George Folsey Jr., a famous film editor and director known for his work on classic comedies like “Animal House” and “Coming to America,” has died at 84. His son, Ryan Foley, who is also a film editor, told everyone that he had died.
Over more than fifty years, Folsey Jr. had a very successful career in Hollywood. People knew him best for working with director John Landis for a long time. Major hits like “The Kentucky Fried Movie” (1977), “National Lampoon’s Animal House” (1978), and “The Blues Brothers” (1980) were produced as a result of their collaboration, which started with Landis’s 1973 film “Schlock.” During the 1970s and 1980s, they helped shape American humor.
Editing Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking “Thriller” music video in 1983 was one of Folsey Jr.’s most important jobs. This famous song not only changed the way music videos looked, but it also became an important part of the culture. His work with Eddie Murphy in films like “Trading Places” (1983) and “Coming to America” (1988) cemented his image as an accomplished editor who expertly combined comedy and drama.
George J. Folsey, a 13-time Oscar-nominated photographer known for works like “Meet Me in St. Louis” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” was the father of Folsey Jr., who was born into a family of filmmakers. One of Folsey Jr.’s first jobs was editing an episode of “The Monkees” in 1967. Later, he worked on several feature films in different styles, such as “Hostel” (2005), “Cheaper by the Dozen” (2003), and “Hot Tub Time Machine.”
Folsey Jr. created several well-known films in addition to his editing work, such as “An American Werewolf in London” (1981), “Spies Like Us” (1985), and “Three Amigos!” He was also an assistant director on “Twilight Zone: The Movie,” where he got into trouble after an awful helicopter crash killed actor Vic Morrow and two child actors. Folsey Jr. and others were later found not guilty of manslaughter in connection with the event.
The last editing job he was paid for was on the independent drama “Summer Rain.” Folsey Jr. also loved golf and wine tasting in addition to film. His daughter Erin Plasse, son Ryan Folsey, and three granddaughters, Lucia Folsey, Chloe Plasse, and Hazel Plasse, will miss him. He was married to Belinda Folsey.