David Bretherton

David L. Bretherton (February 29, 1924 – May 11, 2000) was an American film editor with more than 40 credits for films released from 1954 to 1996.

Biography Bretherton, the son of editor/director Howard Bretherton and actress Dorothea McEvoy, was born in Los Angeles. He served with the United States Air Force during World War II. After World War II, he joined the editing department at Twentieth Century-Fox, at first helping other editors, including Barbara McLean, Robert L. Simpson, Louis R. Loeffler, James B. Clark, William H. Reynolds, and, in later years, Dorothy Spencer and Hugh S. Fowler. His first project as a film editor was The Bottom of the Bottle in 1956. In 1995, Bretherton received the American Cinema Editors Career Achievement Award. Bretherton died of pneumonia in Los Angeles in 2000.

L. to R. : Paul Scofield, Michel Simon (background) & Burt Lancaster in The Train.

Bretherton's most noted work was the editing of the film Cabaret (1972), which was directed by Bob Fosse. Bretherton received the Academy Award for Best Film Editing, an ACE Eddie Award, and a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Editing for this film. In his 1972 review, Roger Greenspun gives some insight into Bretherton's achievement:

Cabaret was listed as the 30th best-edited film of all time in a 2012 survey of members of the Motion Picture Editors Guild.

Filmography

+ Editorial department Year Film Director Role Notes1974 The Super CopsGordon ParksConsulting editor 1980 The Big Red OneSamuel Fuller Supervising editorCaddyshackHarold Ramis The FormulaJohn G. AvildsenSecond collaboration with John G. Avildsen

+ Actor Year Film Director Role Notes1970 On a Clear Day You Can See ForeverVincente MinnelliA Barber

+ Additional crew Year Film Director Role1970 Emiliano ZapataFelipe CazalsTechnical supervisor

Documentaries

+ Editor Year Film Director1976 That's Entertainment, Part IIGene Kelly

Shorts

TV series

TV specials

+ Editor Year Title Director1968 The Bing Crosby SpecialMarc Breaux