Tom Neuwirth, Acclaimed Cinematographer and Collaborator with Emmy-Winning Director Karen Arthur, Dies at 78

Tom Neuwirth, the celebrated cinematographer who worked alongside his wife, history-making TV director Karen Arthur, on episodes of Cagney & Lacey and many other projects, has died at the age of 78.

Neuwirth passed away on June 29 at his home in Manhattan, according to friend and producer Craig Anderson, who worked with him on six films. No cause of death was disclosed.

Over more than four decades, Neuwirth’s career was defined by his extraordinary eye for capturing emotion, character, and place — whether behind the camera or in the cockpit of his own plane. Anderson noted, “He earned his pilot’s license in high school and found joy and freedom in flying throughout his life. That same spirit guided his work behind the camera: bold, precise, and always seeking a new perspective.”

Neuwirth is survived by his wife of 41 years, Karen Arthur, who made history as the first woman to receive a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a drama series in 1985, winning for the Cagney & Lacey episode “Heat,” which featured a guest appearance by a young Michael Madsen.

He was the cinematographer on that episode and five others directed by Arthur during the 1984-85 season.

“We fell madly in love on the first show that we did together, which was ‘Heat,’” Arthur said on a 2023 episode of the 80s TV Ladies podcast. “And we made all my movies, his movies, our movies, from Cagney & Lacey on together.”

Born in the Bronx, Neuwirth started as a photography apprentice in New York City before opening his own studio. A photo assignment in Puerto Rico sparked his passion for filmmaking and led him to Hollywood.

Beginning as a camera assistant on Russ Meyer’s Supervixens (1975), he progressed to helicopter camera operator on Ted Kotcheff’s First Blood (1982) and second-unit director of photography on J. Lee Thompson’s Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987).

Neuwirth shot 18 of 22 episodes of Cagney & Lacey during its pivotal fourth season, which culminated with six Emmys, including the show’s first for Outstanding Drama Series and Arthur’s directing award. In the “Heat” episode, Tyne Daly’s Mary Beth is taken hostage by a psychopathic teenager played by Madsen.

His visual storytelling extended to acclaimed productions such as the five-hour 1992 ABC miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream; the 1997 CBS miniseries True Women, starring Dana Delany and Angelina Jolie; the 1998 CBS telefilm The Staircase, starring Barbara Hershey; and the 2001 PBS telefilm The Song of the Lark, starring Maximilian Schell. All were directed by Arthur.

“When we started out together, most people, like agents and producers, said it would never work,” Neuwirth said in 2012. “We might get into an argument, but it was never an issue. It’s always been professional. When we watch a rehearsal, we look at each other and communicate with subtle movements and statements, and it allows Karen to focus more on the bigger picture.”

Neuwirth and Arthur also lived in the Bahamas, where they co-founded Island Films. Their 2008-12 documentary series Artists of the Bahamas, which premiered at the Bahamas International Film Festival, spotlighted some of the nation’s leading visual artists.

“Make a lot of films,” he often advised young filmmakers. “With every one, you realize mistakes and keep getting better.”

In addition to Arthur, Neuwirth is survived by his son, Adam, and his twin sister, Hilary. A private memorial will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of America in his memory.