Motion Picture Editor. The sister of actor Elmer Booth, she was born in Los Angeles. Director D. W. Griffith launched her movie career by hiring her as an assistant editor on "Orphans of the Storm" (1921). She then joined the Louis B. Mayer studio in that capacity and was promoted to full editor at MGM in 1924. Booth's razor-sharp cutting technique enlivened many Metro silents but her best work was done in the 1930s, especially her magnificent editing of "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935). In 1937 she was given the supervisory position of Editor-In-Chief at MGM, which she held for three decades, guiding her department to six Academy Awards (though none for herself). In 1969 Booth resumed active cutting and at the age of 80, when most of her contemporaries had either retired or passed on, she branched out into producing and oversaw a number of Neil Simon adaptations. Booth's credits include "Our Dancing Daughters" (1928), "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (1934), "Romeo and Juliet" (1936), "Camille" (1937), "A Yank at Oxford" (1938), "Fat City" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1973), "The Sunshine Boys" (1975), "The Goodbye Girl" (1977), "California Suite" (1978), "Annie" (1982), and "The Slugger's Wife" (1985). In 1977 Booth was awarded an honorary Oscar, "For fifty-two years of exceptionally distinguished service to the motion picture industry as a film editor". She died in a Los Angeles-area nursing home at the age of 104.
Motion Picture Editor. The sister of actor Elmer Booth, she was born in Los Angeles. Director D. W. Griffith launched her movie career by hiring her as an assistant editor on "Orphans of the Storm" (1921). She then joined the Louis B. Mayer studio in that capacity and was promoted to full editor at MGM in 1924. Booth's razor-sharp cutting technique enlivened many Metro silents but her best work was done in the 1930s, especially her magnificent editing of "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935). In 1937 she was given the supervisory position of Editor-In-Chief at MGM, which she held for three decades, guiding her department to six Academy Awards (though none for herself). In 1969 Booth resumed active cutting and at the age of 80, when most of her contemporaries had either retired or passed on, she branched out into producing and oversaw a number of Neil Simon adaptations. Booth's credits include "Our Dancing Daughters" (1928), "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (1934), "Romeo and Juliet" (1936), "Camille" (1937), "A Yank at Oxford" (1938), "Fat City" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1973), "The Sunshine Boys" (1975), "The Goodbye Girl" (1977), "California Suite" (1978), "Annie" (1982), and "The Slugger's Wife" (1985). In 1977 Booth was awarded an honorary Oscar, "For fifty-two years of exceptionally distinguished service to the motion picture industry as a film editor". She died in a Los Angeles-area nursing home at the age of 104.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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