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William A. Fraker

William A. Fraker

Cinematographer and director, also producer · Died May 31, 2010, aged 86 · Los Angeles, California, USA

William Ashman Fraker (September 29, 1923 – May 31, 2010) was an American cinematographer, film director and producer. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. In 2000, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) honoring his career. As cinematographer, his films include The President's Analyst (1967), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Bullitt (1968), Paint Your Wagon (1969), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), Coonskin (1975), Looking For Mr. Goodbar (1977), Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), Heaven Can Wait (1978), 1941 (1979), WarGames (1983), Irreconcilable Differences (1984), Murphy's Romance (1985), Tombstone (1993), and Street Fighter (1994). He directed three theatrical films, Monte Walsh (1970), A Reflection of Fear (1971), and The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981), as well as several television series. Description above from the Wikipedia article William A. Fraker, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 29, 1923
Died
May 31, 2010 (aged 86)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Cinematographer and director, also producer
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 64 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 34% in 30 days

What are William A. Fraker's films like?

Across their 49 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy20 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
24%
Bonds
24%
Self
21%
Power
13%
Survival
9%
Society
8%
Ideas
1%
Justice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 48 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 21 · Serious 9 · Dark 18

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 26 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 6

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 21 · Intense 13

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 19 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 17

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 22 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 25 · Engaged 21 · Full focus 2

Easy watch: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their easy watch movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 26 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 10

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 36 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
27
Melancholic
16
Absurd
15
Warm
10
Joyful
9
Other
50

How their films linger

Fun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet21
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous10

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch William A. Fraker's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (21).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for William A. Fraker's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

64 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Waking Up in Reno(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Town & Country(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Rules of Engagement(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Vegas Vacation(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Island of Dr. Moreau(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Father of the Bride Part II(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Death in Small Doses(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Street Fighter(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • There Goes My Baby(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Tombstone(1993)

    Associate Producer · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Walker, Texas Ranger(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Honeymoon in Vegas(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Memoirs of an Invisible Man(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Flash(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Freshman(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • An Innocent Man(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Chances Are(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • B.L. Stryker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Unsub (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Baby Boom(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • J.J. Starbuck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Wiseguy(1987)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Burglar(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • SpaceCamp(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Murphy's Romance(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Fever Pitch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Protocol(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Irreconcilable Differences(1984)

    Cinematographer · as "Gabrielle" Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • WarGames(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Hey Good Lookin'(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Sharky's Machine(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Legend of the Lone Ranger(1981)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Divine Madness(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Hollywood Knights(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • 1941(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Old Boyfriends(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Heaven Can Wait(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • American Hot Wax (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Cinematographer

  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Looking for Mr. Goodbar(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Exorcist II: The Heretic(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Killer Inside Me(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Gator(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Lipstick(1976)

    Additional Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Coonskin(1974)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Aloha Bobby and Rose(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Rancho Deluxe(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Conversation with Fritz Lang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • The Day of the Dolphin(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Fade In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

  • A Reflection of Fear(1972)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Dusty and Sweets McGee(1971)

    Cinematographer · as The Cellist

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Monte Walsh(1970)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Paint Your Wagon(1969)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Bullitt(1968)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Rosemary's Baby(1968)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The President's Analyst(1967)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Cinematographer

  • Games(1967)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Incubus(1966)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre(1964)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Cocktail Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Still Photographer

  • B.L. Stryker: The Dancer's Touch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 64 titles, 63 of them dated from 1933 to 2002.

Biggest box office

Street Fighter (1994)

$99M worldwide

Highest rated

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 64: 0 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting10 of 64: 10 only directing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thProducing1 of 64: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography52 of 64: 49 only cinematography, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdOther crew2 of 64: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

64 titles, 3 with more than one role.

By decade

1930s1 · crew1960s8 · crew1970s19 · 1 acting · 19 crew1980s20 · 1 acting · 20 crew1990s12 · crew2000s3 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do William A. Fraker's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 51; across their 48 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Approval · how many liked their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned2
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · director

Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)

70th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 65/100 in their films, across 42 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is William A. Fraker's work okay for kids?

Across up to 30 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore23 titles11–81 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity30 titles18–73 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity23 titles28–82 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs18 titles15–61 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense20 titles6–68 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does William A. Fraker work with?

People who share at least 2 of William A. Fraker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Buck Henry shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles