Gene Ruggiero
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Gene Ruggiero | |
---|---|
Born | Gene S. Ruggiero June 20, 1910 |
Died | February 19, 2002 | (aged 91)
Occupation | Film editor |
Spouse | Eva Nohavka (1966–1988, divorced) |
Gene S. Ruggiero (June 20, 1910 – February 19, 2002) was an American film editor. Originally a golf caddy at an exclusive New York country club, Ruggiero was fired from his job and later went to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer where he was assigned the job of editing. He was initially unhappy with his job and would often skip working to play golf, demoted to assistant editor due to this.
Ruggiero came to prominence after editing the 1939 film Ninotchka. As nobody else would edit the film due to Ernst Lubitsch's reputation, the job was assigned to Ruggiero. He received his first credit on the film, and continued as an editor for the rest of his career. Ruggiero earned an Academy Award for Best Film Editing in 1956 for his work on Around the World in 80 Days, which he shared with Paul Weatherwax. He was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1955 for his editing on Oklahoma!, which he shared with George Boemler.
Biography
Gene S. Ruggiero was born in Long Island on June 20, 1910, the son of Phillip and Teresa Ruggiero. He grew up in Manhasset, New York with his seven siblings. During World War II, he served in the army.[1] Ruggiero enjoyed the sport of golf and, before becoming a film editor, he worked as a caddy at a New York country club. Ruggiero often caddied for American film studio executive Nicholas Schenck. On days where Schenck's group was lacking a fourth player, they often invited Ruggiero to play. However, after playing a game with the group one day, Ruggiero returned to the clubhouse find the head angry with him for neglecting his caddy duties. Ruggiero was fired from his job.[2]
Ruggiero approached Schenck, and requested assistance in becoming employed. Since Schenck was head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on the east coast division, he decided to send Ruggiero there, with a letter written by Schenk that would ensure Ruggiero would earn a job at the studio. When Ruggiero arrived, he was assigned the job of film editor. Ruggiero found himself displeased with the menial work, and often did not show up at the studio, choosing to play golf instead. He was demoted to assistant editor when his skipping was found out, and worked on several Johnny Weissmuller films.[2]
Ruggiero received his first film credit in 1939, on the film Ninotchka.[3] Ernst Lubitsch, the director of the film, had a reputation with the studio which made the other editors refuse to cut the film. Ruggiero was picked as the last option. The film brought Ruggiero to prominence and he worked as a main editor for the rest of his career.[2] After Ninotchka, he edited Richard Thorpe's action film Tarzan Finds a Son! with Frank Sullivan,[4] while editing the comedy Joe and Ethel Turp Call On the President by himself.[5]
In 1940, he edited The Shop Around the Corner, another Lubitsch film. Two Dr. Kildare films Strange Case and Crisis were also edited by Ruggiero this year, along with the George B. Seitz film Sky Murder and W. S. Van Dyke's comedy I Love You Again. The next year saw Ruggiero edit Blonde Inspiration by Busby Berkeley and Washington Melodrama by S. Sylvan Simon. He also cut another Tarzan picture by Thorpe entitled Tarzan's Secret Treasure. Ruggiero edited the 1942 films A Yank on the Burma Road, Tarzan's New York Adventure, Andy Hardy's Double Life, and Jackass Mail. His next credit came in 1946 on the film Three Wise Fools, which he co-edited with Theron Warth. He edited the actor Robert Montgomery's Lady in the Lake in 1947. That same year, Ruggiero was the editor for Edward Buzzell's Song of the Thin Man, and the final Dr. Kildare film Dark Delusion.
Big City was Ruggerio's only 1948 credit. He served as editor for The Bribe the following year, as well as That Midnight Kiss; Ruggerio remembered that the film's star Mario Lanza would not do a film unless Ruggerio would edit it.[6] In 1950 he cut Stars in My Crown and The Toast of New Orleans. The following year he was the editor for Lanza's film The Great Caruso, as well as Norman Taurog's Rich, Young and Pretty and John Sturges' The People Against O'Hara. The 1952 film Glory Alley was Ruggierio's next credit, and in 1953 the films The Clown, Rogue's March, and Easy to Love were edited by him. He edited Men of the Fighting Lady, Athena, and The Student Prince in the following year. Along with George Boemler, Ruggiero edited the 1955 film Oklahoma!. Ruggiero earned his first Academy Award for Best Editing nomination for his work on the film; he and Boemler lost to William A. Lyon and Charles Nelson for Picnic.
I told [Todd] to go away for two weeks and leave us alone. And then we cut the monster down to something that made sense.
In 1956 he edited The Catered Affair alongside Frank Santillo, and Around the World in 80 Days with Howard Epstein and Paul Weatherwax. Ruggiero and Weatherwax won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. The Oscar statuette Ruggiero earned for his work on the film was tarnished; its gold coat was removed when Ruggiero sent it out for cleansing and he never had it replated when he was able to afford doing so. Ruggiero said in March 1994 that he considered the film his best work.[6]
Ruggiero married Eva Nohavka in Italy on April 9, 1966. They divorced in 1988,[1] however, Eva took Ruggiero into her home when he became older.[6] He then lived in Ogden, Utah for four years before his death on February 19, 2002. Ruggiero is survived by his two children, four grandchildren, two brothers, and a sister.[1]
Filmography
References
- ^ a b c "Gene S. Ruggiero". Standard-Examiner. 22 February 2002. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ a b c Senensky, Ralph. "To Heinie, with Love". Ralph's Cinema Trek. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ a b Eagan, Daniel (2010). America's Film Legacy. Continuum. p. 296. ISBN 0826429777.
- ^ a b "Tarzan Finds a Son!". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ a b "Joe And Ethel Turp Call On The President". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Galbraith, Jane (March 21, 1994). "Calendar Goes to the OSCARS : A Lifetime of Achievements but Only a Tiny Pension". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ^ Nugent, Frank S. "The Shop Around the Corner - Movie Review". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Dr. Kildare's Strange Case - Cast and Crew". AllMovie. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Nixon, Rob. "I Love You Again". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Sky Murder". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Dr. Kildare's Crisis". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Blonde Inspiration - Full Cast & Crew". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Washington Melodrama - Cast and Crew". AllMovie. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Tarzan's Secret Treasure". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "A Yank On The Burma Road Cast Details". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Tarzan's New York Adventure". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Nixon, Rob. "Andy Hardy's Double Life". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Jackass Mail (1942)". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Three Wise Fools (1946) - Full Credits". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Lady in the Lake". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Dark Delusion (1947) - Cast and Crew". AllMovie. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Quin, Eleanor. "Song of the Thin Man". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Big City (1948)". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Bribe". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "That Midnight Kiss". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Stars in My Crown". AllMovie. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Toast of New Orleans". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Miller, Frank. "The Great Caruso". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Rich, Young and Pretty". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Erickson, Glenn. "DVD Savant: The People Against O'Hara". DVD Talk. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Thames, Stephanie. "Glory Alley". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Miller, John M. "The Clown". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Rogue's March (1942)". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Easy to Love - Full Credits". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Men of the Fighting Lady (1954)". AllMovie. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Arnold, Jeremy. "The Student Prince". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Erickson, Glenn. "DVD Savant Review: Athena". DVD Talk. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Erickson, Glenn. "DVD Savant Review: Oklahoma! 50th Anniversary Edition". DVD Talk. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Catered Affair". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Knopf, Robert (1999). The Theater and Cinema of Buster Keaton. Princeton University Press. pp. 199–. ISBN 0-691-00442-0.
- ^ "The 29th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Great American Pastime". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Arnold, Jeremy. "The Wings of Eagles". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Seventh Sin (1957)". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Seven Hills of Rome". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Arnold, Jeremy. "Torpedo Run". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "For the First Time (1959) - Full Credits". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Tarzan, The Ape Man Cast and Details". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Platinum High School". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Rivak, The Barbarian (1960)". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Thief of Bagdad". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) - Full Credits". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Stafford, Jeff. "The Last Man on Earth". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Faris, Jocelyn (January 1, 1994). Jayne Mansfield: A Bio-bibliography. ABC-CLIO. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-313-28544-8.
- ^ Erickson, Glenn. "DVD Savant Review: Dog Eat Dog". DVD Talk. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Thompson, Lang. "Cast a Giant Show". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Erickson, Glenn. "DVD Savant Review: Marlowe". DVD Talk. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Hell's Angels '69 Cast and Details". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "NOON SUNDAY". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Asylum of Satan - Production Credits". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Mad Bomber Cast and Details". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Wonder Woman (1974) - Full Credits". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Black Eye - Production Credits". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Boss Nigger - Production Credits". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "The World through the Eyes of Children". British Film Institute. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Adios Amigo". TV Guide. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Paco - Cast and Crew". AllMovie. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ "Moonshine County Express - Production Credits". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2014.