John C. Guntzelman

JOHN C. GUNTZELMAN OBITUARY

John C. Guntzelman, 75, sadly passed away at his home in Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 14th, 2020. Beloved husband of Dixie Foust Guntzelman, brother of Daniel Guntzelman (Lissa), caring father to Kristian Guntzelman (Christa) and grandfather to Nathan and Lauren, he is also survived by dear family members Gil, Kanin, and Logan.
A man of many accomplishments and interests, John was a professional cinematographer, director of photography, and film director. His superb work spanned four decades of motion picture productions, ranging from nationally syndicated and award-winning documentaries to feature length films, including both film and tv projects for Warner Brothers and Disney. A member of the Directors Guild of America and the Society of Operating Cameramen, John's work has won a number of awards including two regional Emmys, a New York International Film Festival Gold Medal and a National Press Photographers Association Documentary American Cinematography Award. He also contributed many articles to the industry magazine American Cinematographer.
John knew what he wanted to do the minute a camera was put in his hand. From the age of twelve, he started making films with his brother Dan, the two forming Alliance Pictures, a production company with good friend, Don Regensburger. John was most proud of their award-winning documentary, "Legacy Of The Stars," and "Perfect Game," the feature film on which John and Dan later teamed, honored at the Santa Clarita International Film Festival in California, and the Giffoni International Film Festival in Italy. John's work took him all over the world and performing at military bases in Iraq, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Europe. John's appreciation for visual images spawned a secondary career, as author of The Civil War In Color and The Wild West In Color, two stunning books in which he painstakingly colorized and annotated the photographs of early photographers. Before his passing, John, a passionate dog lover, was working on a photo book, "No Chocolate For Dogs," capturing in images and words, the world of all the dogs he and his wife have owned.
John was also a passionate Jaguar enthusiast and expert, having collected many and rebuilt over a dozen classics. His skill in building or fixing virtually anything extended to his home, having inherited the one in which he was raised, which has been completely remodeled by his own hands. His family and friends wish this deeply missed renaissance man the same heaven he found in Maui, his favorite place on earth. A family service will be private. If desired, family requests memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation or ASPCA. Online condolences may be made to craver-riggs.com.

Memorial Contribution