Benjamin H. Kline

Benjamin H. Kline (1894-1974) was an American cinematographer and film director.

Kline was born in Birmingham, Alabama and started his career as a cinematographer in 1920 with Universal Pictures' Red Lane. Over his career he shot about 350 films and television shows, a number that includes many serials and a large number of Three Stooges short subjects for Columbia Pictures. He worked up through about 1972. His son Richard H. Kline is also a noted cinematographer. Kline also directed eight films during the period of 1931-1945.

As director

Kline directed seven films, one Rin Tin Tin serial and six westerns:

• The Lightning Warrior (1931)
• Cowboy in the Clouds (1943)
• Sundown Valley (1944)
• Cowboy from Lonesome River (1944)
• Cyclone Prairie Rangers (1944)
• Saddle Leather Law (1944)
• Sagebrush Heroes (1945)

Sources also suggest that Kline replaced B. Reeves Eason as uncredited director of the The Galloping Ghost serial in 1931.

As cinematographer

Kline's films as cinematographer include:

• Hitchin' Posts (1920) with director John Ford
• The Night Horsemen (1921)
• Sky High (1922)
• Chasing the Moon (1922)
• The Six-Fifty (1923)
• The Scarlet West (1925)
• Sensation Seekers (1927)
• Peacock Alley (1930)
• Texas Cyclone (1932)
• The Wrecker (1933)
• The Ninth Guest (1934)
• End of the Trail (1936)
• The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1938 serial)
• Mandrake the Magician (1939 serial)
• Overland with Kit Carson (1939 serial)
• Flying G-Men (1939 serial)
• Before I Hang (1940)
• The Lone Prairie (1942)
• Detour (1945)
• Club Havana (1945)
• Rolling Home (1946)
• Joe Palooka, Champ (1946)
• Shoot to Kill (1947)
• Half Past Midnight (1948)
• Tough Assignment (1949)
• Omoo-Omoo, the Shark God (1949)
• Miami Exposé (1956)
• Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)