Sam O'Steen

Birth Name:

Samuel Alexander O'Steen

Birth Place:

Paragould, Arkansas, United States

Profession

Editor, Editorial department, Director, Actor

Honored by the Directors Guild of America numerous times, including the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television Award in 1976
Passed away at age 76 after a sudden heart attack in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Got his first experience on a Hollywood film lot after sneaking onto the Warner Brothers set in the early '50s, where he would tirelessly lobby for a job in the editing department until executives broke down and signed him to a contract in 1955
Began his directorial debut in 1973 with the made-for-television film, "A Brand New Life"
His memoir, "Cut to the Chase: Forty-Five Years of Editing America's Favorite Movies", was published posthumously in 2001 by his second wife Bobbie who had conducted various interviews and questionnaires with him over the course of their marriage
Initially a film editor with Warner Brothers, he would go on to become a frequent collaborator with director Mike Nichols with whom he worked on 12 films throughout a 30 year period together
His memoir had been called 'one of the very best anecdotal histories of filmmaking' and is often referenced by fellow Hollywood hopefuls wanting to break into the industry

1967Oscar - Best Film Editing:Nominated
1967Eddie - Best Edited Feature Film:Nominated
1969BAFTA Film Award - Best Film Editing:Winner
1975Oscar - Best Film Editing:Nominated
1975BAFTA Film Award - Best Film Editing:Nominated
1975Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Directing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy:Nominated
1976DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television:Winner
1984Oscar - Best Film Editing:Nominated

Fast Facts