Robert Paynter

Robert William Paynter, B.S.C. (12 March 1928 – 20 October 2010) was an English cinematographer.^[1]

After leaving the Mercers' School in the City of London at the age of 15, Paynter entered the film industry as a camera trainee with the Government Film Department.

He is known for his collaborations with John Landis and Michael Winner.

Paynter worked with director John Landis on five films: An American Werewolf in London, Trading Places, Thriller, Into the Night and Spies Like Us. Paynter helped to create a "pop" comic book-style for American Werewolf, Thriller and Into the Night.^[2] He also made a cameo in three Landis' productions: Into the Night (as Security Guard), Spies like Us (as Dr. Gill) and Burke and Hare.

Winner collaborated on 10 films with Paynter (from 1969 to 1984), including: The Big Sleep (1978) and Scream for Help (1984).

• Rock-a-Doodle (1992, live-action sequences)
• Strike It Rich (1990)
• When the Whales Came (1989)
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
• Spies Like Us (1985)
• Into the Night (1985)
• The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
• Scream for Help (1984)
• Trading Places (1983)
• Superman III (1983)
• An American Werewolf in London (1981)
• Superman II (1980)
• The Big Sleep (1978)
• Firepower (1979)
• High Velocity (1976)
• Scorpio (1973)
• The Mechanic (1972)
• Chato's Land (1972)
• The Nightcomers (1971)
• Lawman (1971)
• The Games (1970)
• Hannibal Brooks (1969)

• The Zoo Gang (1974)

• Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)

• Robert Paynter at IMDb