Elgin Lessley
Elgin Lessley (also credited as Lesly, Lessly, and Leslie) (June 10, 1883 - January 10, 1944) was an American hand-crank cameraman of the silent film era—a period of filmmaking when virtually all special effects work had to be produced inside the camera during filming. Though Lessley worked earlier with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, and later with Harry Langdon, he is best known for the groundbreaking effects he produced with Buster Keaton, who dubbed him "the human metronome" for his ability to crank consistently at any requested speed. Lessley's most striking effects were in The Playhouse (1921) and Sherlock Jr. (1924). In The Playhouse, through use of a specially shuttered lens and repeated back-cranking and re-cranking, Lessley allowed Keaton to appear as up to nine characters simultaneously, interacting with one another. In Sherlock Jr., Lessley's careful positioning of camera and actor in various locations produced the effect of a man stuck in a movie where his location keeps changing as he struggles to keep up. Lessley retired from filmmaking after shooting The Cameraman with Buster Keaton in 1928.
Known for
CameraBirthday
January 10, 1883Deathday
February 8, 1944Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
35Place of birth
Higbee, Missouri, USACast credits
Crew credits
Our Hospitality
Director of PhotographySherlock Jr.
Director of PhotographyThe Blacksmith
CinematographyThe Balloonatic
CinematographyDay Dreams
CinematographyMy Wife's Relations
CinematographyThe Electric House
CinematographyThe Love Nest
CinematographyThe Frozen North
CinematographyThe Chaser
CinematographyA Clever Dummy
CinematographySeven Chances
Director of PhotographyThe Navigator
Director of PhotographyGo West
Director of PhotographyThe High Sign
Director of PhotographyNeighbors
Director of PhotographyThe Goat
Director of PhotographyThree Ages
Director of PhotographyThe Strong Man
Director of PhotographyLong Pants
Director of PhotographyThe Bell Boy
Director of Photography