Donn Cambern, a former president of the Motion Picture Editors Guild and an Oscar and Emmy nominated editor, passed away on Wednesday, according to his family, who spoke to MPEG journal CineMontage. He was 93.
In a Facebook post, the Guild announced Cambern’s passing and said it was “deeply saddened” by his passing at age 93.
Cambern was an Oscar-nominated editor and former Guild president. Donn co-edited “Romancing the Stone” and edited “Easy Rider.” He was also a devoted educator and champion, and his friends and coworkers remembered him with affection.
Cambern was nominated for four American Cinema Editors awards for his work on “The Bob Hope Christmas Special” (1968), “The Hindenburg” (1975), “Hooper” (1978), and “Romancing the Stone” (1979).
He garnered an Emmy nomination for his work on “The Bob Hope Christmas Special,” and “Romancing the Stone” received an Oscar nomination for best feature editing. Cambern received the American Cinema Editors career achievement award in 2004.
Cambern was born in Los Angeles in 1929. In 1952, he graduated from UCLA with a music degree and was recruited as a messenger at Disney. His love remained to edit, and he saw a demand for music editors in television production.
The family is to make an official announcement about his funeral plans. Donn Cambern’s funeral, burial service, pictures, date, time, and venue will be updated as confirmed details become available to us.
