38 Facts About Gene Ruggiero

Gene Ruggiero was initially unhappy with his job and would often skip working to play golf, demoted to assistant editor due to this.

Gene Ruggiero came to prominence after editing the 1939 film Ninotchka.

Gene Ruggiero received his first credit on the film, and continued as an editor for the rest of his career.

Gene Ruggiero earned an Academy Award for Best Film Editing in 1956 for his work on Around the World in 80 Days, which he shared with Paul Weatherwax.

Gene S Ruggiero was born in Long Island on June 20,1910, the son of Phillip and Teresa Ruggiero.

Gene Ruggiero's parents immigrated to the United States from Naples, Italy in 1903 and his father worked as a skilled mason.

Gene Ruggiero grew up in Manhasset, New York with his seven siblings.

Gene Ruggiero enjoyed the sport of golf and, before becoming a film editor, he worked as a caddy at a New York country club.

Gene Ruggiero often caddied for American film studio executive Nicholas Schenck.

However, after playing a game with the group one day, Gene Ruggiero returned to the clubhouse find the head angry with him for neglecting his caddy duties.

When Gene Ruggiero arrived, he was assigned the job of film editor.

Gene Ruggiero found himself displeased with the menial work, and often did not show up at the studio, choosing to play golf instead.

Gene Ruggiero was demoted to assistant editor when his skipping was found out, and worked on several Johnny Weissmuller films.

Gene Ruggiero received his first film credit in 1939, on the film Ninotchka.

The next year saw Ruggiero edit Blonde Inspiration by Busby Berkeley and Washington Melodrama by S Sylvan Simon.

Gene Ruggiero cut another Tarzan picture by Thorpe entitled Tarzan's Secret Treasure.

Gene Ruggiero edited the 1942 films A Yank on the Burma Road, Tarzan's New York Adventure, Andy Hardy's Double Life, and Jackass Mail.

Gene Ruggiero edited the actor Robert Montgomery's Lady in the Lake in 1947.

That same year, Gene Ruggiero was the editor for Edward Buzzell's Song of the Thin Man, and the final Dr Kildare film Dark Delusion.

Gene Ruggiero served as editor for The Bribe the following year, as well as That Midnight Kiss; Ruggerio remembered that the film's star Mario Lanza would not do a film unless Ruggerio would edit it.

Gene Ruggiero edited Men of the Fighting Lady, Athena, and The Student Prince in the following year.

The Oscar statuette Gene Ruggiero earned for his work on the film was tarnished; its gold coat was removed when Gene Ruggiero sent it out for cleansing and he never had it replated when he was able to afford doing so.

Gene Ruggiero said in March 1994 that he considered the film his best work.

The films Gene Ruggiero edited in 1957 were The Seventh Sin and Seven Hills of Rome.

Gene Ruggiero edited John Ford's The Wings of Eagles that year.

Gene Ruggiero recalled Ford as a "cheapskate" and that he offered Gene Ruggiero a new putter to appease him.

In 1960, Gene Ruggiero did Platinum High School and Revak the Rebel, and edited The Thief of Bagdad and The Wonders of Aladdin the next year.

Gene Ruggiero edited the 1975 film Boss Nigger; as well as Paesano: A Voice in the Night that same year, he worked with his wife Eva on 1976's Adios Amigo.

Gene Ruggiero worked on The World through the Eyes of Children in 1975 and in 1976 he worked on the short Circasia and Paco, In 1977.

Gene Ruggiero's next editing credit for came in 1977 for his work on Gus Trikonis' Moonshine County Express.

Gene Ruggiero was supervising editor on William Girdler's last film The Manitou in 1978, He edited one episode each of the 1979 series Billy and the 1980 TV Show Breaking Away, He was Supervising Editor on Savage Journey a 1983 TV re-edit of a 1977 film Brigham, he was an associate producer on the 1985 Low-Budget cult classic Night Train to Terror and co-producer on 1987's Cry Wilderness.

Gene Ruggiero's final editing credit came on the 1988 low budget film Bloody Wednesday.

Gene Ruggiero was elected as a member of the American Cinema Editors.

Gene Ruggiero criticized the low amount of money he was being paid each year; in 1994 the Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan was only giving him $242.71 a month - by contrast, younger editors were earning around $1,250.

Gene Ruggiero believed that since he had worked his whole life in the film industry, he was owed a higher amount.

Gene Ruggiero married Eva Nohavka in Italy on April 9,1966.

Gene Ruggiero then lived in Ogden, Utah for four years before his death on February 19,2002.

Gene Ruggiero is survived by his two children and four grandchildren.