Morris Engel (April 8, 1918 – 5 March, 2005) was an influential American photographer, cinematographer and filmmaker best known for directing the 1953 film Little Fugitive in collaboration with his wife, photographer Ruth Orkin, and their friend, writer Raymond Abrashkin.Engel completed two more features during the 1950s, Lovers and Lollipops (1956) and Weddings and Babies (1960).Engel was a pioneer in the use of hand-held cameras and nonprofessional actors in his films, using cameras that he helped design, and his naturalistic films influenced future prominent independent and French New Wave filmmakers.
Was a combat cameraman with the US Army Signal Corps during World War II, and as such took part in the Normandy landings on D-Day, along with future director Russ Meyer. Much of the familiar combat footage that has appeared over the years in documentaries about the D-Day landings was shot by Engel and Meyer.
2
Was single-handedly responsible for the French New Wave with the film Little Fugitive (1953), a fact that François Truffaut acknowledged in a famous interview.
$300,000
