CineMontage

Q4 2020

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80 C I N E M O N T A G E I N M E M O R I A M B eryl Stuart Gelfond was born on March 11, 1933 in Chicago to a religious family. At age 13, his b a r m i t z v a h s p e e c h i n c l u d e d t h i s statement that would become part of his worldview: "It is this thought that I will always have in mind: I will see that every mo- ment of my life and every day of my years shall be filled with useful and significant acts leading to a constructive life which shall be of use to the world around me. " In 1947, Beryl and his family moved from Chicago to Los Angeles where he graduated from Fairfax High School in 1950, then went on to USC. Afterwards, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy. From 1956-58, during the growing tensions of the Cold War, he was a photographer's mate in the Navy. His duties were not glamorous, but it was there that he got a sense of the ability of film to tell a story. H i s u n c l e, G a y l e G i t te r m a n , w a s able to connect him into "the business" where Beryl worked as a film editor in Hollywood for many years, sometimes bicycling in from Studio City to work in Culver City. For more than 20 years, Beryl worked as an editor on many of the most fa- mous, iconic and memorable TV series, including "Hogan's Heroes" (1969-70), "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1974), "Happy Days" (1975) and "Quincy, M.E." (1977-80). He won an Emmy in 1966 for his work on "The Dick Van Dyke Show." He came to know and respect actors like Bob Denver, Robert Crane, Jack Klugman, Carl Reiner, and many others. He was a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Film Editors Guild. From 1964 to 1984, he worked tirelessly in the industry, sometimes working full weekends and long hours into the eve- ning. He had a Moviola, editing bench, BERYL GELFOND MARCH 11, 1933 – SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 Beryl Gelfond. and rewinds at home so he could work there, if needed. For years, Beryl and Rhoda, his devot- ed wife of 61 years, would often attend new releases at the Directors Guild. As a member of the Academy, Beryl voted for the Directing and Editing categories. The couple would sit in the last row of the screening theater, and if they did not like the film after about 10 minutes, they would get up and walk out without con- cern about possibly insulting someone on the crew. They became known as "The Walkers" among DGA members. On one occasion, a man who was angry about their frequent walkouts looked up their name in the directory and confronted them one day. "How did you get in here? I checked, and there is no one named 'Walker' registered in the Directors Guild!" After leaving the film industry, Beryl would still travel into Hollywood to pursue his interest in film preservation and share his editing skills with a young- er generation. ■ — Anthony Jon Heideman. O n A u g u s t 3 0 t h , 2 0 2 0 , L i z Tucker (Elizabeth Algarin, La- valle) passed in the comfort of her home surrounded by family and dear friends. A 40-year member of the IATSE, she was well known throughout the film industry and helped many people get into the union. We have always known of our moth- er's awesomeness. She has consistently been of service. Family and friends were her priority. She was forever extending ELIZABETH LAVALLE (LIZ TUCKER) MARCH 7, 1940 — AUGUST 30, 2020 a helping hand or listening to a fellow in need. With her own sobriety, she found her calling; her love of humanity took on focus and determination. Our hearts have been humbled and made proud by how many people credit her with saving their lives. What people ought to know is they saved her life, too; everyone she touched, touched her in turn. She will be missed by far more people than can be mentioned here. She leaves behind her four children, 12 grandchil- dren, two great-grandchildren, as well as her beloved cat, Mickey De Monte. She is also survived by her five loving siblings and numerous nieces and nephews. Her memorial will be a grand affair that will take place when we are able to gather together, dance, and hug. ■ — Liz's Family

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