Dorothy Spencer

Dorothy Spencer (born 2 February 1909) in Covington, Kentucky, United States, was the multiple Academy Award-nominated American film editor most recognized for editing several of director John Ford's films such as what film critic Roger Ebert calls, "Ford's greatest Western,"^[1]My Darling Clementine, as well as having edited Ford's Stagecoach (1939). She was married to actor Frank McHugh until his death in 1981; McHugh was a contract player at Warner Bros..^[2]

Dorothy Spencer also edited several of Alfred Hitchcock's films such as Foreign Correspondent (1940) and 1944's Lifeboat (featuring a particularly feisty and well-edited Tallulah Bankhead performance). Spencer also edited one of director Elia Kazan's better-known films, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945). During the 1970s, Spencer became the go-to-woman for editing the popular disaster films of the times, including probably the best film in this genre, 1974's Earthquake starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and of course, disaster-film-staple, actor George Kennedy. Variety's 1974 review of the film touted, "... Earthquake is an excellent dramatic exploitation extravaganza, combining brilliant special effects with a multi-character plot line...". .^[3] Dorothy Spencer was nominated for an Oscar for Earthquake, which was her fourth nomination after editing what still reigns as the most expensive movie ever made, 1963's Cleopatra , and prior noms also included, Decision Before Dawn (1951) and the John Ford-directed, Stagecoach (1939).

Variety's Eileen Kowalski notes that, "Indeed, many of the editorial greats have been women: Dede Allen, Verna Fields, Thelma Schoonmaker, Anne V. Coates and Dorothy Spencer."^[4] In 1989, Dorothy Spencer was awarded the prestigious ACE Eddie "Career Achievement Award" by the American Cinema Editors.

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