---
name: "John A. Alonzo"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-a-alonzo"
fi1m_id: "john-a-alonzo"
imdb_id: "nm0002166"
tmdb_id: 1153
wikidata_id: "Q1375311"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "12 June 1934"
died: "13 March 2001"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-04T21:04:37.039709+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."
---

# John A. Alonzo

## Identity

John A. Alonzo

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-a-alonzo
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** john-a-alonzo
- **IMDb ID:** nm0002166
- **TMDB ID:** 1153
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1375311
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_A._Alonzo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1375311, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002166/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1153

Cinematographer. Born 12 June 1934 in Dallas, Texas, USA. Died 13 March 2001.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 12 June 1934, Dallas, Texas, USA
- **Died:** 13 March 2001
- **Active:** 1971–1994
- **Also known as:** John Alonso
- **Frequently works with:** [Martin Ritt](https://film.one/person/martin-ritt.md), [Sally Field](https://film.one/person/sally-field.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 85 (5), 1980s 72 (3), 1990s 48 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 68 across 8 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 7, Action 3, Thriller 3, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Science Fiction 2
- **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $681m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_A._Alonzo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1375311, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002166/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1153

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Scarface*](https://film.one/film/scarface.md) (79), [*Blue Thunder*](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md) (71), [*Steel Magnolias*](https://film.one/film/steel-magnolias.md) (67)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Chinatown*](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md) (93), [*Sounder*](https://film.one/film/sounder.md) (83)
- **Hulu:** [*Star Trek: Generations*](https://film.one/film/star-trek-generations.md) (48)

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

## Biography

John A. Alonzo (also credited as John Alonso) was an American cinematographer and occasional actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, he began his career in local television before working as a camera operator and taking bit parts in films such as *The Magnificent Seven* (1960).

Alonzo became known for his work during the New Hollywood era. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography for *Chinatown* (1974). His other credits as director of photography include *Harold and Maude* (1971), *Vanishing Point* (1971), *Scarface* (1983), *Steel Magnolias* (1989) and *Star Trek: Generations* (1994). He was the first Mexican-American member of the cinematographers' union in Los Angeles and a member of the American Society of Cinematographers. He died in 2001.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, latimes.com, nytimes.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (9)

- *Star Trek: Generations* (1994), Fi1m 48, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-generations.md)
- *Steel Magnolias* (1989), Fi1m 67, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/steel-magnolias.md)
- *Blue Thunder* (1983), Fi1m 71, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md)
- *Scarface* (1983), Fi1m 79, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/scarface.md)
- *Norma Rae* (1979), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/norma-rae.md)
- *Close Encounters of the Third Kind* (1977), Fi1m 85, Additional Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/close-encounters-of-the-third-kind.md)
- *Chinatown* (1974), Fi1m 93, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *Sounder* (1972), Fi1m 83, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/sounder.md)
- *Harold and Maude* (1971), Fi1m 81, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/harold-and-maude.md)

## Complete filmography (92)

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

- *Deuces Wild* (2002), Director of Photography
- *The Prime Gig* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Fail Safe* (2000), Director of Photography
- *The Dancing Cow* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Lansky* (1999), Director of Photography
- *Letters from a Killer* (1998), Director of Photography
- *The Grass Harp* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Star Trek: Generations* (1994), Director of Photography — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-generations.md)
- *Clifford* (1994), Director of Photography
- *The Meteor Man* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Protozoa* (1993), Thanks
- *Cool World* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Housesitter* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Navy Seals* (1990), Director of Photography
- *The Guardian* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Internal Affairs* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Steel Magnolias* (1989), Director of Photography — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/steel-magnolias.md)
- *Physical Evidence* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Roots: The Gift* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Overboard* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Real Men* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Nothing in Common* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Out of Control* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Runaway* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Terror in the Aisles* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Scarface* (1983), Director of Photography — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/scarface.md)
- *Cross Creek* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Blue Thunder* (1983), Director of Photography — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md)
- *The Kid From Nowhere* (1982), Director of Photography
- *Beyond Reason* (1982), Director of Photography
- *Zorro, The Gay Blade* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Back Roads* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Blinded by the Light* (1980), Director, Director of Photography
- *Belle Starr* (1980), Director, Director of Photography
- *Tom Horn* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Portrait of a Stripper* (1979), Director, Director of Photography
- *Norma Rae* (1979), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/norma-rae.md)
- *Champions: A Love Story* (1979), Director, Director of Photography
- *The Cheap Detective* (1978), Director of Photography
- *FM* (1978), Director
- *Casey's Shadow* (1978), Director of Photography
- *Close Encounters of the Third Kind* (1977), Additional Director of Photography — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/close-encounters-of-the-third-kind.md)
- *Which Way Is Up?* (1977), Director of Photography
- *Black Sunday* (1977), Director of Photography
- *Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby* (1976), Director of Photography
- *The Bad News Bears* (1976), Director of Photography
- *I Will, I Will...For Now* (1976), Director of Photography
- *Farewell, My Lovely* (1975), Director of Photography
- *Once Is Not Enough* (1975), Director of Photography
- *The Fortune* (1975), Director of Photography
- *Chinatown* (1974), Director of Photography — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *Conrack* (1974), Director of Photography
- *Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed?* (1973), Director of Photography
- *Hit!* (1973), Director of Photography
- *The Naked Ape* (1973), Director of Photography
- *Wattstax* (1973), Director of Photography
- *Voyage of the Yes* (1973), Director of Photography
- *Pete 'n' Tillie* (1972), Director of Photography
- *Lady Sings the Blues* (1972), Director of Photography
- *Visions...* (1972), Director of Photography
- *Sounder* (1972), Director of Photography — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/sounder.md)
- *Another Nice Mess* (1972), Director of Photography
- *Get to Know Your Rabbit* (1972), Director of Photography
- *Harold and Maude* (1971), Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/harold-and-maude.md)
- *Revenge!* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Cannon* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Vanishing Point* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Bloody Mama* (1970), Director of Photography
- *The Moviemakers* (1969), Director of Photography
- *The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau* (1968), series, Director of Photography
- *The Wild Wild West* (1965), series, Actor
- *Invitation to a Gunfighter* (1964), as Manuel
- *Bewitched* (1964), series, Actor
- *Nightmare in Chicago* (1964), as Officer Miller
- *The Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes* (1964), Director of Photography
- *Kraft Suspense Theatre* (1963), series, as Officer Miller
- *The Gallant Men* (1962), series, Actor
- *Combat!* (1962), series, as Bialos
- *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as The Intern
- *Terror At Black Falls* (1962), as Carlos Avila (as John Alonzo)
- *Hand of Death* (1962), as Carlos · lab assistant
- *Susan Slade* (1961), as Engineer
- *The Long Rope* (1961), as Manuel Alvarez (as John Alonzo)
- *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), as Miguel
- *The Crowded Sky* (1960), as Young Repairman
- *The Twilight Zone* (1959), series, as Luís Gallegos — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md)
- *77 Sunset Strip* (1958), series, Actor
- *The Gun Runners* (1958), as Soldier in Car (uncredited)
- *Perry Mason* (1957), series, as Pedro Guitterez
- *Cheyenne* (1955), series, Actor
- *Dragnet* (1951), series, Actor

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1975: Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Chinatown*

*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/john-a-alonzo