Hollywood legend and Baywatch cinematographer James Pergola has sadly died at the age of 93, while in hospice care. The star worked on 145 episodes of the beach drama with David Hasselhoff, along with stints as cinematographer on Caddyshack, Major League and Hardly Working with Jerry Lewis. James also shot various Baywatch spin-offs, including White Thunder at Glacier Bay and Baywatch Nights.

He died of “natural causes” in Naples, Florida, his wife Virginia confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. The pair had been married for 63 years. He leaves behind three daughters – Mary, Susan and Holly, the latter of whom worked as a make-up artist with her father on Baywatch.

James is also survived by granddaughters Dylan, Katerina, Juliet, Greta, Scarlett, Willow and Roxy.

James’ life was sadly marred by tragedy, however. He was just four years old when his famous dad James V. Pergola was killed in a plane crash, along with 18 others.

Pergola Senior had worked as a camera operator for Pathé News, covering huge stories like the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in 1932 and the 1933 Cuban revolution.

Writing in 2009, James wrote of his father: “I humbly attempted to follow in my father’s footsteps, but I could never fill them. He was truly a great man.”

Tributes have been flooding in online, with one fan writing on X: “Farewell to the splendid James Pergola, cinematographer and producer of Baywatch and Baywatch Nights.”

The American Society of Cinematographers also paid tribute with an Instagram post, which read: “The ASC remembers cinematographer James Pergola, ASC (1932–2026).

“Pergola shot 145 episodes of Baywatch from 1989–1998 and also served as a producer on the series for seven seasons. His career began at Fox Movietone, where he trained under J.F. Painter, ASC, and went on to build a strong foundation in underwater and location cinematography through collaborations with Jordan Klein and work across television and features.”