About
"You are in charge of the look. Especially the technical look more than anything. You report to the director. I want to add that it's a collaboration - the director, cinematographer, production designer - these are the guys who are responsible for the look… The director directs us, and I bring his vision to the screen - what he has on the brain, how he wants it to look. I do that for him."
In his three-hour interview, George Spiro Dibie (1931-2022) discusses his childhood in Jerusalem and his passion for American films. He speaks of his move to Los Angeles as a youngster and of his start in the entertainment industry -- as a member of the electrical department at Fox. He details his rise up the ranks to director of photography and how his experience as an electrician and gaffer contributed to his expertise in cinematography. Dibie describes lighting techniques he invented (Dibie net, Dibie square), shares the myth about his work on pilot episodes, and explains his contributions to series Barney Miller, Growing Pains, Night Court, Just the Ten of Us, and Sister, Sister, among others. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on July 26, 2010 in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Highlights
On the importance of smelling good in front of cast and crew - "Hi, Sexy"
On the challenges of lighting women
On the luck of every pilot he did becoming a series
On changing the way sitcoms were lit in the 1970s
On the main responsibility of the director of photography
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood in Jerusalem and love of films as a youngster; on moving to Los Angeles and his college years with Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman; on his first jobs after college - as an electrician at Fox
On becoming a gaffer and creating Dibie-Dash Productions for documentary film work; on working as an electrician for television; on working with Barbra Streisand and Mary Tyler Moore
On creating the Dibie Net; on lighting for Barney Miller; on changing the standards for sitcom lighting in the 1970s
Chapter 2
On lighting for New Zoo Revue; on cinematography for Barney Miller; on the cast of Barney Miller
On cinematography for Buffalo Bill, Mr. Belvedere, and Growing Pains
Chapter 3
On cinematography for and the cast of Growing Pains; on cinematography for Night Court; on pilots he did for Warner Brothers; Murphy Brown, Head of the Class, Room For Two, Just the Ten of Us, Sister, Sister
On differences between cinematography and director of photography; on the Cinematographer's Guild
On techniques he developed or utilizes: Dibie Square, OB, practical lighting, camera movements; on new technology and how he processes a script
On serving on the Board of Directors for The Television Academy; on developments for television cinematography
On advice to aspiring cinematographers; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
Barney Miller
George Spiro Dibie on being the director of photography (D.P.) for Barney Miller and creating a distinctive look for the lighting
George Spiro Dibie on lighting Barney Miller
George Spiro Dibie on lighting multicamera, taped Barney Miller to look like a single camera show
Buffalo Bill
George Spiro Dibie on lighting Buffalo Bill
Growing Pains
George Spiro Dibie on lighting Growing Pains
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for Growing Pains and what he brought to the show
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for and the cast of Growing Pains
Head of the Class
George Spiro Dibie on working on Head of the Class
Just the Ten of Us
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for Just the Ten of Us - the most fun he had on a show, but with some special lighting for actors' specific hairstyles
Mary's Incredible Dream
George Spiro Dibie on lighting Mary Tyler Moore's television special, Mary's Incredible Dream
Mr. Belvedere
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for Mr. Belvedere
Murphy Brown
George Spiro Dibie on working on Murphy Brown
New Zoo Revue
George Spiro Dibie on the multi-camera children's show New Zoo Revue
George Spiro Dibie on lighting for New Zoo Revue
Night Court
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for Night Court
George Spiro Dibie on working on Night Court
Room for Two
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for Room for Two
Sister, Sister
George Spiro Dibie on cinematography for Sister, Sister
Topics
Emmy Awards
George Spiro Dibie on the technique for which he won his first Emmy
George Spiro Dibie on winning his first Emmy
George Spiro Dibie on winning two Emmys for Growing Pains - largely for lighting night scenes
George Spiro Dibie on winning his fifth Emmy for Sister, Sister
Technological Innovation
George Spiro Dibie on how new technology is always a work in progress
Professions
Cinematographer
George Spiro Dibie on how being a gaffer helps cinematographers
George Spiro Dibie on making suggestions for D.P.s on various shows
George Spiro Dibie on telling actors to show audience 3/4 and not open up entirely - different from stage acting
George Spiro Dibie on the challenges of lighting women
George Spiro Dibie on the difference between cinematographer and director of photography
Lighting Director
George Spiro Dibie on creating the Dibie Net to create pleasant lighting for women
Genres
Comedy Series
George Spiro Dibie on being the director of photography (D.P.) for Barney Miller and creating a distinctive look for the lighting
George Spiro Dibie on lighting multicamera, taped program Barney Miller to look like a single camera show
People
Danny Arnold
George Spiro Dibie on Danny Arnold's lighting preferences for Barney Miller
George Spiro Dibie on Danny Arnold
Candice Bergen
George Spiro Dibie on working on Murphy Brown with Candice Bergen
James Burrows
George Spiro Dibie on working with James Burrows on Night Court
Kirk Cameron
George Spiro Dibie on Growing Pains actor Kirk Cameron
Ron Carey
George Spiro Dibie on actor Ron Carey
Dabney Coleman
George Spiro Dibie on actor Dabney Coleman
Geena Davis
George Spiro Dibie on actress Geena Davis from Buffalo Bill
Leonardo DiCaprio
George Spiro Dibie on Growing Pains actor Leonardo DiCaprio
Diane English
George Spiro Dibie on working on Murphy Brown with Diane English
Farrah Fawcett
George Spiro Dibie on lighting Farrah Fawcett at the peak of her career
Max Gail
George Spiro Dibie on actor Max Gail
Ron Glass
George Spiro Dibie on actor Ron Glass
Tracey Gold
George Spiro Dibie on Growing Pains actress Tracey Gold
Gene Hackman
George Spiro Dibie on his college years with Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman
Patricia Heaton
George Spiro Dibie on working with Patricia Heaton
Howard Hesseman
George Spiro Dibie on working with Howard Hesseman on Head of the Class
Christopher Hewett
George Spiro Dibie on actor Christopher Hewett
Dustin Hoffman
George Spiro Dibie on his college years with Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman
James Wong Howe
George Spiro Dibie on what he learned from cinematographers James Wong Howe and Harry Stradling, Sr.
Joanna Kerns
George Spiro Dibie on actress Joanna Kerns
George Spiro Dibie on how Joanna Kerns is responsible for Tracey Gold getting help for anorexia
John Larroquette
George Spiro Dibie on working with John Laroquette on Night Court
Linda Lavin
George Spiro Dibie on Executive Producer Linda Lavin's lighting preferences
Hal Linden
George Spiro Dibie on actor Hal Linden
Mary Tyler Moore
George Spiro Dibie on working with Mary Tyler Moore on her television specials
Paul Newman
George Spiro Dibie on working with Paul Newman on Billy the Kid
Merle Oberon
George Spiro Dibie on the OB - named for cinematographer, Merle Oberon
Gregory Peck
George Spiro Dibie on working with Gregory Peck
Markie Post
George Spiro Dibie on working with Markie Post on Night Court
Harry Stradling, Sr.
George Spiro Dibie on what he learned from cinematographers James Wong Howe and Harry Stradling, Sr.
George Spiro Dibie on Oscar-winning cinematographer Harry Stradling, Sr. being colorblind
Barbra Streisand
George Spiro Dibie on the importance of smelling good in front of cast and crew; on his admiration of Barbra Streisand
Alan Thicke
George Spiro Dibie on Growing Pains actor Alan Thicke
Danny Thomas
George Spiro Dibie on trying to get a directing job from Danny Thomas
Abe Vigoda
George Spiro Dibie on actor Abe Vigoda