German-born cinematographer Ralf D Bode immigrated to the USA in 1954 and gravitated to filmmaking in the US Army Signal Corps. After working as a gaffer and lighting designer for director John G Avildsen, he graduated to director of photography duties on a spate of minor films before evoking the gritty, sweaty milieu of disco New York in John Badham's "Saturday Night Fever" (1977). His first collaboration with director Michael Apted, "Coal Miner's Daughter" (1980), brought him acclaim (and an Oscar nomination) for his effective use of Kentucky and Tennessee locations to evoke the hardscrabble
After college, attempted to pursue an acting career; appeared on stage in the Off-Broadway productions, "A Man's a Man" and "Best Foot Forward", the latter alongside Liza Minnelli
1966
Served in the US Army Signal Corps as a filmmaker and teacher of combat photography at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey
After military service, moved to NYC and worked his way up from electrician to lighting designer and gaffer
