Jack Cardiff: Oscar winning director dies at 94

Jack Cardiff: Oscar winning director dies at 94

Oscar winning British cinematographer, director and photographer Jack Cardiff died on Wednesday. He was 94.

Jack Cardiff was best known for his work on movies such as "The African Queen", "Sons and Lovers" and "Black Narcissus".

Cardiff won Oscar for best cinematography for the 1947 film "Black Narcissus", which was directed by legendary duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

Cardiff received two more nominations in the same category for "War and Peace" in 1956 and "Fanny" in 1961. He also received one nomination for best director for "Sons and Lovers" in 1960.

In 2000 he was awarded 'The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire' (OBE) and in 2001 he was awarded an Honorary Oscar for his contribution to the cinema.

Jack Cardiff died at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) at his home in Cambridgeshire after a short illness.

During his long career, which spanned 10 decades, he worked with some of Hollywood's biggest stars including Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.

Amanda Nevill, Director of the British Film Institute, said, "Jack Cardiff was a legend. He was a world-class cinematographer who pioneered the techniques of shooting in Technicolor. He made a unique contribution to some of the greatest films ever made".

Cardiff is survived by his wife Nikki, their son Mason and three sons John, Rodney and Peter from a previous marriage.