Adam Greenberg, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer best known for his work on The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, has passed away at the age of 88. His death was announced by industry peers on social media. Greenberg's career spanned decades, from Israeli films to major Hollywood productions.
Background and Career
Born on April 11, 1937, in Kraków, Poland, Adam Greenberg was raised in Tel Aviv, where he started his career in the 1950s and 1960s as a film lab technician and documentary cameraman. His first credit as director of photography came with the 1966 Israeli musical The Flying Matchmaker, followed by notable local films including Hasamba (1971), I Love You Rosa (1972), My Michael (1974), and Lemon Popsicle (1978).
Greenberg broke into Hollywood in the 1980s, collaborating with director James Cameron on The Terminator (1984) and earning an Oscar nomination for his cinematography on Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). His extensive filmography also includes Once Bitten (1985), La Bamba (1987), Three Men and a Baby (1987), Turner & Hooch (1989), Ghost (1990), Sister Act (1992), Rush Hour (1998), Inspector Gadget (1999), and Snakes on a Plane (2006).
In 2013, he returned to Israel to direct the documentary Footsteps in Jerusalem, paying homage to David Perlov's In Jerusalem (1963), which marked his first camera credit.
Tributes
Fellow cinematographer Avraham Karpick, who worked with Greenberg on the 1984 film The Ambassador, shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook: “Adam did not speak to impress — he spoke to connect. He did not lead by direction — he led by example. He never commanded — he swam beside us, anchored in clarity, wisdom, and calm. Free of ego, far from vanity, he stayed above noise, gossip, and distraction. Now we are left with echoes — of his words, his spirit, his way. Because whales never truly vanish. They become part of something deeper.”
Assistant director Eddie Ziv and camera operator Mosh Levin also expressed condolences on social media. Greenberg's passing on Thursday leaves a significant void in the cinematography community, remembered for his influential visuals in sci-fi and comedy genres.