Ric Waite


Ric Waite was an American cinematographer whose numerous film and television credits included Red Dawn, Footloose, 48 Hrs., and The Long Riders. Waite received four Emmy nominations during his career. He won his only Emmy for his work on the 1976 television miniseries Captains and the Kings.

Life and career

Waite was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force after graduation from high school and was a member of the Air Force's Photo Intelligence unit. He moved to New York City, where he owned a studio as a professional photographer. Waite specialized in advertising and fashion photography. His clients included Jaguar Cars, Glamour, Vogue, Hanes, DuPont, and GQ.
In 1970, Waite moved to Los Angeles. His earliest work as a cinematographer was in television, including the 1970s television series Emergency!, City of Angels, and Police Story. He also shot many television films including Tail Gunner Joe in 1977, in which he earned an Emmy nomination; The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish, released in 1977, for which he received another Emmy nomination; Dead of Night and Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill, which aired in 1979. Waite earned his fourth and final Emmy nomination in 1996 for the television film Andersonville.
Waite's feature film debut as a cinematographer was The Long Riders, a 1980 Western film directed by Walter Hill. His numerous film credits as director of photography included Footloose by Herbert Ross; Red Dawn by John Milius; Brewster's Millions, a 1985 film also by Hill; Summer Rental by director Carl Reiner; Volunteers by Nicholas Meyer; Cobra by George P. Cosmatos; and Adventures in Babysitting by Chris Columbus.
In 2002, Waite moved to the Denver metropolitan area. He taught lighting and cinematography within the film studies department at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
He also shot Best Ribs in Town and Assassins' Code. He had signed on as the cinematographer for the film Legacy.
Waite died from a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles on February 18, 2012, at the age of 78.

Filmography

Film

Television

TV movies
YearTitleDirectorNotes
1977Tail Gunner JoeJud Taylor
1977The Life and Assassination of the KingfishRobert L. Collins
1977Dead of NightDan Curtis
1977Red AlertWilliam Hale
1978The Initiation of SarahRobert Day
1978A Question of GuiltRobert Butler
1978Leave Yesterday BehindRichard Michaels
1978A Guide for the Married WomanHy Averback
1979Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and GrillJoel Schumacher
1979CharlestonKaren Arthur
1979SteeletownRobert L. CollinsWith Gil Hubbs
1979And Baby Makes SixWaris Hussein
1979Nero WolfeFrank D. Gilroy
1980The Comeback KidPeter Levin
1980A Perfect MatchMel Damski
1980Revenge of the Stepford WivesRobert Fuest
1980Baby Comes HomeWaris Hussein
1983DempseyGus TrikonisWith Sol Negrin
1985Midas ValleyGus Trikonis
1987You Ruined My LifeDavid AshwellSegment of The Magical World of Disney
1988Police Story: BurnoutMichael Switzer
1993Last LightKiefer Sutherland
1996AndersonvilleJohn Frankenheimer
1997Last Stand at Saber RiverDick Lowry
1997Heart Full of RainRoger Young
1997HopeGoldie Hawn
1998Money PlaysFrank D. Gilroy
1999Absence of the GoodJohn Flynn
2000RatzThom Eberhardt
2001A Mother's Fight for JusticeThomas Rickman
2001Love and TreasonLewis Teague
2001The TriangleLewis Teague

Awards and nominations

Primetime Emmy Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1977Tail Gunner JoeOutstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieNomitated
1977The Life and Assassination of the KingfishOutstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieNomitated
1977Captains and the KingsOutstanding Cinematography for a Series Won
1996AndersonvilleOutstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieNomitated