PASSAGES
Joseph T. Dervin, Sr.
Picture Editor 1914-2005
Longtime
motion picture and television film editor Joseph T. Dervin died June
20, 2005 in Calabasas, California. He is survived by his wife of 64
years, Margaret M. Dervin. They met in Boston, Massachusetts and were
married in Westwood, California in August 1940.
Born in Somerville, Massachusetts November 4, 1914, Dervin traveled to Los Angeles to attend the 1932 Summer Olympics and decided that California was where he wanted to live. Returning in 1939, he began working at MGM Studios in Culver City. He moved into the film editing department in the 1940s and earned his first editing credit on the feature Desire Me in 1947.
Dervin edited five additional features at MGM before deciding that his future was a new attraction called television. He spent eight years (1953-61) as supervising editor of The Loretta Young Show. Subsequently, he edited such drama series as The Eleventh Hour, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Young Lawyers, Longstreet, Kung Fu, Jigsaw John and Charlie's Angels.
He was awarded Emmy Awards for editing episodes of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. in 1966 and Longstreet in 1972. A member of the American Cinema Editors (ACE) since the late 1950s, Dervin was nominated seven times for the ACE Eddie award for editing television episodes, winning in 1964 for The Eleventh Hour. He loved the art of editing, and only retired after a major heart attack in 1982, at the age of 67.
Dervin and his wife traveled extensively, visiting Europe, Mexico, Hawaii and numerous locations in the US. A favorite was Ireland, where he researched the genealogy of his ancestors.
A golfer since his teens, Dervin played twice a week until age 88, and counted among his proudest golfing achievements the fact that he "shot his age" at age 86. Additionally, he was a serious duplicate bridge player. He introduced his family to sailing in the 1960s by acquiring an Omega 14, sailing first in Alamitos Bay and later in the newly completed Marina del Rey.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sons, Joseph, Jr. (vice president of post-production at NBC Universal Television) and Robert; daughters Margaret Coon and Kathleen Dervin; and five grandchildren. He also leaves two sisters, Helene Vitagliano and Alice Mannix.
A mass celebrating his life was held at St. Francis de Sales Church in Sherman Oaks, Calfornia on Friday, June 24, 2005.
- Joe Dervin, Jr.
In Memoriam
Robert Duffus, Sr.
Film Editor
(June 25, 1915 â?? July 5, 2005)
58 years as a member
Robert C. Jacques
Film Editor
(February 24, 1919 â?? June 4, 2005)
59 years as a member
John (Hans) Newman
Librarian
(September 30, 1914 â?? June 22, 2005)
61 years as a member
Peter G. Sarkies
Film Editor
(April 6, 1921 â?? June 21, 2005)
52 years as a member