PASSAGES
Peter Zinner
Picture Edtor
1919-2007
 Peter Zinner and his daughter Katina in 1964. |
My father, editor Peter Zinner, passed away November 13 at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. I was lucky enough to be there holding his hand as he left us. My brother Nicolas and Mom Christa were also present in the room.
It is not only a great loss for me and our family, but also for all those who had the pleasure of knowing him. I am realizing now just how many people he touched, with all the condolence notes our family has been receiving from around the world.
I have lost a dear friend, mentor and father. I was blessed to have been as close to him as I was. We worked together on so many projects both here and in Europe. We shared creative ideas, argued passionately and laughed a lot. We knew each other well enough that when one of us walked in the room, the other knew what kind of mood the first one was in. No words necessary.
As I learned the art of editing from him, I began to notice his body language changing. When I first started, I showed him a scene I had cut and, as he watched, I noticed that one hand would go up in the air and rest comfortably on his head. This was the first indication that he had problems with my cut. If the second hand went up on his head, I knew he hated the scene and it was clearly too long.
I used to utter, “Oh, no” when I saw the second hand rising. Once I pointed this out to him. We laughed a lot and it became a running joke in the editing room. As the years passed, and he would mentor me on my projects, the “raised hands on head” dilemma became less and less frequent to the point where it didn’t happen anymore. I almost missed it. Now I will truly miss it and deeply miss him.
My father was passionate about everything he did––from getting the best moments out of a scene to giving you his true and honest opinion whether you wanted to hear it or not. Austrian charm, they call it.
I remember as a little girl traveling throughout Europe because of all the films he worked on. Darling Lily, the feature film starring Rock Hudson and Julie Andrews, took two years to complete. It was particularly memorable because we lived in so many of the locations. They filmed in Belgium, Ireland and Paris. On The Godfather and The Godfather II, we spent time in Rome and San Francisco. My mother always made a home-away-from-home cozy and inviting.
Dad never lacked for energy or enthusiasm to do anything––whether it was a game of morning tennis at Berry Gordy’s house or discovering new nightclubs in Rome with newfound and old friends. He was a compassionate and caring man who always tried to help anyone he could. He had a huge and generous heart and was extremely humble and loved by many.
He was most proud of both the first two Godfather films (he received an Academy Award nomination for co-editing the first film) and The Deer Hunter (for which he won the Best Editing Oscar), calling them “timeless pieces.” He also received an Academy Award nomination for his work on An Officer and a Gentleman, and edited such notable films as In Cold Blood and the 1976 remake of A Star is Born. In addition, he won Emmy Awards for editing War and Remembrance and Citizen Cohn.
My father felt that editors were the unsung heroes of the film industry. “Outside of writing, to me, editing is the most creative process,” he had said. “You can achieve enormously different effects––dramatic or humorous––that are not necessarily in the acting process. Conversely, you have wonderful acting, wonderful scenes, but if you don’t know how to put it together, you can ruin it. Timing in the end is the most important; timing of a line, timing of a retort, timing of action––it’s all in the editor’s hands.”
“Working with Peter is like being chauffeured by a very fine English driver in a Rolls Royce limousine,” said writer-director Frank Pierson. “He brings a very fine story mind into the editing room.”
My father and I had a special connection, which I will forever treasure. I feel his presence all the time and know that he is always watching out for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better dad, I adored him for who he was, what he taught me, his directness and the love he gave me. He will be in my heart forever. Thank you for being the wonderful father, friend and husband you were.
Zinner is survived by his wife Christa, stepson Dr. Nicolas Nelken––a vascular surgeon in Hawaii––and his daughter Katina, a film editor.
Katina Zinner
In Memoriam
Bernard A. Balmuth
Picture Editor
(May 19, 1918 – December 6, 2007)
51 years as a member
John Bencivega
Picture Editor
(June 25, 1914 – September 10, 2007)
61 years as a member
Lorinda D. Hollingshead
Assistant Editor
(December 25, 1950 – October 7, 2007)
29 years as a member
Neil Lawrence
Picture Editor
(April 16, 1942 – October 04, 2007)
40 years as a member
Robert Lawrence
Picture Editor
(November 19, 1913 – September 19, 2004)
53 years as a member
Wanda T. Rotz
Picture Editor
(July 5, 1921 – March 24, 2007)
60 years as a member
Evalon E. Smith
Picture Editor
(September 10, 1915 – October 28, 2007)
64 years as a member
Paul Wyatt
Picture Editor
(October 30, 1929 – September 27, 2007)
45 years as a member
NOTICE
In order for Editors Guild members or retirees who have passed away
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Also, if family members or friends would like to write an obituary for their loved ones in the “Passages” section of the magazine, please contact Tomm Carroll at 323-876-4770, ext. 222 for guidelines and due dates.