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Though Oscar-nominated cinematographer Phil Lathrop lensed over 70 major films, he had his greatest success filming television movies. In the latter field, Lathrop received four Emmy nominations and two Emmys, one for Malice in Wonderland (1985) and Christmas Snow. He was twice nominated for the Oscar for The Americanization of Emily (1964) and Earthquake (1974). Lathrop started out helping cameramen at Universal Studios. While there, he was mentored by several experienced lighting directors, including, Hal Mohr, Billy Daniels, Joe Valentine, and Milt Krasner. For an entire decade, Lathrop studied under and assisted Russ Metty. Their collaborations culminated with Orson Welles' Touch of Evil (1958). As a full-fledged cinematographer, Lathrop began by filming live-action sequences for animator Walter Lantz. Lathrop then teamed with director Blake Edwards to photograph the television series Peter Gunn. The lead cameraman continued a long association with Edwards and for the director shot films such as Days of Wine and Roses (1962) and The Pink Panther (1964). Other notable features in Lathrop's filmography include They Shoot Horses Don't They? (1969). Lathrop shot his last film, Little Girl Lost in 1988. In 1991, Philip H. Lathrop, a former co-chairman of the ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards committee, was honored by his peers with a special Lifetime Achievement award.