Clarence Kolster (September 6, 1895 – May 6, 1972) was an American film editor, active during the later years of the silent era, right through the 1950s.

Clarence Kolster
Born(1895-09-06)September 6, 1895
Plattsburgh, New York, United States
DiedMay 6, 1972(1972-05-06) (aged 76)
Santa Monica, California, United States
OccupationFilm editor
Years active1922–1958

Biography

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Born in Plattsburgh, New York, in 1895, Clarence began his film career editing the 1922 silent film Rags to Riches. During his 30-year career, he would edit almost 100 films, in addition to working as assistant director on the 1924 film The Lighthouse by the Sea.[1] His career would include such classics as The Painted Desert, also in 1931, which featured Clark Gable's first speaking role; the 1946 remake of Of Human Bondage; Always Leave Them Laughing, starring Milton Berle and Virginia Mayo; and 1958's Our Miss Brooks starring Eve Arden.

But Kolster's crowning achievement was his first mega-hit, the 1931 version of Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff. Kolster's editing of when the monster is revealed has been called, "... possibly the most distinguished piece of cutting in all of horror movie history."[2] In addition, the creation sequence, the monster finding the small child by the lake, and the confrontation between the monster and Frankenstein's bride, have all become iconic scenes in film history, often imitated and parodied in later pictures.[2]

In 1958, Kolster would make the switch from the big screen to the small screen, where he worked on several television series, including Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip. Kolster retired in 1962, and would die 10 years later.

Filmography

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(as per AFI's database)[1]

Year Title Role Notes
1922 Rags to Riches Editor
1923 The Country Kid Editor
1923 Little Johnny Jones Editor
1923 The Printer's Devil Editor
1924 Conductor 1492 Editor
1924 The Lighthouse by the Sea Assistant director
1925 Three Weeks in Paris Editor
1925 Hogan's Alley Editor
1925 The Clash of the Wolves Editor
1925 On Thin Ice Editor
1926 The Fighting Edge Editor
1926 The Little Irish Girl Editor
1926 Broken Hearts of Hollywood Editor
1926 His Jazz Bride Editor
1926 The Night Cry Editor
1926 The Sap Editor
1926 The Third Degree Editor
1927 The College Widow Editor
1927 A Dog of the Regiment Editor
1927 Ginsberg the Great Editor
1927 Husbands for Rent Editor
1930 Sunny Skies Editor
1930 Hot Curves Editor
1930 Peacock Alley Editor
1930 The Thoroughbred Editor
1930 Troopers Three Editor
1930 Wings of Adventure Editor
1931 Frankenstein Editor
1931 The Painted Desert Editor
1931 Waterloo Bridge Editor
1932 The Old Dark House Editor
1932 The Impatient Maiden Editor
1932 Doomed Battalion Editor
1933 King of the Wild Horses Editor
1933 Havana Widows Editor
1933 The Fighting Code Editor
1933 Unknown Valley Editor
1934 Twenty Million Sweethearts Editor
1934 Circus Clown Editor
1934 The St. Louis Kid Editor
1934 I've Got Your Number Editor
1935 The White Cockatoo Editor
1935 Special Agent Editor
1935 Mary Jane's Pa Editor
1935 Miss Pacific Fleet Editor
1936 Brides Are Like That Editor
1936 Polo Joe Editor
1936 Hot Money Editor
1936 The Law in Her Hands Editor
1937 Her Husband's Secretary Editor
1937 Back in Circulation Editor
1937 Empty Holsters Editor
1937 Once a Doctor Editor
1937 Sh! The Octopus Editor
1938 Gold Is Where You Find It Editor
1938 Four's a Crowd Editor
1938 Going Places Editor
1939 Hell's Kitchen Editor
1939 On Your Toes Editor
1940 River's End Editor
1940 South of Suez Editor
1940 An Angel from Texas Editor
1940 Brother Rat and a Baby Editor
1941 Bad Men of Missouri Editor
1941 Thieves Fall Out Editor
1942 Men of Texas Editor
1942 The Spoilers Editor
1942 Wild Bill Hickok Rides Editor
1943 The Mysterious Doctor Editor
1943 Truck Busters Editor
1943 Adventure in Iraq Editor
1944 Make Your Own Bed Editor
1946 Of Human Bondage Editor
1947 Escape Me Never Editor
1948 Smart Girls Don't Talk Editor
1948 The Woman in White Editor
1949 Always Leave Them Laughing Editor
1949 South of St. Louis Editor
1950 Barricade Editor
1950 Dallas Editor
1951 Close to My Heart Editor
1951 Fort Worth Editor
1951 Sugarfoot Editor
1951 Storm Warning Editor
1952 The Big Trees Editor
1952 Operation Secret Editor
1952 She's Working Her Way Through College Editor
1953 South Sea Woman Editor
1953 The System Editor
1954 The Bounty Hunter Editor
1954 Drum Beat Editor
1955 I Died a Thousand Times Editor
1955 Target Zero Editor
1956 Our Miss Brooks Editor
1956 Zarak Editor
1956 The Burning Hills Editor
1956 The Lone Ranger Editor
1957 Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend Editor
1958 Fort Dobbs Editor

References

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  1. ^ a b "Clarence Kolster". American Film Institute. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Essman, Scott (November–December 1999). "The Men Who Made The Monsters". The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter. Archived from the original on March 18, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
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