About
"I have a whole group of editors out there who I think I'm responsible for. The other night I was shocked when a young man come up to me and said, 'Sid Katz, I want to thank you. I remember you teaching me to cut and I'll never forget you.' And I thought that was the biggest thing."
In his nearly hour-and-a-half interview, Sidney M. Katz (1918-2009) discusses his early life and his time in the Army during World War II as a filmmaker and editor. He recalls going to work for RKO, working as a splicer on Orson Welles' classic feature Citizen Kane, and starting his own editing company. He talks about his time working with Edward R. Murrow on his weekly See It Now series, and in particular, working on Murrow's special broadcast dealing with Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Hollywood Blacklist. Katz outlines his fruitful association with Herbert Brodkin, including editing his classic law series, The Defenders, starring E.G. Marshall and a young Robert Reed. He discusses editing footage of The Beatles for The Ed Sullivan Show and also editing several made-for-television movies and feature films including Teacher, Teacher, The Swimmer and Diary of a Mad Housewife. He concludes with his thoughts on being honored by ACE and offers advice to aspiring editors. Karen Herman conducted the interview in a joint venture with American Cinema Editors (ACE) on February 14, 2009 at Universal Studios in Universal City, CA.
Highlights
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
Sidney M. Katz on winning a Emmy for editing The Defenders
Sidney M. Katz on splicing the feature film "Citizen Kane" and becoming an assistant editor at RKO Pictures
Sidney M. Katz on dealing with Hollywood Blacklist
Sidney M. Katz on the kind of person it takes to be an editor
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his experience as a filmmaker in World War II; on going to work for RKO and editing "Citizen Kane"
On editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now; on the Hollywood Blacklist; on directing the series Information Please
On editing The Defenders; on working with Herbert Brodkin; on directing The Defenders and winning an Emmy for editing the show
On editing various made-for-television movies; on editing film of The Beatles for The Ed Sullivan Show; on what an editor does and his editing process
Chapter 2
On working with Frank Perry and editing the made-for-television movie Teacher, Teacher; on directing various feature films; on editing for television vs. editing for film
On his retirement and being honored by A.C.E.; on advice to aspiring editors; on career highlights and how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
Defenders, The
Sidney M. Katz on editing The Defenders for producer Herbert Brodkin
Sidney M. Katz on directing the episode "The Bum's Rush" from The Defenders
Sidney M. Katz on the controversial topics of The Defenders
Sidney M. Katz on winning a Emmy for editing The Defenders
Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town
Sidney M. Katz on editing film of The Beatles for The Ed Sullivan Show
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Sidney M. Katz on winning a Emmy for editing The Defenders
Nurses, The
Sidney M. Katz on editing The Nurses and other Herbert Brodkin shows
See It Now
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
See It Now: "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
Topics
Advice
Sidney M. Katz on advice to aspiring editors
Emmy Awards
Sidney M. Katz on winning a Emmy for editing The Defenders
Historic Events and Social Change
Sidney M. Katz on his experience as an editor and filmmaker in World War II
Hollywood Blacklist
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
Sidney M. Katz on dealing with Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
Sidney M. Katz on dealing with Hollywood Blacklist
Television Industry
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
Sidney M. Katz on dealing with Hollywood Blacklist
Sidney M. Katz on advice to aspiring editors
War
Sidney M. Katz on his experience as an editor and filmmaker in World War II
World War II
Sidney M. Katz on his experience as an editor and filmmaker in World War II
Professions
Editor
Sidney M. Katz on what an editor does and his editing process
Sidney M. Katz on the kind of person it takes to be an editor
Sidney M. Katz on the difference between editing film and editing for television and various other projects he was involved in editing
Sidney M. Katz on advice to aspiring editors
Post-Production Professionals
Sidney M. Katz on the kind of person it takes to be an editor
Sidney M. Katz on the difference between editing film and editing for television and various other projects he was involved in editing
Sidney M. Katz on advice to aspiring editors
Genres
Legal Dramas
Sidney M. Katz on editing The Defenders
People
Herbert Brodkin
Sidney M. Katz on editing The Defenders for producer Herbert Brodkin
Sidney M. Katz on editing The Nurses and other Herbert Brodkin shows
E. G. Marshall
Sidney M. Katz on editing The Defenders for producer Herbert Brodkin
Sidney M. Katz on directing the episode "The Bum's Rush" from The Defenders
Edward R. Murrow
Sidney M. Katz on editing Edward R. Murrow's See It Now series and the episode on Joseph McCarthy
Robert Reed
Sidney M. Katz on directing the episode "The Bum's Rush" from The Defenders