Biography
Tony Askins was an American cinematographer. Born Monroe P. Askins Jr on 21 July 1943 in California, he was the son of cinematographer Monroe P. Askins Sr, ASC. He began his career as a film loader and assistant cameraman before becoming director of photography on Aaron Spelling’s series The Love Boat, for which he shot 74 episodes.
Askins photographed numerous television series, including The Colbys, Hotel, Perfect Strangers, Step by Step, Love & Money and According to Jim. He also shot pilots for shows such as Becker, 8 Simple Rules and Two and a Half Men. His most prominent work was on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace (1998–2005), where he served as director of photography for 164 episodes and won four Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series.
A member of the American Society of Cinematographers, Askins retired after Will & Grace. He died on 4 November 2018.
