Craig Denault

Craig Denault was a camera operator for film and television, as well as an occasional cinematographer and director. He was the camera operator on. He died in his birthplace of Los Angeles, California.

Denault was active as a feature film cameraman from the late 1970s through 1986. In the early 1990s, he was a Director of Photography on the long-running series Knots Landing and on the short-lived series Bodies of Evidence, both for CBS. He also directed one episode of each series. He returned to operating cameras for feature films shortly before his death.

In addition to Star Trek II, Denault was the camera operator on such popular films as Being There (1979, starring David Clennon), The Right Stuff (1983, featuring David Clennon and Darryl Henriques), The Natural (1984, featuring Mike Starr), Purple Rain (1984, featuring Clarence Williams III), Fright Night (1985, starring Chris Sarandon and featuring costume designs by Robert Fletcher), and Stand by Me (1986, starring Wil Wheaton). His film credits also include two of the Karate Kid movies, 1986's The Karate Kid, Part II and 1994's The Next Karate Kid. His final film credit was the 1994 comedy The Scout.

In Los Angeles, on the evening of 15 April 1994, a heavily-intoxicated Denault crashed his vehicle into several parked cars. He then emerged from his car with a duffel bag and began swallowing a handful of pills. A police officer arrived on the scene and attempted to subdue Denault using pepper spray. Denault turned his back to the officer, dropped to his knees, and pulled out a gun from his duffel bag. Before the officer could react, Denault shot himself in the forehead, killing himself. A toxicology report later revealed that Denault had high levels of ethanol and cocaine in his system. 

Other Trek connections
Additional projects on which Denault worked with other Star Trek alumni include:
 * One on One (1977 film) starring Gail Strickland
 * Coming Home (1978 film) featuring David Clennon
 * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978 film) featuring Keith Carradine and Carel Struycken
 * ''Thief (1981 film) featuring set decoration by John M. Dwyer
 * Against All Odds (1984 film) starring Saul Rubinek and featuring costume designs by Michael Kaplan
 * Wildcats (1986 film) featuring Bruce French and Bruce McGill
 * Blue City (1986 film) starring Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr. and Paul Winfield
 * The Morning After (1986 film) starring Diane Salinger and featuring Fran Bennett

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Craig Denault