m (11)

- *Mickey Blue Eyes* (1999), Fi1m 66, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/mickey-blue-eyes.md)
- *Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls* (1995), Fi1m 54, Director of Photography, Second Unit Director, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/ace-ventura-when-nature-calls.md)
- *Scent of a Woman* (1992), Fi1m 75, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/scent-of-a-woman.md)
- *Midnight Run* (1988), Fi1m 88, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-run.md)
- *The Golden Child* (1986), Fi1m 42, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-golden-child.md)
- *Purple Rain* (1984), Fi1m 72, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/purple-rain.md)
- *An Officer and a Gentleman* (1982), Fi1m 70, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/an-officer-and-a-gentleman.md)
- *Cutter's Way* (1981), Fi1m 82, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/cutters-way.md)
- *Coming Home* (1978), Fi1m 76, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/coming-home.md)
- *Annie Hall* (1977), Fi1m 86, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/annie-hall.md)
- *Bound for Glory* (1976), Fi1m 71, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/bound-for-glory.md)

## Complete filmography (40)

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

- *Head of State* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Shaft* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Dudley Do-Right* (1999), Director of Photography
- *Mickey Blue Eyes* (1999), Director of Photography — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/mickey-blue-eyes.md)
- *Nothing to Lose* (1997), Director of Photography
- *The First Wives Club* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls* (1995), Director of Photography, Second Unit Director — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/ace-ventura-when-nature-calls.md)
- *Boys on the Side* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Little Big League* (1994), Director of Photography
- *Undercover Blues* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Scent of a Woman* (1992), Director of Photography — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/scent-of-a-woman.md)
- *Out on a Limb* (1992), Director of Photography
- *The Marrying Man* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Tango & Cash* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Lock Up* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Collision Course* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Troop Beverly Hills* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Midnight Run* (1988), Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-run.md)
- *The Couch Trip* (1988), Director of Photography
- *The Golden Child* (1986), Director of Photography — Fi1m 42, [page](https://film.one/film/the-golden-child.md)
- *American Anthem* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Wildcats* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Mischief* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Purple Rain* (1984), Director of Photography — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/purple-rain.md)
- *Against All Odds* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Bad Boys* (1983), Director of Photography
- *An Officer and a Gentleman* (1982), Director of Photography — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/an-officer-and-a-gentleman.md)
- *Thief* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Cutter's Way* (1981), Camera Operator — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/cutters-way.md)
- *The Black Marble* (1980), Camera Operator
- *Walking Through the Fire* (1979), Camera Operator
- *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band* (1978), Camera Operator
- *Coming Home* (1978), Camera Operator — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/coming-home.md)
- *Annie Hall* (1977), Camera Operator — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/annie-hall.md)
- *Bound for Glory* (1976), Camera Operator — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/bound-for-glory.md)
- *Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York* (1975), Camera Operator
- *Report to the Commissioner* (1975), Camera Operator
- *Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore* (1974), Camera Operator
- *Harrad Summer* (1974), Camera Operator
- *Minnie and Moskowitz* (1971), Camera Operator

---
© 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/donald-e-thorin