MICHAEL KEITH BUCHER

Michael Bucher

Michael Keith Bucher, 73, of Clancy, Mont., died at 3:05 p.m. Sept. 7, 2012, at Big Sky Care Center in Helena, Mont.

He was born Aug. 18, 1939, in Beardstown, a son of Sherman and Elizabeth Horton Bucher. He married Marilyn Rodabaugh in 1962. They later divorced.

Surviving are one son, Michael K. (and Kathy) Bucher II of Madison, Ala.; one daughter, Natalie Bucher of Smelterville, Idaho; one brother, Roger (and Pat) Bucher of Springfield; one sister, Ann (and Bill) Robinson of St. Charles; and four grandchildren.

At a young age, he became fascinated with motion pictures, and by age 14, became the resident projectionist at Colonial Theatre in Astoria and worked there throughout his high school years. With the money he earned, he purchased 8 mm camera equipment and began to shoot films of family and friends in his hometown of Astoria.

By the time he graduated from Astoria High School in 1957, he was hooked on film making and entered USAF and was assigned to Air Force Motion Picture Studio in Hollywood, Calif. There, he worked with producer/director Jack Haley Jr. and others, and at age 18, he was first assistant cameraman, working on a sound stage shooting legendary actor James Stewart.

After four years in the Air Force, he moved to Pennsylvania and, for a short time, worked with director Irvin Yeaworth Jr. at Valley Forge Films. He was then offered a position as cinematographer with Walter Annenberg's Triangle Television Productions in Philadelphia, Pa., home of Dick Clark's "American Bandstand". Shortly after, Capital Cities Communications purchased Triangle, and later, the ABC Television Network. Bucher became a director of photography for Capital Cities Television Productions and traveled extensively, filming dozens of documentaries, docudramas and featurettes, working with notable actors from motion pictures and television.

After 15 years as a director of photography with Capital Cities Communications in Pennsylvania, he moved to Helena, and became a free agent. One of his many career highlights was photographing long-time friend actor/producer/director James Brolin's feature motion picture "My Brother's War" in 1997 in Ireland. It won best feature at First Annual Hollywood Film Festival in the budget over one million dollars category.

He was a member of Society of Operating Cameramen.

Cremation was accorded. Inurnment will be at a later date in Woodland Cemetery in Astoria.

Memorials may be made to Astoria Fire and Rescue in Astoria or American Cancer Society.

Published in the Astoria South Fulton Argus on 10/17/2012