Recounts the life of two-time Academy Award winner, Ralph E. Winters, whose career spanned two-thirds of the 20th century. Drawing from his own ascent through MGM studio system, Winters guides the reader through a history of American film editing, beginning with its earliest days when film was torn by hand. An essential, entertaining nuts-and-bolts look at the mechanics of editing, as well as Hollywood life alongside such luminaries as Billy Wilder, Sam Zimbalist, and Blake Edwards—a must have for film buffs and moviegoers alike.