Hanania Baer

Hanania Baer popped into the world back in September of 1943, in what was then called Palestine—yeah, before all the maps got switched around and suddenly it was Israel. He’s not your average behind-the-scenes guy, either. Baer’s actually racked up a wild, sprawling career in film and TV, mostly as a cinematographer but also with some producer credits tossed in for good measure. If you’ve ever caught that gloriously campy “Masters of the Universe” flick from ’87 with Dolph Lundgren swinging a sword, Baer’s the one who captured all that neon-drenched mayhem. Seriously, he’s got an eye for making even the cheesiest scenes look epic. But, hey, he’s not just about the big screen. Dude spent a chunk of his life working on TV specials that actually meant something to a lot of kids growing up. Remember those “ABC Afterschool Specials”? Baer shot a bunch of those—the ones that tackled everything from peer pressure to, like, random teen drama, all with that unmistakable ‘70s and ‘80s vibe. And don’t sleep on the “CBS Schoolbreak Special” either. Those were basically rite-of-passage viewing for anyone with a TV at the time. What’s cool about Baer is how he bounced between styles and genres, always bringing his own flavor whether it was a glossy blockbuster or a low-budget TV lesson. Not a household name, maybe, but if you dig through the credits of stuff that shaped a generation, you’ll find him lighting the scene, literally. He’s proof you don’t need to be front and center to have a serious impact on pop culture.