John Frederick Link Jr. (July 16, 1935 – August 9, 2026) was an American film and television editor. He is most well known for his editing work on Predator and Die Hard, the latter of which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

Early life His father, John F. Link Sr., was also a film editor, and was also nominated for an Academy Award: for the 1943 film, For Whom the Bell Tolls. Link was one of several assistant editors on the film.

Career That same year he was the sole editor on the documentary, Footprints on the Moon. Both the film and the documentary have his credit as John F. Link Jr., making attribution easy. His next project was another documentary, Say Goodbye in 1971, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Feature). During the 1970s he worked in both television and film. Notable films he edited during this period include: The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), starring Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, and Ellen Burstyn; the 1973 cult classic Electra Glide in Blue (which he co-edited with two others); Race with the Devil (1975), starring Peter Fonda and Warren Oates; and the 1976 Jeff Bridges' comedy-drama film, Stay Hungry, which also starred Sally Field and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In the 1980s, in addition to his Academy Award-nominated work on Die Hard, Link again worked on two Schwarzenegger films, 1985's Commando and the 1987 blockbuster, Predator. Following these he worked on Die Hard, ending the decade with editing the 1989 cult classic, Road House. The 1990s dawned with Link working on the Steven Seagal action thriller Hard to Kill. This was followed by the action-comedy film If Looks Could Kill starring Richard Grieco. Other notable films he edited during the decade include The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, a psychological thriller starring Annabella Sciorra and Rebecca De Mornay; the Walt Disney production of Alexandre Dumas' classic novel, The Three Musketeers; the Keenen Ivory Wayans comedy, A Low Down Dirty Shame, with Charles S. Dutton and Jada Pinkett; another Disney Film, The Big Green in 1995 starring Olivia d'Abo and Steve Guttenberg; and the Jean-Claude Van Damme martial arts film, The Quest; and the superhero action film Steel, based upon the DC Comics character Steel, starring Shaquille O'Neal. The last film for which he received credit as an editor was 1999 slasher film, Cherry Falls, directed by Geoffrey Wright, and starring Brittany Murphy, Jay Mohr, and Michael Biehn.

Death Link died in Huntersville, North Carolina, on August 9, 2026, at the age of 91.John Frederick Link

Filmography (as per AFI's database, unless otherwise footnoted)

+ Editor Year Film Director Notes 1961 The Sergeant Was a LadyBernard Glasser1965 The Desert RavenAlan S. Lee1972 The King of Marvin GardensBob RafelsonFirst collaboration with Bob Rafelson1973 Electra Glide in BlueJames William Guercio1974 Chosen SurvivorsSutton Roley 1975 SunburstJames Polakof Race with the DevilJack Starrett1976 Stay HungryBob RafelsonSecond collaboration with Bob Rafelson1977 Handle with CareJonathan Demme1980 BorderlineJerrold Freedman1985 CommandoMark L. Lester1987 Predator John McTiernanFirst collaboration with John McTiernan1988 Die HardSecond collaboration with John McTiernan1989 Road HouseRowdy Herrington1990 Hard to KillBruce Malmuth1991 If Looks Could KillWilliam Dear 1992 The Hand That Rocks the CradleCurtis Hanson The Mighty Ducks Stephen HerekFirst collaboration with Stephen Herek1993 The Three MusketeersSecond collaboration with Stephen Herek 1994 D2: The Mighty DucksSam Weisman A Low Down Dirty ShameKeenen Ivory Wayans1995 The Big GreenHolly Goldberg Sloan1996 The QuestJean-Claude Van Damme1997 SteelKenneth Johnson1999 Cherry FallsGeoffrey Wright

+ Editorial department Year Film Director Role Notes1957 The Storm RiderEdward BerndsSupervising editor1959 The Immoral Mr. TeasRuss MeyerAssistant editorUncredited1969 Mackenna's GoldJ. Lee ThompsonAssociate film editor

+ Sound department Year Film Director Role1967 Hurry SundownOtto PremingerSound effects editor

Documentaries

+ Editor Year Film Director 1969 Footprints on the Moon – Apollo 11Bill Gibson1971 Say GoodbyeDavid H. Vowell 1979 The Bermuda TriangleRichard Friedenberg

TV movies

+ Editor Year Film Director 1971 They've Killed President Lincoln!Robert Guenette Revenge!Jud Taylor1972 Heat of AngerDon Taylor 1973 The Norliss TapesDan Curtis The President's Plane Is MissingDaryl Duke Message to My DaughterRobert Michael Lewis 1974 The Last Angry ManJerrold Freedman The Day the Earth MovedRobert Michael Lewis1975 Someone I TouchedLou Antonio 1977 Murder at the World SeriesAndrew V. McLaglen I'm a FoolNoel Black Incredible Rocky Mountain RaceJames L. Conway1978 Lawman Without a Gun Jerrold Freedman1979 The Streets of L.A.1980 Make Me an OfferJerry Paris1981 Killing at Hell's GateJerry Jameson 1982 The RenegadesRoger Spottiswoode SkeezerPeter H. Hunt 1983 Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't LandJerry Jameson Tiger TownAlan Shapiro1984 ThreesomeLou Antonio1985 Lace II William Hale1986 Harem 1988 Promised a MiracleStephen Gyllenhaal Nightmare at BittercreekTim Burstall

TV series

+ Editor Year Title Notes1954–56 Cavalcade of America8 episodes1974 Firehouse1 episode1984 Lace 2 episodes1985 Lace II1987 The Hitchhiker7 episodes

+ Editorial department Year Title Role Notes1954–55 Cavalcade of America Supervising editor5 episodes1955 The Christophers1 episode

+ Producer Year Title Credit Notes1969 Public EyeAssociate producer7 episodes

References

External links