Douglas Knapp was born in
Tulsa, Oklahoma on August 5, 1949. Growing up in
Calgary,
Alberta, he attended
Western Canada High School. In 1972, he graduated from the
USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he attended with
John Carpenter. Knapp served as the cinematographer on
Dark Star and
Assault on Precinct 13, both of which were directed by Carpenter. He also served as the camera operator on Carpenter's
Escape from New York,
Tim Burton's
Frankenweenie and
Beetlejuice, as well as
Back to School,
Coming to America, ''
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and Driving Miss Daisy''. In 1994, he received the President's Award from the
Society of Camera Operators. He taught cinematography at the
Los Angeles Film School and
West Los Angeles College. After a battle with pancreatic cancer, he died at the age of 70 at his home in
Burbank, California on February 3, 2020. ==Filmography==