Donn Cambern (October 9, 1929 – January 18, 2023) was an American film editor with more than three dozen feature film credits. His editing of Romancing the Stone (1984) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film Editing along with fellow editor Frank Morriss, and his editing of Easy Rider (1969) has been noted as particularly innovative and influential. He was awarded the American Cinema Editors Career Achievement Award in 2004.[1][2]

Donn Cambern
Born(1929-10-09)October 9, 1929
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 18, 2023(2023-01-18) (aged 93)
Burbank, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm editor

Cambern was born in Los Angeles, California, and obtained a B.A. in music from UCLA. Cambern began his career as a music editor for The Andy Griffith Show before moving into film editing.

Officially credited with editing The Last Picture Show (1971), Cambern's involvement was called into question in the 1999 documentary, The Last Picture Show: A Look Back. In the documentary, Peter Bogdanovich said that after shooting the film, he went back to Los Angeles to edit it on a Moviola. When finished editing the entire picture, he refused to credit himself as editor, reasoning that credits beyond that of director and co-writer would look 'ridiculous'. After being informed that the Motion Picture Editors Guild required crediting an editor, he suggested Donn Cambern who had been editing another film in the next office over and had helped Bogdanovich with some purchasing paperwork.[3] In the documentary, Cybill Shepherd said that when she went to stay with Bogdanovich during that time, it was disappointing because he was too busy editing the film.[4] Cambern disputes this, stating that Bogdanovich did do an edit of the film, which he screened for a selection of guests, including Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson and himself. The consensus was the film was going to be great, but needed further editing to achieve its full potential. Bogdanovich invited Cambern to edit the film further and Cambern made significant contributions to the film's final form.

One of Cambern's favorite stories and something for which he is often remembered is the editing of the final sequence of the Robert Wise film The Hindenburg (1975), in which Cambern manages to keep the Hindenburg blowing up for almost 10 minutes when the actual event lasted little more than 37 seconds.[5]

In 2007, Cambern was senior filmmaker-in-residence at the American Film Institute Conservatory.[6] Cambern had been elected as a member of the American Cinema Editors.[7] Cambern had served twice (1990–94, 1997–99) as Vice-President of the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. From 1991-2002, he was President of the Motion Picture Editors Guild.[6][8]

Cambern was the inaugural recipient of the Guild's Fellowship and Service Award in 2007.[9]

Cambern died of complications from a fall on January 18, 2023, at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. He was 93.[1]

Selected filmography

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Editor
Year Film Director Notes
1969 2000 Years Later Bert Tenzer
Easy Rider Dennis Hopper
1971 Drive, He Said Jack Nicholson
The Last Picture Show Peter Bogdanovich
1973 Blume in Love Paul Mazursky First collaboration with Paul Mazursky
1975 The Hindenburg Robert Wise
1976 Alex & the Gypsy John Korty
1977 The Other Side of Midnight Charles Jarrott
1978 The End Burt Reynolds
Hooper Hal Needham First collaboration with Hal Needham
1979 Time After Time Nicholas Meyer
1980 Willie & Phil Paul Mazursky Second collaboration with Paul Mazursky
Smokey and the Bandit II Hal Needham Second collaboration with Hal Needham
1981 Excalibur John Boorman
Uncredited
The Cannonball Run Hal Needham Third collaboration with Hal Needham
Paternity David Steinberg First collaboration with David Steinberg
1982 Tempest Paul Mazursky Third collaboration with Paul Mazursky
1983 Going Berserk David Steinberg Second collaboration with David Steinberg
1984 Romancing the Stone Robert Zemeckis
1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Richard Pryor
Big Trouble John Cassavetes
1987 Harry and the Hendersons William Dear
1988 Casual Sex? Geneviève Robert
Feds Daniel Goldberg
Twins Ivan Reitman First collaboration with Ivan Reitman
1989 Ghostbusters II Second collaboration with Ivan Reitman
1991 Eyes of an Angel Robert Harmon
The Butcher's Wife Terry Hughes
1992 The Bodyguard Mick Jackson
1993 Rookie of the Year Daniel Stern
1994 Major League II David S. Ward
Little Giants Duwayne Dunham
1996 The Glimmer Man John Gray
Editorial department
Year Film Director Role
1973 Steelyard Blues Alan Myerson Supervising film editor
Cinderella Liberty Mark Rydell
1993 Blood In Blood Out Taylor Hackford Additional film editor
1997 A Thousand Acres Jocelyn Moorhouse Additional editor
Producer
Year Film Director Credit
1991 Eyes of an Angel Robert Harmon Co-producer
Second unit director or assistant director
Year Film Director Role
1977 The Other Side of Midnight Charles Jarrott Second unit director
1982 Tempest Paul Mazursky Second unit director: Greece
Thanks
Year Film Director Role
1998 Relax... It's Just Sex P. J. Castellaneta Thanks
2007 The Jinn Iris Green Special thanks
2009 Hurt Barbara Stepansky

Documentaries

Editor
Year Film Director
1969 Follow Me Gene McCabe
A Session with the Committee Del Jack

TV movies

Editor
Year Film Director
1969 Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children Marc Breaux
Music department
Year Film Director Role
1999 Boys Will Be Boys Dom DeLuise Composer: Additional music
Music editor

TV series

Music department
Year Title Role Notes
1961 Margie Music editor 1 episode
1965 I Spy
That Girl
1963−66 The Andy Griffith Show 70 episodes
1964−66 Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 60 episodes
1968 The Ghost & Mrs. Muir 2 episodes

TV specials

Editor
Year Film Director
1968 The Bob Hope Christmas Special Morton Lachman
Thanks
Year Title Role
2023 96th Academy Awards In memoriam

References

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  1. ^ a b Koseluk, Chris (January 21, 2023). "Donn Cambern, Film Editor on 'Easy Rider' and 'Romancing the Stone,' Dies at 93". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  2. ^ MacCary, Julia (January 20, 2023). "Donn Cambern, 'Easy Rider' Editor and Former Motion Picture Editors Guild President, Dies at 93". Variety.
  3. ^ Turner Classic Movies. Notes for The Last Picture Show (1971)
  4. ^ Peter Bogdanovich, Cybill Shepherd (1999). The Last Picture Show: A Look Back (DVD).
  5. ^ Phillips, Mark (May 1998). "Robert Wise And Donn Cambern Ignite 'Fireside Chat'". Motion Picture Editor's Guild Newsletter. 19 (3). Archived from the original on 2008-03-16.
  6. ^ a b "Faculty Listing". American Film Institute. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
  7. ^ "American Cinema Editors > Members". Archived from the original on 2008-02-18.
  8. ^ "Guild Election Results 2002". Editors' Guild Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-05-21.
  9. ^ "News: Cambern Feted Fellowship, Service by Guild". Editors' Guild Magazine. Archived from the original on 2009-01-07. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
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