Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPride MonthAmerican Black Film FestivalSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Thomas Del Ruth

  • Cinematographer
  • Camera and Electrical Department
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Trailer for The Breakfast Club 30th Anniversary Edition
Play trailer1:21
The Breakfast Club (1985)
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
Thomas Del Ruth was born on may 1st 1942 in Beverly Hills California he is the son of Film Producer/Director Roy Del Ruth and Film and Musical comedy star Winnie Lightner. Tom's father has a star on Hollywood Blvd walk of fame. Tom from a very early age had developed a strong interest in the film business due no doubt to his constant exposure to all the various facets of it, he was frequently on set's with either his mom or dad and through that exposure began to develop an unbridled interest in Cinematography he was fascinated by the contribution that the Director of Photography made through the use of Art and Science and consequently went on to choose that as his career path.

Tom began his career as a Print Model and Commercial Actor in 1965 after serving in the US Army as a Paratrooper. But he new his real desire laid behind the camera. As a result he enrolled in USC Cinema School while working at Walt Disney Studio's in the Mail and Message Department. And has chance would have it, he was introduced to Saul Halprin who was the head of the Camera Department at 20Th Century Fox. That chance meeting produced an invitation to start his career at Fox. As a result Tom is eternally grateful to Mr Halprin and so many others for the support they have shown.
BornMay 1, 1942
BornMay 1, 1942
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 6 wins & 13 nominations total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Known for

    Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Moira Kelly, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, and Bradley Whitford in The West Wing (1999)
    The West Wing
    8.9
    TV Series
    • Cinematographer
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Running Man (1987)
    The Running Man
    6.6
    • Cinematographer
    • 1987
    Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in The Graduate (1967)
    The Graduate
    8.0
    • Camera and Electrical Department
    • 1967
    River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Wil Wheaton, and Jerry O'Connell in Stand by Me (1986)
    Stand by Me
    8.1
    • Cinematographer
    • 1986

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Cinematographer



    • Road Home
      • Cinematographer
      • Pre-production



    • Miles Chapin and Gail Edwards in Get Crazy - The After Party (2021)
      Get Crazy - The After Party
      Video
      • Cinematographer
      • 2021
    • Madeline Carroll and Callan McAuliffe in Flipped (2010)
      Flipped
      7.7
      • director of photography
      • 2010
    • Alex O'Loughlin in Moonlight (2007)
      Moonlight
      7.6
      TV Series
      • Cinematographer
      • 2007
    • Amanda Peet, Matthew Perry, Steven Weber, Sarah Paulson, Timothy Busfield, D.L. Hughley, Bradley Whitford, and Nate Corddry in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006)
      Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
      8.3
      TV Series
      • director of photography
      • 2006–2007
    • The Book of Daniel (2006)
      The Book of Daniel
      7.9
      TV Series
      • Cinematographer
      • 2006
    • Code Breakers (2005)
      Code Breakers
      6.1
      TV Movie
      • director of photography
      • 2005
    • Melanie Griffith in Heartless (2005)
      Heartless
      4.1
      TV Movie
      • Cinematographer
      • 2005
    • Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Moira Kelly, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, and Bradley Whitford in The West Wing (1999)
      The West Wing
      8.9
      TV Series
      • director of photography
      • 1999–2004
    • Yasmine Bleeth, Christopher Lloyd, John Ritter, and JoBeth Williams in It Came from the Sky (1999)
      It Came from the Sky
      5.8
      TV Movie
      • Cinematographer
      • 1999
    • Down Will Come Baby (1999)
      Down Will Come Baby
      5.9
      TV Movie
      • director of photography (as Tom Del Ruth)
      • 1999
    • Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs, and Shannen Doherty in Charmed (1998)
      Charmed
      7.2
      TV Series
      • director of photography (as Tom del Ruth)
      • 1998
    • Mili Avital, David Schwimmer, and Jason Lee in Kissing a Fool (1998)
      Kissing a Fool
      5.5
      • director of photography
      • 1998
    • The Underworld (1997)
      The Underworld
      6.1
      TV Movie
      • Cinematographer
      • 1997
    • Christopher McDonald, Janine Turner, Cameron Finley, and Erik von Detten in Leave It to Beaver (1997)
      Leave It to Beaver
      5.2
      • director of photography
      • 1997
    • When the Cradle Falls (1997)
      When the Cradle Falls
      5.2
      TV Movie
      • Cinematographer
      • 1997

    Camera and Electrical Department



    • Yasmine Bleeth, Christopher Lloyd, John Ritter, and JoBeth Williams in It Came from the Sky (1999)
      It Came from the Sky
      5.8
      TV Movie
      • director of photography: second unit
      • 1999
    • Code of Vengeance (1985)
      Code of Vengeance
      6.1
      TV Movie
      • additional photography
      • 1985
    • Blue Thunder (1983)
      Blue Thunder
      6.4
      • director of photography: additional photography
      • 1983
    • Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal in The Main Event (1979)
      The Main Event
      5.6
      • camera operator
      • 1979
    • Kam Fong, Al Harrington, Jack Lord, and James MacArthur in Hawaii Five-O (1968)
      Hawaii Five-O
      7.4
      TV Series
      • camera operator
      • 1978–1979
    • Crash (1978)
      Crash
      5.6
      TV Movie
      • camera operator (as Tom Del Ruth)
      • 1978
    • John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease (1978)
      Grease
      7.2
      • Director of Photography second unit (uncredited)
      • 1978
    • Colorado C.I.
      8.3
      TV Movie
      • camera operator
      • 1978
    • Big Wednesday (1978)
      Big Wednesday
      7.1
      • camera operator (as Tom Del Ruth)
      • 1978
    • Wheels (1978)
      Wheels
      6.6
      TV Mini Series
      • camera operator
      • 1978
    • Orson Welles, Cloris Leachman, Marlo Thomas, and Wayne Rogers in It Happened One Christmas (1977)
      It Happened One Christmas
      6.0
      TV Movie
      • camera operator (uncredited)
      • 1977
    • Three Warriors (1977)
      Three Warriors
      6.6
      • camera operator
      • 1977
    • William Devane in Rolling Thunder (1977)
      Rolling Thunder
      6.9
      • camera operator
      • 1977
    • Citizens Band (1977)
      Citizens Band
      6.4
      • camera operator (uncredited)
      • 1977
    • Testimony of Two Men (1977)
      Testimony of Two Men
      7.6
      TV Mini Series
      • camera operator
      • 1977

    Producer



    • Wolf (1989)
      Wolf
      6.7
      TV Series
      • co-producer
      • producer
      • 1989–1990

    Videos6

    TDR Demo Reel #2
    Demo Reel 3:13
    TDR Demo Reel #2
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 1:27
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 1:27
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 1:30
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 1:11
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Clip 1:09
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition
    Trailer 1:21
    The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative names
      • Tom Del Ruth
    • Born
      • May 1, 1942
      • Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Spouses
        Patricia West-Del RuthFebruary 2, 1981 - present (2 children)
    • Parents
        Winnie Lightner
    • Relatives
        Hampton Del Ruth(Aunt or Uncle)

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Son of Roy Del Ruth and Winnie Lightner.

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.