John Alcott, BSC (27 November 1930 – 28 July 1986)[1] was an English cinematographer known for his four collaborations with director Stanley Kubrick: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), for which he took over as lighting cameraman from Geoffrey Unsworth in mid-shoot, A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), the film for which he won his Oscar,[2] and The Shining (1980).

At a young age, Alcott started his career in film by becoming a clapper boy, which was the lowest position in the camera crew chain.

His position was extremely important, as his job was to adjust, focus and measure the lens and distance between the actor or object being shot and the camera itself.

[4] Three films Alcott worked on were ranked between 1950 and 1997 in the top 20 of “Best Shot”, voted by the American Society of Cinematographers.

Not only was Alcott a highly regarded cinematographer, in the 1980s when he immigrated to the United States he directed and shot commercials for television at the well known Paisley Productions, based in Hollywood.