---
name: "J. Peverell Marley"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/j-peverell-marley"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "14 August 1901"
died: "2 February 1964"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-20T02:16:39.300808+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."
---

# J. Peverell Marley

Cinematographer. Born 14 August 1901 in San Jose, California, USA. Died 2 February 1964.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 14 August 1901, San Jose, California, USA
- **Died:** 2 February 1964
- **Active:** 1934–1952
- **Frequently works with:** [Alice Faye](https://film.one/person/alice-faye.md), [Darryl F. Zanuck](https://film.one/person/darryl-f-zanuck.md), [Don Ameche](https://film.one/person/don-ameche.md), [Henry King](https://film.one/person/henry-king.md), [Lamar Trotti](https://film.one/person/lamar-trotti.md), [Tyrone Power](https://film.one/person/tyrone-power.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscar nominations
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 68 (3), 1950s 56 (1)
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Romance 3, History 2, Music 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $43m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peverell_Marley, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q919460, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0549132/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/98501

## Biography

J. Peverell Marley was an American cinematographer whose career spanned the silent era through the early 1960s. He began working in the industry shortly after high school and served as chief cameraman for several Cecil B. DeMille productions, including the 1923 film *The Ten Commandments*.

Marley shot *The House of Rothschild* (1934) and later worked on films such as *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1939), *House of Wax* (1953), *The Spirit of St. Louis* (1957) and *The Left Handed Gun* (1958). He received Academy Award nominations for *Suez* (1938) and *Life with Father* (1947). He is one of only six cinematographers to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He was married to actresses Lina Basquette, Virginia Ruth McAdoo and Linda Darnell.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com, projects.latimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1952), Fi1m 56, Additional Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-greatest-show-on-earth.md)
- *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), Fi1m 70, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/alexanders-ragtime-band.md)
- *In Old Chicago* (1938), Fi1m 64, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/in-old-chicago.md)
- *The House of Rothschild* (1934), Fi1m 70, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-house-of-rothschild.md)

## Complete filmography (99)

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

- *The Sins of Rachel Cade* (1961), Director of Photography
- *A Fever in the Blood* (1961), Director of Photography
- *Westbound* (1959), Director of Photography
- *The Left Handed Gun* (1958), Director of Photography
- *Johnny Trouble* (1957), Director of Photography
- *The Spirit of St. Louis* (1957), Director of Photography
- *The Ten Commandments* (1956), Additional Photography
- *Serenade* (1956), Director of Photography
- *The Steel Jungle* (1956), Director of Photography
- *Illegal* (1955), Director of Photography
- *Jump Into Hell* (1955), Director of Photography
- *Drum Beat* (1954), Director of Photography
- *King Richard and the Crusaders* (1954), Director of Photography
- *Phantom of the Rue Morgue* (1954), Director of Photography
- *The Charge at Feather River* (1953), Director of Photography
- *House of Wax* (1953), Director of Photography
- *Off Limits* (1952), Director of Photography
- *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1952), Additional Photography — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/the-greatest-show-on-earth.md)
- *The Groom Wore Spurs* (1951), Director of Photography
- *Pretty Baby* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Return of the Frontiersman* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Perfect Strangers* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Look for the Silver Lining* (1949), Director of Photography
- *Night Unto Night* (1949), Director of Photography
- *Homicide* (1949), Director of Photography
- *John Loves Mary* (1949), Director of Photography
- *Whiplash* (1948), Director of Photography
- *Life with Father* (1947), Director of Photography
- *The Two Mrs. Carrolls* (1947), Director of Photography
- *Of Human Bondage* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Night and Day* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Pride of the Marines* (1945), Director of Photography
- *Four Jills in a Jeep* (1944), Director of Photography
- *Dixie Dugan* (1943), Director of Photography
- *The Meanest Man in the World* (1943), Director of Photography
- *The Night Before the Divorce* (1942), Director of Photography
- *Swamp Water* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Charley's Aunt* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Moon Over Miami* (1941), Director of Photography
- *The Great American Broadcast* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Adam Had Four Sons* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Sleepers West* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Hudson's Bay* (1940), Director of Photography
- *The Man I Married* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Star Dust* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Day-time Wife* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Hotel for Women* (1939), Director of Photography
- *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1939), Director of Photography
- *The Three Musketeers* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Up the River* (1938), Cinematography
- *Suez* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), Director of Photography — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/alexanders-ragtime-band.md)
- *In Old Chicago* (1938), Director of Photography — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/in-old-chicago.md)
- *Sally, Irene and Mary* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Wise Girl* (1937), Director of Photography
- *The Toast of New York* (1937), Director of Photography
- *Winterset* (1936), Director of Photography
- *Sing, Baby, Sing* (1936), Director of Photography
- *Private Number* (1936), Director of Photography
- *One Rainy Afternoon* (1936), Director of Photography
- *It Had to Happen* (1936), Director of Photography
- *King of Burlesque* (1936), Director of Photography
- *Thanks a Million* (1935), Director of Photography
- *The Three Musketeers* (1935), Director of Photography
- *Folies Bergère* (1935), Director of Photography
- *Cardinal Richelieu* (1935), Director of Photography
- *Folies Bergère de Paris* (1935), Director of Photography
- *Clive of India* (1935), Director of Photography
- *The Mighty Barnum* (1934), Director of Photography
- *The Count of Monte Cristo* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back* (1934), Director of Photography
- *The House of Rothschild* (1934), Director of Photography — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-house-of-rothschild.md)
- *Her Secret* (1933), Director of Photography
- *Gallant Lady* (1933), Director of Photography
- *This Day and Age* (1933), Director of Photography
- *Fast Workers* (1933), Director of Photography
- *Judgment of Lake Balaton* (1933), Cinematography
- *Spring Shower* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Fantômas* (1932), Director of Photography
- *This Mad World* (1930), Director of Photography
- *The Woman Racket* (1930), Director of Photography
- *Dynamite* (1929), Director of Photography
- *It's a Great Life* (1929), Director of Photography
- *A Lady of Chance* (1928), Director of Photography
- *The Godless Girl* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Celebrity* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Chicago* (1927), Director of Photography
- *Dress Parade* (1927), Director of Photography
- *The Fighting Eagle* (1927), Director of Photography
- *The Country Doctor* (1927), Director of Photography
- *The King of Kings* (1927), Director of Photography
- *Young April* (1926), Director of Photography
- *The Volga Boatman* (1926), Director of Photography
- *Silence* (1926), Director of Photography
- *The Road to Yesterday* (1925), Director of Photography
- *Hell's Highroad* (1925), Director of Photography
- *Madame Sans-Gêne* (1925), Cinematography
- *Feet of Clay* (1924), Director of Photography

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 1948: Best Cinematography, Color (nominated), for *Life with Father*
- 1939: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Suez*

*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/j-peverell-marley