British cinematographer Gilbert Taylor, the director of photography on George Lucas' first "Star Wars" film, died on Friday in his Isle of Wight home. He was 99.
Taylor's wife, Dee, informed the Guardian of his death.
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Taylor's work also included such well-known titles as the 1964 Beatles' debut film "A Hard Day's Night," 1976 horror classic "The Omen," and 1980 cult comic-book film "Flash Gordon."
Born in 1914 in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, England, he began his long career in the motion picture industry in 1929 as a camera assistant at Gainsborough Studios in London. His first of 70 projects on which he served as cinematographer was 1948 drama, "The Outsider."
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He was one of the founding members of the British Society of Cinematographers, which awarded him for his work on "The Omen," as well as a Lifetime Achievement award in 2001. His vision for "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" earned him a special award for Outstanding Cinematography from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.
Taylor also recieved two back-to-back BAFTA nominations in 1966 and '67 for his work on Roman Polanski pictures "Repulsion" and "Cul-de-sac," respectively.
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Taylor's wife told the Guardian that he "turned down a Bond picture" to work with Polanski, "because he thought Roman was a very interesting guy"
"The three of us became very firm friends," Dee said. "And we've been friends until this day."
Taylor — who once said he wants to be remembered for lensing Stanley Kubrick's 1964 Cold War satire "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" — stopped working in the '90s after filming 1994 comedy "Don't Get Me Started."