John D. Dunning (May 5, 1916 – February 25, 1991) was an American film editor who worked on several large-scale Hollywood movies from 1947 to 1970. He was an editor contracted to MGM Studios. While working with MGM, Dunning was picked by the famed director Frank Capra to collorabate with him on a World War II series of seven patriotic films for the American public, collectively called Why We Fight, produced from 1942 to 1945. This early relation with Capra honed his skills with a talented director and brought him to the professional recognition in the film world.
This recognition proved fruitful when the low-budget war film Battleground became a sleeper hit in 1949, earning critical praise and several Oscar nominations, including one for Best Film Editing.
Dunning worked on the remake of Show Boat (1951); Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Julius Caesar, an adaptation of Shakespeare's play (1953); and the Southern epic Raintree County (1957). In 1959 he won an Oscar for Best Film Editing, shared with Ralph E. Winters, for Ben-Hur.
Dunning then moved to television, where he edited The Man from U.N.C.L.E..
Dunning retired in 1970. He was married to Ruth Dunning (née Danson). Together they had three children, John Dunning, Robert Dunning and Barbara Dunning. After Dunning retired, he and son Robert ran a winery in Paso Robles, California, Dunning Vineyards, which Robert began on his father's property in Malibu. Barbara Dunning followed her father into the editing business, working as a freelance editor on films such as Cocktail, Green Card and Die Hard 2.
At Dunning's funeral in 1991, Frank Capra and the senior staff of MGM were there to pay their respects.
Selected filmography + Editor Year Film Director Notes 1947 This Time for KeepsRichard Thorpe Cass TimberlaneGeorge SidneyFirst collaboration with George Sidney 1948 HomecomingMervyn LeRoy Julia MisbehavesJack Conway1949 Battleground William A. WellmanFirst collaboration with William A. Wellman 1950 The Next Voice You Hear...Second collaboration with William A. Wellman The Happy YearsThird collaboration with William A. Wellman 1951 Show BoatGeorge SidneySecond collaboration with George Sidney Across the Wide MissouriWilliam A. WellmanFourth collaboration with William A. Wellman 1952 The Wild NorthAndrew Marton My Man and IWilliam A. WellmanFifth collaboration with William A. Wellman 1953 Julius CaesarJoseph L. Mankiewicz Take the High Ground!Richard BrooksFirst collaboration with Richard Brooks 1954 RhapsodyCharles VidorFirst collaboration with Charles Vidor BetrayedGottfried Reinhardt The Last Time I Saw ParisRichard BrooksSecond collaboration with Richard Brooks 1955 Interrupted MelodyCurtis Bernhardt The Tender TrapCharles Walters It's a Dog's LifeHerman Hoffman1956 The SwanCharles VidorSecond collaboration with Charles Vidor1957 Raintree CountyEdward Dmytryk1958 The Brothers KaramazovRichard BrooksThird collaboration with Richard Brooks1959 Ben-HurWilliam Wyler1960 CimarronAnthony Mann
+ Editorial department Year Film Director Role Notes1965 The Spy with My FaceJohn Newland Supervising film editor1966 One of Our Spies Is MissingE. Darrell Hallenbeck
Short documentaries
+ Editorial department Year Film Director Role1968 Rowan & Martin at the MoviesJack ArnoldEditorial supervisor
TV movies
+ Editor Year Film Director1970 The Mask of ShebaDavid Lowell Rich
TV pilots
+ Editor Year Film Director1965 Dream WifeDon Taylor1966 Meet Me in St. Louis
TV series
+ Editor Year Title Notes1961 Father of the Bride1 episode1962 Sam Benedict2 episodes1963 The Eleventh Hour1 episode1969−70 Medical Center25 episodes
+ Editorial department Year Title Role Notes1961 The Asphalt Jungle Supervising film editor12 episodes1961−62 Cain's Hundred30 episodes 1962−63 Sam Benedict26 episodes The Eleventh Hour20 episodes 1963−64 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters Supervising film editor26 episodes The Lieutenant29 episodes1963−65 Mr. Novak60 episodes1961−66 Dr. Kildare191 episodes1964−66 Flipper59 episodes1965−66 A Man Called Shenandoah29 episodes 1966−67 JerichoSupervising film editor16 episodes The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.27 episodes1965−67 Please Don't Eat the DaisiesSupervising film editor58 episodes1967 HondoSupervising editor17 episodes1964−68 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Supervising film editor105 episodes 1969 Then Came Bronson7 episodes Medical Center1 episode1969−70 The Courtship of Eddie's Father25 episodes
References
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