George Spiro Dibie, a veteran cinematographer who won five Emmys and was nominated 12 times during his 48-year-career, has passed away at the age of 90, the American Society of Cinematographers’ shared on Tuesday night.
“The Society is very sorry to report that 5-time Emmy winning DoP George Spiro Dibie, ASC has passed away. He was president of @ICGLocal600 for more than 20 years and a key figure in the ASC’s Education & Outreach program. We are preparing a full remembrance,” the tweet from the AC magazine’s account read.
“George Dibie was an inimitable force within our local, our craft, the film community, and the labor movement, serving first as President of Local 659, and then, post-merger, as National President of Local 600. In all, Dibie served as a union leader for 20 years, 1984 – 2004. But the numbers fail to accurately tally the thousands of lives he touched both at his work on sets and through his leadership of Local 600. Even newer members who may never have met him continue to reap the benefits of his dedication to garnering respect for our craft and our union. His warmth and generosity are and will always be remembered and will guide us into the future. We send our condolences to his family and join them in mourning his loss,” John Lindley of ASC said in a statement provided to TheWrap.
Dibie died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, a spokesman for the International Cinematographers Guild told THR, which first reported the news. No cause of death was given.
From 1984-2004, he served as president of Local 659 and later as national president of Local 600.
Dibie’s many credits include “Head of the Class,” and “Murphy Brown,” and he served as director of photography on “Barney Miller” and its spinoff “Fish,” Pam Dawber’s ’80s sitcom, “My Sister Sam,” “Night Court,” “Growing Pains,” “Just the Ten of Us” and “Sister, Sister.”
His five Emmy wins were for “Mr. Belvedere” (1985), “Growing Pains” (1987 and 1991), “Just the Ten of Us” (1990) and “Sister, Sister” (1995).
In 2008, he received the Television Career Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers and the Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Camera Operators
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the story.
