▁the ▁scenes ▁on ▁numerous ▁silent ▁and ▁B - movie ▁action ▁films ▁before ▁becoming ▁one ▁of ▁R K O ▁Radio ▁Pictures ▁prime ▁direct ors ▁of ▁phot ography ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁Str anger ▁on ▁the ▁Third ▁F loor ▁( 1 9 4 0 ) ▁is ▁sometimes ▁considered ▁the ▁first ▁film - no ir . ▁While ▁working ▁regularly ▁at ▁R K O , ▁he ▁joined ▁Val ▁Lew ton ' s ▁unit ▁making ▁low - bud get ▁horror - fil ms , ▁being ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁cinemat ography ▁of ▁five ▁of ▁the ▁films ▁produced ▁by ▁Lew ton ' s ▁unit . ▁Mus ur aca ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁director ▁Jacques ▁Tour neur ▁on ▁Cat ▁People ▁( 1 9 4 2 ) ▁and , ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁Lew ton ' s ▁time ▁at ▁R K O , ▁Out ▁of ▁the ▁Past ▁( 1 9 4 7 ). ▁He ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁Academy ▁Award ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁I ▁Remember ▁M ama . ▁After ▁working ▁briefly ▁at ▁Warner ▁B ros . ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Mus ur aca ▁joined ▁Des il u , ▁where ▁he ▁spent ▁his ▁last ▁active ▁years ▁in ▁TV ▁work ▁including ▁the ▁television ▁series ▁F ▁Tro op . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Eric ▁Sch ae fer : ▁ ▁Nicholas ▁Mus ur aca ' s ▁name ▁remains ▁un just ly ▁obsc ure ▁among ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁cinemat ograph ers ▁from ▁Hollywood ' s ▁golden ▁age . ▁In ▁his ▁prime ▁years