Society Hosts Memorial for Frederic Goodich, ASC

Society members, friends and loved ones gathered at the ASC Clubhouse on Sunday, Oct. 17, to honor the memory of Frederic Goodich, ASC, who passed away on Aug. 30 at age 76. A prolific contributor to Society endeavors, Goodich was lauded at the private memorial for his lasting influence and for his tireless involvement with the filmmaking community.

Former ASC President Richard Crudo welcomed guests and spoke of Goodich’s “astute taste” and how he had embraced his role as Board of Governors secretary “with all he had and [doing] a terrific job with it.” ASC President Kees van Oostrum cited Goodich as a galvanizing force in his work as chair of the Society’s International Committee. Van Oostrum praised Goodich’s ability to “move mountains” and accomplish a “remarkable list of achievements” in his time as a Society member.

Crudo then read a letter of remembrance from Sol Negrin, ASC; Milo Martin read a poem that Goodich had written; and Peter Flinckenberg, FSC spoke of Goodich’s personal and professional support. Isidore Mankofsky, ASC remarked on his hiring of Goodich at Encyclopædia Britannica Films in the mid-1960s and the friendship that followed. Former ASC President Michael Goi noted Goodich’s skills as a director of photography — specifically mentioning an impressive Michael Bay-style car-crash sequence he once shot — as well as his mounting of the recent International Cinematography Summit with “dedication and persistence.” Caleb Deschanel, ASC recalled Goodich’s quiet demeanor and his particular brand of “magnetism” that enabled him to enlist the support of colleagues in his efforts.

Robert Primes, ASC spoke of Goodich’s extensive contributions to the Bangkok and Palm Springs Film Festivals, as well as his love of cinema and the ASC. Peter Anderson, ASC described Goodich’s Society membership interview: “By the end of that 15 minutes, he was adopted.” Dr. David B. Kaminsky, with whom Goodich staged Cinematographer’s Day events at numerous film festivals, talked of Goodich’s bringing of his colleagues together to share experiences, and of his “analytic mind and poetic heart.”

Francis Kenny, ASC offered that the subject Goodich discussed most often was his son, Nikolai Goodich, who in turn shared that he and his father had watched spaghetti Westerns in his father’s final days. “To watch my dad sit and be absorbed by these classic films, knowing that he was going to pass,” he offered, “and in his last weeks to know that he was fulfilled in a lot of ways by his love of cinema — covering so many decades — was a really beautiful thing.” Noting that his father had recently become interested in virtual reality, he added, “He had a sharp mind and a clear vision for where cinema was going. It was kind of perfect that he was still at the cutting edge.”

Reflecting on the service after the event, Goodich’s wife, Donna, said, “The one person who would have loved to attend would be Fred. He would have loved to have heard all the wonderful things people said.” — Andrew Fish