Clarence Kolster


Clarence Kolster was an American film editor, active during the later years of the silent era, right through the 1950s.

Biography

Born in Plattsburgh, New York, in 1895, Clarence began his film career editing the 1922 silent film Rags to Riches. During his 30-year career, he would edit almost 100 films, in addition to working as assistant director on the 1924 film The Lighthouse by the Sea. His career would include such classics as The Painted Desert, also in 1931, which featured Clark Gable's first speaking role; the 1946 remake of Of Human Bondage; Always Leave Them Laughing, starring Milton Berle and Virginia Mayo; and 1958's Our Miss Brooks starring Eve Arden.
But Kolster's crowning achievement was his first mega-hit, the 1931 version of Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff. Kolster's editing of when the monster is revealed has been called, "... possibly the most distinguished piece of cutting in all of horror movie history." In addition, the creation sequence, the monster finding the small child by the lake, and the confrontation between the monster and Frankenstein's bride, have all become iconic scenes in film history, often imitated and parodied in later pictures.
In 1958, Kolster would make the switch from the big screen to the small screen, where he worked on several television series, including Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip. Kolster retired in 1962, and would die 10 years later.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1922Rags to RichesEditor
1923'Editor
1923Little Johnny JonesEditor
1923'Editor
1924Conductor 1492Editor
1924'Assistant director
1925Three Weeks in ParisEditor
1925Hogan's AlleyEditor
1925The Clash of the WolvesEditor
1925On Thin IceEditor
1926The Fighting EdgeEditor
1926'Editor
1926Broken Hearts of HollywoodEditor
1926His Jazz BrideEditor
1926The Night CryEditor
1926The SapEditor
1926'Editor
1927'Editor
1927A Dog of the RegimentEditor
1927Ginsberg the GreatEditor
1927Husbands for RentEditor
1930Sunny SkiesEditor
1930Hot CurvesEditor
1930Peacock AlleyEditor
1930'Editor
1930Troopers ThreeEditor
1930Wings of AdventureEditor
1931FrankensteinEditor
1931'Editor
1931Waterloo BridgeEditor
1932'Editor
1932The Impatient MaidenEditor
1932Doomed BattalionEditor
1933King of the Wild HorsesEditor
1933Havana WidowsEditor
1933The Fighting CodeEditor
1933Unknown ValleyEditor
1934Twenty Million SweetheartsEditor
1934Circus ClownEditor
1934'Editor
1934I've Got Your NumberEditor
1935The White CockatooEditor
1935Special AgentEditor
1935Mary Jane's PaEditor
1935Miss Pacific FleetEditor
1936Brides Are Like ThatEditor
1936Polo JoeEditor
1936Hot MoneyEditor
1936The Law in Her HandsEditor
1937Her Husband's SecretaryEditor
1937Back in CirculationEditor
1937Empty HolstersEditor
1937Once a DoctorEditor
1937Sh! The OctopusEditor
1938Gold Is Where You Find ItEditor
1938Four's a CrowdEditor
1938Going PlacesEditor
1939Hell's KitchenEditor
1939On Your ToesEditor
1940River's EndEditor
1940South of SuezEditor
1940'Editor
1940Brother Rat and a BabyEditor
1941Bad Men of MissouriEditor
1941Thieves Fall OutEditor
1942Men of TexasEditor
1942'Editor
1942Wild Bill Hickok RidesEditor
1943The Mysterious DoctorEditor
1943Truck BustersEditor
1943Adventure in IraqEditor
1944Make Your Own BedEditor
1946Of Human BondageEditor
1947Escape Me NeverEditor
1948Smart Girls Don't TalkEditor
1948'Editor
1949Always Leave Them LaughingEditor
1949South of St. LouisEditor
1950BarricadeEditor
1950DallasEditor
1951Close to My HeartEditor
1951Fort WorthEditor
1951SugarfootEditor
1951Storm WarningEditor
1952'Editor
1952Operation SecretEditor
1952She's Working Her Way Through CollegeEditor
1953South Sea WomanEditor
1953'Editor
1954'Editor
1954Drum BeatEditor
1955I Died a Thousand TimesEditor
1955Target ZeroEditor
1956Our Miss BrooksEditor
1956ZarakEditor
1956'Editor
1956'Editor
1957Shoot-Out at Medicine BendEditor
1958Fort DobbsEditor