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Robert Laughlin Simpson, A.C.E. (July 31, 1910 – June 26, 1977), was an American
*''
film editor
Film editing is both a creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film which increasingly involves the use of digital technology.
The film edit ...
with more than 100 feature film credits.
Biography
Born inSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
, Simpson began his career at Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
in 1935. By the end of the decade, he had joined 20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
, where he remained for more than 35 years.
During a 55-year career, Simpson edited one hundred films, including ''Drums Along the Mohawk
''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama western film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by John Ford. Henry Fonda and Clau ...
'' (1939), ''The Grapes of Wrath
''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award
and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize ...
'' (1940), ''The Pride of St. Louis
''The Pride of St. Louis'' is a 1952 American biographical film of the life of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It starred Dan Dailey as Dean, Joanne Dru as his wife, and Richard Crenna as his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean, a ...
'' (1952), ''Call Me Madam
''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...
'', ''The King and I
''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childre ...
'' (1956), '' South Pacific'' (1958), ''Fate is the Hunter
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often ...
'' (1964), and ''Tony Rome
''Tony Rome'' is a 1967 American neo-noir mystery crime thriller film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Sinatra in the title role, alongside Jill St. John, Sue Lyon and Gena Rowlands. It was adapted from Marvin H. Albert's novel '' ...
'' (1967). He collaborated with director George Seaton
George Seaton (April 17, 1911 – July 28, 1979) was an American screenwriter, playwright, film director and producer, and theatre director.
Life and career Early life
Seaton was born George Edward Stenius in South Bend, Indiana, of Swedish des ...
on several projects, including ''Miracle on 34th Street
''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American List of Christmas films, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on ...
'', ''The Shocking Miss Pilgrim
''The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film in Technicolor written and directed by George Seaton and starring Betty Grable and Dick Haymes.
The screenplay, based on a story by Ernest Maas and Frederica Maas, focuses on ...
'', ''Apartment for Peggy
''Apartment for Peggy'' is a 1948 American comedy-drama film directed by George Seaton and starring Jeanne Crain, William Holden, and Edmund Gwenn. The plot is about a depressed professor whose spirits are lifted when he rents part of his home to ...
'', and ''Chicken Every Sunday
''Chicken Every Sunday'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by George Seaton. The screenplay by Seaton and Valentine Davies is based on the 1944 play of the same title by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, which was based on Chicken Ev ...
''. He also worked with John Ford
John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...
, Sidney Lanfield
Sidney Lanfield (April 20, 1898 – June 20, 1972) was an American film director known for directing romances and light comedy films and later television programs.
The one-time jazz musician and vaudevillian star started his first directing job ...
, and Walter Lang
Walter Lang (August 10, 1896 – February 7, 1972) was an American film director.
Early life
Walter Lang was born in Tennessee. As a young man he went to New York City where he found clerical work at a movie studio, film production company. The ...
.
Simpson was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing
The Academy Award for Best Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Nominations for this award are closely correlated with the Academy Award for Best Picture. For 33 consecutive years, ...
for ''The Grapes of Wrath''.
Partial filmography
*''Her Master's Voice
''Her Master's Voice'' is a 1936 film directed by Joseph Santley and based on the 1933 play '' Her Master's Voice'' by Clare Kummer. The film's sets were designed by the art director Alexander Toluboff.
Plot
A wealthy woman moves her niece to h ...
'' (1936)
*''Love and Hisses
''Love and Hisses'' is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Walter Winchell, Ben Bernie and Simone Simon. It is the sequel to the film ''Wake Up and Live''.Lev p.24 Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl F. Zanuck w ...
'' (1937)
*'' Josette'' (1938)
*''Drums Along the Mohawk
''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama western film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by John Ford. Henry Fonda and Clau ...
'' (1939)
*''Public Deb No. 1
''Public Deb No. 1'' (or ''Elsa Maxwell's Public Deb No. 1'') is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring George Murphy, Brenda Joyce and Ralph Bellamy.
Plot
A socialite is introduced to communism by her butler.
Partia ...
'' (1940)
*''The Grapes of Wrath
''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award
and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize ...
'' (1940)
*''Sweet Rosie O'Grady
''Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' is a 1943 Technicolor musical film about an American singer who attempts to better herself by marrying an English duke, but is harassed by a reporter. Directed by Irving Cummings, it stars Betty Grable and Robert Young.
...
'' (1943)
*''Miracle on 34th Street
''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American List of Christmas films, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on ...
'' (1947)
*''The Shocking Miss Pilgrim
''The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film in Technicolor written and directed by George Seaton and starring Betty Grable and Dick Haymes.
The screenplay, based on a story by Ernest Maas and Frederica Maas, focuses on ...
'' (1947)
*''Apartment for Peggy
''Apartment for Peggy'' is a 1948 American comedy-drama film directed by George Seaton and starring Jeanne Crain, William Holden, and Edmund Gwenn. The plot is about a depressed professor whose spirits are lifted when he rents part of his home to ...
'' (1948)
*''Chicken Every Sunday
''Chicken Every Sunday'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by George Seaton. The screenplay by Seaton and Valentine Davies is based on the 1944 play of the same title by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, which was based on Chicken Ev ...
'' (1949)
*''The Big Lift
''The Big Lift'' is a 1950 American drama war film on location in the city of Berlin, Germany, that tells the story of " Operation Vittles", the 1948–49 Berlin Airlift, through the experiences of two U.S. Air Force sergeants (played by Montgom ...
'' (1950)
*''The Pride of St. Louis
''The Pride of St. Louis'' is a 1952 American biographical film of the life of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It starred Dan Dailey as Dean, Joanne Dru as his wife, and Richard Crenna as his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean, a ...
'' (1952)
*''Call Me Madam
''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...
''
*''The King and I
''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childre ...
'' (1956)
*'' South Pacific'' (1958)
*''Move Over, Darling
''Move Over, Darling'' is a 1963 American comedy film starring Doris Day, James Garner, and Polly Bergen and directed by Michael Gordon filmed in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope released by 20th Century Fox.
The film is a remake of a 1940 screw ...
'' (1963)
*''Fate is the Hunter
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often ...
'' (1964)
*''Tony Rome
''Tony Rome'' is a 1967 American neo-noir mystery crime thriller film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Sinatra in the title role, alongside Jill St. John, Sue Lyon and Gena Rowlands. It was adapted from Marvin H. Albert's novel '' ...
'' (1967)
See also
*List of film director and editor collaborations
This list of film director and editor collaborations includes longstanding, notable partnerships of film director, directors and film editor, editors. The list's importance is that directors and editors typically work together on the film editing, ...
. From 1940 to 1960, Simpson edited ten films directed by Walter Lang
Walter Lang (August 10, 1896 – February 7, 1972) was an American film director.
Early life
Walter Lang was born in Tennessee. As a young man he went to New York City where he found clerical work at a movie studio, film production company. The ...
; ''The King and I'' (1956) was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category ...
and the Academy Award for Best Director
The Academy Award for Best Director (officially known as the Academy Award of Merit for Directing) is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibi ...
.
References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Robert L. 1910 births 1977 deaths American film editors American Cinema Editors Artists from St. Louis