John F. Link Sr.


John F. Link Sr. was an American film editor from the 1930s through the 1960s. Born in Alabama on March 22, 1901, he began editing in 1930. He began editing film shorts, and from 1930 to 1932 he edited almost 20. Link was given his first opportunity to edit a feature film in 1932, with Carnival Boat, directed by Albert Rogell, and starring Bill Boyd and Ginger Rogers. In his 30-year career, he would edit over 30 films, with the highlight of his career would be the 1943 classic, For Whom the Bell Tolls, starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. Link, along with co-editor Sherman Todd, received an Academy Award nomination for their work on this film.
His son, John F. Link Jr., is also a film editor, and was also nominated for an Academy Award: for the 1988 film, Die Hard. Due to the similarity in their names, it is unclear as to when Link Sr. retired. The American Film Institute has combined both the father and son's career under one listing. The Internet Movie Database has Link Sr.'s final film as 1958's, The Immoral Mr. Teas, directed by Russ Meyer, however Link Sr. was most likely, due to the dating of the films, also the editor on three additional films, 1961's The Sergeant Was a Lady, the 1962 film The Rape of the Sabine Women, and The Desert Raven in 1965. Link also directed two films, Devil's Cargo in 1948, and Call of the Forest in 1949.
Link Sr. died on April 8, 1968, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 67.

Filmography

YearFilmDirectorNotesOther notes
1932Carnival BoatAlbert S. Rogell
1937Forlorn RiverCharles BartonFirst collaboration with Charles Barton
1937Thunder TrailCharles BartonSecond collaboration with Charles Barton
1937Born to the WestCharles BartonThird collaboration with Charles Barton
1939GeronimoPaul Sloane
1943For Whom the Bell TollsSam Wood
1944Up in ArmsElliott NugentUncredited
1944Are These Our ParentsWilliam Nigh
1944Black MagicPhil Rosen
1944I'm from ArkansasLew Landers
1944Bowery ChampsWilliam Beaudine
1945The Great FlamarionAnthony MannFirst collaboration with Anthony Mann
1945AnoushSetrag Vartian
1945Identity UnknownWalter ColmesFirst collaboration with Walter Colmes
1945JealousyGustav Machatý
1945The Woman Who Came BackWalter ColmesSecond collaboration with Walter Colmes
1946Strange ImpersonationAnthony MannSecond collaboration with Anthony Mann
1946Queen of the AmazonsEdward Finney
1947The PretenderW. Lee WilderThird collaboration with W. Lee Wilder
1952Gold FeverLeslie Goodwins
1958Space Master X-7Edward BerndsSecond collaboration with Edward Bernds
1959The Immoral Mr. TeasRuss MeyerUncredited
1961The Sergeant Was a LadyBernard Glasser
1962The Rape of the Sabine WomenAlberto Gout
1965The Desert RavenAlan S. Lee

YearFilmDirectorRoleNotes
1933Song of the EagleRalph MurphyAssistant editorUncredited
1944Knickerbocker HolidayHarry Joe BrownSupervising editor
1946The Glass AlibiW. Lee WilderSupervising editorFirst collaboration with W. Lee Wilder
1947Yankee FakirW. Lee WilderSupervising editorSecond collaboration with W. Lee Wilder
1948The Vicious CircleW. Lee WilderSupervising editorFourth collaboration with W. Lee Wilder
1957Escape from Red RockEdward BerndsSupervising editorFirst collaboration with Edward Bernds

YearFilm
1948Devil's Cargo
1949Call of the Forest

;Short documentaries
YearFilmDirectorNotes
1949The French Peep ShowRuss MeyerUncredited
1955Arizona SheepdogLarry Lansburgh

;Shorts
YearFilmDirector
1930Pick 'Em YoungMonte Carter
1930Red HeadsFrank T. Davis
1930Live and LearnFred Guiol
1930Big HeartedRobert De Lacey
1930Two Fresh EggsMonte Carter
1930Mind Your BusinessMonte Carter
1930Two Plus FoursRay McCarey
1930The Boss's OrdersFred Guiol
1930Breakfast in BedFred Guiol
1931Chasing TroubleFred Guiol
1931Night ClassHarry Fraser
1931Against the RulesArch Heath
1931June FirstDonald Gallaher
1931Oh! Oh! CleopatraJoseph Santley
1931Take 'em and Shake 'emRoscoe Arbuckle
1931The House DickLloyd French
1931Selling ShortsHarry Edwards
1932Dumb DicksRalph Ceder
1932Mother-in-Law's DayHarry Sweet
1932A Perfect 36Ralph Ceder
1954Stormy, the Thoroughbred with an Inferiority ComplexLarry Lansburgh

;TV series
YearTitleNotes
1957The Christophers1 episode
1957Walt Disney's Disneyland1 episode

YearTitleRoleNotes
1955Cavalcade of AmericaSupervising editor1 episode

YearTitleNotes
1951−52At Home with Billie Burke