Thelma Schoonmaker

Thelma Schoonmaker was born on January 3, 1940 in Algeria to American parents who were working for Standard Oil Corporation. Thelma is an Academy Award winning film editor. Thelma first came to the United States as teenager. She studied Russian language and political science at Cornell University, graduating in 1961. She took a job as an assistant film editor. She learned some important skills in that first job. She met the famous director Martin Scorsese in a summer film course at New York University and helped him edit his student film. She would go on to edit Scorsese’s "Who’s That Knocking at My Door?" "Raging Bull," "Goodfellas," and "Gangs of New York" "The Aviator," and "The Departed." Thelma also won Oscars for Best Achievement in Film Editing for "Raging Bull," "The Aviator" and "The Departed." Thelma married Michael Powell, a director on May 19, 1984. He passed away in 1990. Mrs. Schoonmaker spends her free time promoting and preserving the films and writings of her husband.

by Domenic, fourth grade 2007