You may not know the name, but you have probably seen Wolf Suschitzky’s work. A veteran cameraman, he has worked on films including Get Carter, staring Michael Caine, and James Joyce’s Ulysses. Last week, Vienna-born Mr Suschitzky, 96, was awarded Vienna’s Gold Merit Medal lifetime-achievement award from the Austrian Ambassador in London.
“It was very strange,” he tells People. “It was nice having all my family and close friends there.”
Mr Suschitzky, a grandfather of nine and great-grandfather of four, moved to the UK in 1935. He started his career as a portrait photographer before being introduced to documentary-maker Paul Rotha. “I showed him some things, and he gave me a job working on documentary films,” he recalls. In the 1950s, he moved into feature films.
What was it like working with Michael Caine? “It was very good. He was very professional — always there when he was needed, and he always knew his lines. He was a very good actor.”
Mr Suschitzky retired in 1992 at the age of 80. He reflects: “I survived two world wars and the London blitz.
“I escaped the Holocaust. I and my wife produced three wonderful children who grew up into useful human beings. I am a very lucky man.”
He lives in Little Venice, London. His son, Peter, has followed in his footsteps, becoming an acclaimed cinematographer.
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