Tony Gaudio was president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and a pioneer in the film industry creating luminous indoor lighting, but his name and contributions have been lost to the public. We would like the Gaudio name to live on and be remembered and celebrated from this day forward. A hundred years from now only two cultural phenomena will be remembered of our times here in America—the motion picture and jazz.  Italian Americans have had the greatest influences in both true American art forms.

Broken Typewriter Productions (Dr. Mary Reid Gaudio/Gavin Glynn) from Los Angeles, CA is proud to announce their collaboration with Open Fields Productions from Cosenza, Italy for  a feature documentary The Lost Oscar: Tony Gaudio, the first Italian to win an Academy Award in 1937 for Anthony Adverse. Open Fields’ Alessandro Nucci (director) and his brother Fabrizio Nucci (Producer) will be in Los Angeles January 2023 to begin principal photography in cooperation with The Margaret Herrick Academy archives and the American Society of Cinematographers.

The documentary will pursue all leads on the whereabouts of this most highly prized grail of Italy, American Italians and cinematographers of our generation. In search of the lost Oscar® is a gateway to reveal the enormous influences of Italians upon the beginning of Hollywood during the greatest wave of Italian immigration of all time. 

We trust The Lost Legacy of Tony Gaudio documentary will be a beautiful reminder for all film lovers of the important role of the cinematographer in films. All films from all cultures  must be the perfect marriage of the director, cinematographer, writer, actors, costume designers, stunt people to name a few for magic to happen in the “electric lantern” performance arts.

We thank you in advance for supporting the true American art form of cinematography!