The favorite cinematographer of famous director Alfred Hitchcock began working at Warner Brothers when he was 19 years old. He climbed his way up from camera operator to assistant camera man and eventually took over the Special Photographic Effects unit at Warners on Stage 5 in 1944. He became an expert in forced perspective techniques which were widely in use at the time as cost-saving measures, or in B-movies. Burks did special effects work on major productions like Arsenic et vieilles dentelles (1944), Le crime était presque parfait (1947) and Key Largo (1948).
In 1949, Burks graduated to becoming a fully-fledged director of photography. His striking black & white work on Le rebelle (1949) was particularly evocative in showcasing the stark, austere architectural lines of the film's chief protagonist, Howard Roark (Gary Cooper. On the strength of this, and his next film, La ménagerie de verre (1950), Alfred Hitchcockhired him to shoot his thriller L'inconnu du Nord-Express (1951). From this developed one of Hollywood's most inspired collaborations, as well as a close personal friendship.
When his contract at Warner Brothers ran out in 1953, Burks followed Hitchcock to Paramount and went on to perform an integral part in creating the brooding, tension-laden atmosphere of the director's best work between 1954 and 1964. His range varied from the neo-realist, almost semi-documentary black & white look of Le faux coupable (1956) to the intensely warm and beautiful deep focus VistaVision colour photography of Sueurs froides (1958). His muted tones matching the claustrophobic setting of Fenêtre sur cour (1954) stood in sharp contrast to the vibrant, full-hued colours used in the expansive outdoor footage of La main au collet (1955) and La mort aux trousses (1959).
The experience Burks had gained in forced perspective miniatures in his early days at Warner Brothers, also stood him in good stead on 'Vertigo' (the mission tower), 'North by Northwest' (the Mount Rushmore scenes) and, later, 'The Birds'. Because of his expertise, Burks was often able to contribute ideas to shooting scenes more effectively. He was also an innovator in the application of both telephoto and wide angle lenses as a means to creating a specific mood. The Hitchcock-Burks partnership ended after Pas de printemps pour Marnie (1964), and, under less-inspired directors (except for Un coin de ciel bleu (1965), his later work declined in quality. Robert Burks and his wife, Elysabeth, were tragically killed in a fire at their house in May 1968.
Robert Burks won the 1955 Academy Award for Best Colour Photography for 'To Catch a Thief'. He was also nominated for 'Strangers on a Train', 'Rear Window' and 'A Patch of Blue'.
