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.