George Tomasini

George Tomasini (April 20, 1909 – November 22, 1964) was an American film editor, born in Springfield, Massachusetts, who had a decade-long collaboration with director Alfred Hitchcock, editing nine of his movies between 1954 and 1964. Tomasini edited many of Hitchcock's best-known works, such as Rear Window, Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963), as well as other well-received films such as Cape Fear (1962). On a 2012 listing of the 75 best-edited films of all time, compiled by the Motion Picture Editors Guild based on a survey of its members, four films edited by Tomasini for Hitchcock appear. No other editor appeared more than three times on this listing. The listed films were Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, and North by Northwest.

George Tomasini was known for his innovative film editing, which together with Hitchcock's stunning techniques, redefined cinematic language. Tomasini's cutting was always stylish and experimental, all the while pursuing the focus of the story and the characters. Hitchcock and Tomasini's editing of Rear Window has been treated at length in Valerie Orpen's monograph, Film Editing: The Art of the Expressive. His dialogue overlapping and use of jump cuts for exclamation points was dynamic and innovative (such as in the scene in The Birds where the car blows up at the gas station and Tippi Hedren's character watches from a window, as well as the infamous "shower scene" in Psycho). George Tomasini's techniques would influence many subsequent film editors and filmmakers.

George Tomasini was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for North by Northwest, but Ben-Hur'''s editors won the award that year.

On November 22, 1964, while he was editing In Harm's Way, Tomasini died of a massive heart attack. He was 55 years old. He left behind Mary Brian, his wife of 17 years and no children.

Filmography as film editor

+ Editorial department Year Film Director Role Notes Other notes 1948 Beyond Glory John Farrow Assistant editorFirst collaboration with John Farrow Night Has a Thousand EyesSecond collaboration with John Farrow1949 Red, Hot and BlueThird collaboration with John Farrow

+ Sound department Year Film Director Role Notes1939 Union PacificCecil B. DeMilleSound effects editor

Shorts

+ Editor Year Film Director1951 BenjyFred Zinnemann