David Blewitt

David Edward Blewitt (August 7, 1928 – July 8, 2010) was an American Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning film editor, whose credits included Ghostbusters in 1984. Blewitt earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on The Competition in 1980.^[1][2]

Early life

Blewitt was born in Los Angeles, California, on August 7, 1928.^[2] He began his career in the entertainment industry by working as an usher at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles when he was 15 years old.^[1] Blewitt enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, where he worked as an aerial reconnaissance photographer.^[1][2] Blewitt returned to Los Angeles after World War II, where he initially worked as a cinematographer.^[1] His cinematography television credits included Hollywood and the Stars.^[1]

He transitioned to film editing when he joined David L. Wolper Productions where he met, and often collaborated with, Jack Haley Jr.^[2] Their joint productions included That's Entertainment! in 1974, That's Entertainment, Part II in 1976 and Life Goes to War: Hollywood and the Home Front.^[2] Blewitt's other credits with Wolper Prods. included Movin' with Nancy and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.^[2]

Blewitt's larger, feature film credits included Butterflies Are Free, a 1972 film starring Goldie Hawn, and The Buddy Holly Story in 1978.^[1] He received an Academy Award nomination for The Competition, directed by Joel Oliansky.^[1] Blewitt was best associated with his editing in the 1984 blockbuster, Ghostbusters.^[1]

Blewitt's later television work included Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.^[2]

Blewitt won an Emmy Award in 1993 for editing in the television special, Bob Hope: The First 90 Years.^[2] In addition to his Emmy and Academy Award nominations, Blewitt received two ACE Eddie Awards from the American Cinema Editors, out of a total five nominations during his 40-year career.^[1][2] He was also a recipient of the American Cinema Editors Career Achievement Award in 2004.^[2]

David Blewitt died of complications from Parkinson's disease on July 8, 2010, at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 81.^[1][2] He was survived by his wife, Ann; daughter, Risa Bastien, and Risa's husband, Steve Bastien; and his granddaughter, Annabel.^[2]

Blewitt was a first cousin once removed of U.S. President Joe Biden through his grandfather Edward Francis Blewitt, who was the maternal grandfather of Biden's mother Catherine Eugenia Finnegan.

Filmography