George Watters

Editor


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In his two-hour interview, George Watters talks about his World War II duty and his first entertainment business job, which was at Technicolor in Los Angeles. He describes in detail his duties and promotions at Technicolor, his first editor's job, and the craft of editing with a Moviola machine. He discusses working as an editor on series such as Rawhide, Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Have Gun - Will Travel, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Watters recalls his position as director of post-production services at Paramount Studios where he oversaw the post-production of the series Mork & Mindy, The Bad News Bears, Taxi, Happy Days, and Laverne & Shirley, as well as the mini-series Shogun. Michael Rosen conducted the interview in a joint venture with American Cinema Editors (ACE) on July 17, 2001 in Universal City, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Most people don't have the patience to be an editor. You have to sit down and get so involved, so interested in your work. But I don't think there is anything that I could have ever done that I enjoyed more thoroughly."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
George Watters on his first job as an editor on Rawhide, starring Clint Eastwood and the challenges of editing a western
07:11
George Watters on working on "Touch of Evil" for Orson Welles
02:02
George Watters on an editing room in the '50s
05:29
George Watters on being Director of Television Post Production for Paramount Television
04:19
George Watters on the key traits a person needs to be a successful editor
01:55
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on working for Technicolor
On becoming a negative cutter; on his first job as an assistant editor at Universal; on working on "Touch of Evil" for Orson Welles

Chapter 2

On doing the optics for Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil"; on the first time he saw television; on his duties as assistant editor at Universal Television
On working with directors as an assistant editor at Universal; on working with directors as an assistant editor at Universal; on an editing room in the '50s
On working with Frank Pierson and William Self; on editing Rawhide; on his mentor, Roland Gross

Chapter 3

On editing Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., produced by Sheldon Leonard; on the differences between editing comedy and editing drama; on his first job as an editor on Rawhide, starring Clint Eastwood and the challenges of editing a western
On assistant editing the feature "Spartacus" for Stanley Kubrick; on editing Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for Irwin Allen

Chapter 4

On editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort; on editing Little House on the Prairie for Michael Landon
On being Director of Television Post Production for Paramount Television; on the format of the shows at Paramount Television when he was there and the editing equipment used; on editing "Enter the Dragon"

Chapter 5

On advice to aspiring editors; on the key traits a person needs to be a successful editor
Shows

Gomer Pyle - USMC

View Show Page
George Watters on editing Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., produced by Sheldon Leonard
06:45

Have Gun - Will Travel

View Show Page
George Watters on editing Have Gun, Will Travel and working with director Buzz Kulik
04:22

High Chaparral, The

View Show Page
George Watters on editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort
08:33

Little House on the Prairie

View Show Page
George Watters on editing Little House on the Prairie for Michael Landon
05:57

Rawhide

View Show Page
George Watters on editing Rawhide
03:25
George Watters on his first job as an editor, Rawhide starring Clint Eastwood and the challenges of editing a western
07:11

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

View Show Page
George Watters on editing Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for Irwin Allen
09:06
Topics

Advice

View Topic
George Watters on advice to aspiring editors
01:06

Creative Influences and Inspiration

View Topic
George Watters on his mentor, Roland Gross
03:42

Television Industry

View Topic
George Watters on advice to aspiring editors
01:06
Professions

Editor

View Profession
George Watters on working with directors as an assistant editor at Universal
01:32
George Watters on an editing room in the '50s
05:29
George Watters on the differences between editing comedy and editing drama
02:23
George Watters on working with various producers at Paramount Television as Director of Post Production
01:55
George Watters on the format of the shows at Paramount Television when he was there and the editing equipment used
05:46
George Watters on advice to aspiring editors
01:06
George Watters on the key traits a person needs to be a successful editor
01:55

Post-Production Professionals

View Profession
George Watters on working with directors as an assistant editor at Universal
01:32
George Watters on an editing room in the '50s
05:29
George Watters on the differences between editing comedy and editing drama
02:23
George Watters on working with various producers at Paramount Television as Director of Post Production
01:55
George Watters on the format of the shows at Paramount Television when he was there and the editing equipment used
05:46
George Watters on advice to aspiring editors
01:06
George Watters on the key traits a person needs to be a successful editor
01:55
Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

View Genre
George Watters on editing Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for Irwin Allen
09:06

Comedy Series

View Genre
George Watters on editing Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., produced by Sheldon Leonard
06:45

Drama Series

View Genre
George Watters on editing Little House on the Prairie for Michael Landon
05:57

Western Series

View Genre
George Watters on working with Frank Pierson on Have Gun, Will Travel
00:59
George Watters on editing Rawhide
03:25
George Watters on his first job as an editor on Rawhide, starring Clint Eastwood and the challenges of editing a western
07:11
George Watters on editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort
08:33
People

Irwin Allen

View Person Page
George Watters on editing Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for Irwin Allen
09:06

David Dortort

View Interview Page
George Watters on editing The High Chapparal and Bonanza for producer David Dortort
08:28

Clint Eastwood

View Person Page
George Watters on his first job as an editor on Rawhide, starring Clint Eastwood and the challenges of editing a western
07:11

Stanley Kubrick

View Person Page
George Watters on assistant editing the feature "Spartacus" for Stanley Kubrick
03:15

Michael Landon

View Person Page
George Watters on editing Little House on the Prairie for Michael Landon
05:57

Sheldon Leonard

View Interview Page
George Watters on editing Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., produced by Sheldon Leonard
06:45

Frank Pierson

View Person Page
George Watters on working with Frank Pierson on Have Gun, Will Travel
00:59

William Self

View Interview Page
George Watters on working with producer William Self
01:41

Orson Welles

View Person Page
George Watters on working on "Touch of Evil" for Orson Welles
02:02

All Interviews

S