Photo: Kevin Paul / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Caleb Deschanel, born on September 21, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, is a cinematographer, film director and television director. As of 2026, Caleb Deschanel is 82 years old. Schooling on record includes University of Southern California.
My Take
Caleb Deschanel is one of those cinematographers whose name you might not know offhand, but whose images you absolutely do — the golden shimmer of The Natural's stadium lights, the sweeping vistas of The Right Stuff, the raw intimacy of Being There. Trained at USC and shaped by New Hollywood sensibilities, he built a career defined by a painter's eye rather than a technician's checklist. Six Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography is a remarkable tally, and the fact that he never actually won the Oscar feels like one of Hollywood's recurring oversights. Beyond the credits, he's also quietly shaped the industry through his work with the National Film Preservation Board. Deschanel is the kind of craftsman whose best frames stay with you long after the story fades.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Caleb Deschanel
- Name (Japanese)
- キャレブ・デシャネル
- Reading
- きゃれぶ・でしゃねる
- Born
- September 21, 1944 (age 82)
- Origin
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Occupation
- cinematographer / film director / television director / director
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Monkey
2. Background
- University
- University of Southern California
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Caleb Deschanel born?
Caleb Deschanel was born on September 21, 1944 and is 82 years old.
Where is Caleb Deschanel from?
Caleb Deschanel is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
What does Caleb Deschanel do?
Caleb Deschanel works as cinematographer, film director, television director, director.
Where did Caleb Deschanel study?
Caleb Deschanel attended University of Southern California.
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