BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 25 (UPI) -- Cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, who shot the seminal "Easy Rider" and the mainstream "Ghostbusters," has died at his Beverly Hills, Calif., home at age 74.
Kovacs, who died Sunday in his sleep, fled Hungary with friend and fellow cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond after the Soviet takeover in 1956 -- but not before they filmed the Hungarian revolution against the Communist regime, Variety reported Tuesday.
After smuggling their film out of the country, Kovacs and Zsigmond entered the United States as political refugees in 1957. The footage was featured in a CBS documentary narrated by Walter Cronkite.
"He was my soul mate, like a brother," said Zsigmond. "We escaped together, we worked together, we helped each other. He was a great cinematographer."
Kovacs' location work and independent working methods led him to up-and-coming, influential directors of the 1960s. He shot Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon," Robert Altman's "That Cold Day in the Park," Dennis Hopper's anti-establishment "Easy Rider" and Bob Rafelson's breakthrough "Five Easy Pieces."
Kovacs gradually moved into more mainstream fare such as "Frances," "Ghostbusters," "Radio Flyer," "My Best Friend's Wedding," and "Miss Congeniality." His last feature was "Two Weeks Notice."
Kovacs is survived by his wife, Audrey, and two daughters.
