---
name: "Sol Polito"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sol-polito"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "12 November 1892"
died: "23 May 1960"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-20T00:33:16.967239+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."
---

# Sol Polito

Cinematographer. Born 12 November 1892 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Died 23 May 1960.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 12 November 1892, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
- **Died:** 23 May 1960
- **Active:** 1931–1941
- **Also known as:** Salvador Polito
- **Frequently works with:** [Hal B. Wallis](https://film.one/person/hal-b-wallis.md), [Mervyn LeRoy](https://film.one/person/mervyn-leroy.md), [Ruby Keeler](https://film.one/person/ruby-keeler.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 3 Oscar nominations
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 77 (5), 1940s 66 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 81 to 79 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Romance 3, Crime 2, Action 1, Adventure 1, Comedy 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $23m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Polito, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q716493, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005835/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8714

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*The Adventures of Robin Hood*](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-robin-hood.md) (90), [*Sergeant York*](https://film.one/film/sergeant-york.md) (66)
- **HBO Max:** [*42nd Street*](https://film.one/film/42nd-street.md) (82)

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

## Biography

Sol Polito was a cinematographer. Born Salvatore Polito on 12 November 1892 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, he immigrated to the United States in 1905. He attended school in New York City and began working in the motion picture industry as a still photographer. After experience as a lab assistant and camera assistant, he was promoted to lighting cameraman in 1917.

Polito moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1919. He worked on more than 170 films at various studios but is best known for his work at Warner Bros. with directors Michael Curtiz and Mervyn LeRoy in the 1930s and 1940s. His credits include cinematography on *Five Star Final* (1931), *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), *42nd Street* (1933), *The Adventures of Robin Hood* (1938), *Sergeant York* (1941) and *Now, Voyager* (1942). He received three Academy Award nominations for cinematography.

Polito died in Los Angeles on 23 May 1960. His elder son, Gene Polito, also became a cinematographer.

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

## On Fi1m (6)

- *Sergeant York* (1941), Fi1m 66, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/sergeant-york.md)
- *The Adventures of Robin Hood* (1938), Fi1m 90, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-robin-hood.md)
- *Flirtation Walk* (1934), Fi1m 57, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/flirtation-walk.md)
- *42nd Street* (1933), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/42nd-street.md)
- *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), Fi1m 85, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-a-fugitive-from-a-chain-gang.md)
- *Five Star Final* (1931), Fi1m 70, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/five-star-final.md)

## Complete filmography (128)

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

- *Anna Lucasta* (1949), Director of Photography
- *Sorry, Wrong Number* (1948), Director of Photography
- *The Voice of the Turtle* (1947), Director of Photography
- *Escape Me Never* (1947), Director of Photography
- *The Long Night* (1947), Director of Photography
- *Cloak and Dagger* (1946), Director of Photography
- *A Stolen Life* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Cinderella Jones* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Rhapsody in Blue* (1945), Director of Photography
- *The Corn Is Green* (1945), Director of Photography
- *Arsenic and Old Lace* (1944), Director of Photography
- *The Adventures of Mark Twain* (1944), Director of Photography
- *Old Acquaintance* (1943), Director of Photography
- *This Is the Army* (1943), Director of Photography
- *Now, Voyager* (1942), Director of Photography
- *The Gay Sisters* (1942), Director of Photography
- *Captains of the Clouds* (1942), Director of Photography
- *Sergeant York* (1941), Director of Photography — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/sergeant-york.md)
- *Navy Blues* (1941), Cinematography
- *The Sea Wolf* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Santa Fe Trail* (1940), Director of Photography
- *City for Conquest* (1940), Director of Photography
- *The Sea Hawk* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Virginia City* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Four Wives* (1939), Director of Photography
- *The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Confessions of a Nazi Spy* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Dodge City* (1939), Director of Photography
- *You Can't Get Away with Murder* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Angels with Dirty Faces* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Valley of the Giants* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Boy Meets Girl* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Gold Diggers in Paris* (1938), Director of Photography
- *The Adventures of Robin Hood* (1938), Director of Photography — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-robin-hood.md)
- *Gold Is Where You Find It* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Varsity Show* (1937), Director of Photography
- *The Prince and the Pauper* (1937), Director of Photography
- *Ready, Willing and Able* (1937), Director of Photography
- *Three Men on a Horse* (1936), Director of Photography
- *The Charge of the Light Brigade* (1936), Director of Photography
- *Sons o' Guns* (1936), Director of Photography
- *Colleen* (1936), Director of Photography
- *The Petrified Forest* (1936), Director of Photography
- *Frisco Kid* (1935), Director of Photography
- *Shipmates Forever* (1935), Director of Photography
- *In Caliente* (1935), Director of Photography
- *'G' Men* (1935), Director of Photography
- *The Woman in Red* (1935), Director of Photography
- *Sweet Adeline* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Flirtation Walk* (1934), Director of Photography — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/flirtation-walk.md)
- *Madame du Barry* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Dames* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Dr. Monica* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Wonder Bar* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Dark Hazard* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Hi, Nellie!* (1934), Director of Photography
- *Gold Diggers of 1933* (1933), Director of Photography
- *Picture Snatcher* (1933), Director of Photography
- *The Working Man* (1933), Director of Photography
- *The Mind Reader* (1933), Director of Photography
- *42nd Street* (1933), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/42nd-street.md)
- *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), Director of Photography — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-a-fugitive-from-a-chain-gang.md)
- *Three on a Match* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Blessed Event* (1932), Director of Photography
- *The Dark Horse* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Two Seconds* (1932), Director of Photography
- *It's Tough to Be Famous* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Fireman, Save My Child* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Union Depot* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Local Boy Makes Good* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Suicide Fleet* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Five Star Final* (1931), Director of Photography — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/five-star-final.md)
- *The Ruling Voice* (1931), Director of Photography
- *The Bargain* (1931), Cinematography
- *Big Business Girl* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Woman Hungry* (1931), Director of Photography
- *The Hot Heiress* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Going Wild* (1930), Director of Photography
- *The Widow from Chicago* (1930), Director of Photography
- *The Girl of the Golden West* (1930), Cinematography
- *Numbered Men* (1930), Director of Photography
- *Show Girl in Hollywood* (1930), Director of Photography
- *Playing Around* (1930), Director of Photography
- *No, No, Nanette* (1930), Director of Photography
- *Paris* (1929), Director of Photography
- *Twin Beds* (1929), Cinematography
- *The Man and the Moment* (1929), Director of Photography
- *Broadway Babies* (1929), Director of Photography
- *Seven Footprints to Satan* (1929), Director of Photography
- *The Border Patrol* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Heart to Heart* (1928), Director of Photography
- *The Hawk's Nest* (1928), Cinematography
- *Burning Daylight* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Scarlet Seas* (1928), Director of Photography
- *The Shepherd of the Hills* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Gun Gospel* (1927), Director of Photography
- *Hard-Boiled Haggerty* (1927), Cinematography
- *Lonesome Ladies* (1927), Director of Photography
- *The Land Beyond the Law* (1927), Director of Photography
- *Somewhere in Sonora* (1927), Director of Photography
- *The Overland Stage* (1927), Director of Photography
- *The Unknown Cavalier* (1926), Director of Photography
- *Satan Town* (1926), Camera Operator
- *Senor Daredevil* (1926), Director of Photography
- *The People vs. Nancy Preston* (1925), Cinematography
- *Soft Shoes* (1925), Director of Photography
- *A Cafe in Cairo* (1924), Cinematography
- *Roaring Rails* (1924), Director of Photography
- *The Siren Of Seville* (1924), Director of Photography
- *The Lightning Rider* (1924), Director of Photography
- *Why Men Leave Home* (1924), Director of Photography
- *The Bad Man* (1923), Director of Photography
- *The Bishop of the Ozarks* (1923), Director of Photography
- *The Roof Tree* (1921), Director of Photography
- *The Price of Redemption* (1920), Director of Photography
- *Alias Jimmy Valentine* (1920), Director of Photography
- *Should a Woman Tell?* (1919), Director of Photography
- *In Wrong* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Burglar by Proxy* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Bill Apperson's Boy* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Who Loved Him Best?* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Her Second Husband* (1917), Camera Operator
- *The World Against Him* (1916), Director of Photography
- *Fate's Boomerang* (1916), Director of Photography
- *Fruits of Desire* (1916), Director of Photography
- *The Cotton King* (1915), Director of Photography
- *The Butterfly* (1915), Director of Photography
- *Rip Van Winkle* (1914), Director of Photography

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 3 nominated

- 1943: Best Cinematography, Color (nominated), for *Captains of the Clouds*
- 1942: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (nominated), for *Sergeant York*
- 1940: Best Cinematography, Color (nominated), for *The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex*

*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/sol-polito