- Father of Bruce Surtees
- Entered the film industry as camera assistant to Joseph Ruttenberg and Gregg Toland, etc.
- Member of A.S.C. (American Society of Cinematographers).
- Upon his death, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered over Point Lobos in Monterey, California.
- Father of Bruce Surtees; Tom Surtees; and Nancy Surtees; Grandfather of Suzanne Surtees. Former father-in-law of Judy Rucker and Carol Buby.
- Cinematographer for two Oscar Best Picture winners Ben-Hur (1959) and The Sting (1973), and seven other nominees: King Solomon's Mines (1950), Quo Vadis (1951), Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), Doctor Dolittle (1967), The Graduate (1967), The Last Picture Show (1971) and The Turning Point (1977).
- The very high quality 35mm Technicolor footage shot in Africa by Surtees and his crew for "King Solomon's Mines" (1950) became a source of stock shots used in numerous future productions without credit to Surtees.
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