Elwood Bredell，Indiana-born, son of stage actress Mary Palmer Nields and silent screen actor Val Paul (1886-1962), 'Woody' Bredell began his career in films as a lab technician. He worked as a still photographer at RKO and Paramount (1931-34), later joining Universal, as director of photography, 1937-46; then under contract to Warner Brothers, 1947-49.