Terry Rawlings, eminent film editor and Borehamwood resident for nearly 60 years, died peacefully in his sleep on 23rd April, aged 85.

Oscar nominated for his work on Chariots Of Fire in 1981, he was the recipient of a BAFTA award in 2014 for his services to film editing.

Born in Stoke Newington in 1933, a long forgotten feature called The Mark Of The Hawk first brought Rawlings to Borehamwood back in 1957, and it was during the following year, whilst employed as an assistant sound editor on the Stanley Donen picture Indiscreet at ABPC that Terry first met his beloved wife Louise, a local girl.

Borehamwood Times:

Terry Rawlings pictured with his special BAFTA award in 2014

The swinging sixties saw exciting times working with many of the innovative “enfants terribles” of British film, such as Michael Winner; Jack Clayton and Ken Russell; and it was whilst paired with the latter on the memorable Women In Love (1969) that Rawlings received a BAFTA nomination for sound editing.

By this time a father of three sons and happily settled in the Borehamwood,it was during the early ‘70’s that his work began to take him to Hollywood, and Rawlings collaborated with Karel Reisz & Winner again on gritty movies such as Lawman and The Gambler.

Clayton invited him to model the sound on The Great Gatsby, starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow; and after earlier serving with Russell again on the highly controversial The Devils he moved into music editing on “mad Ken’s” take on The Who’s rock opera Tommy in 1975.

Two years later his long-awaited ambition to move into fully fledged film editing finally arrived when Rawlings had the opportunity to cut the animated classic Watership Down.

His work here brought him to the attention of a rookie film director who had just cut his teeth in TV commercials, Ridley Scott.

Their partnership began with Scott’s first feature The Duellists in 1978, and the following year they crafted the brilliant sci-fi horror classic Alien.

Rawlings received his first BAFTA nomination for editing that movie, and from here his career went into stellar overdrive.

An Oscar nomination followed for Hugh Hudson’s wonderfully stirring ‘Chariots Of Fire’ in 1981; moving back into Scott’s stable a year later with another groundbreaking picture Blade Runner,which often features in critics ‘best movie of all time’ lists, and won Rawlings his fifth BAFTA nomination of his career.

Terry’s close collaboration with Barbra Streisand on her directorial debut Yentl was one of the most enjoyable of his film life,and whilst filming in Prague he made many friendships that have endured to this day.

Streisand tweeted an affectionate tribute on the day Terry passed away,describing his “delicious personality”.

Borehamwood Times:

Terry Rawlings alongside his seven grandchildren after picking up a special BAFTA award

These blockbuster titles of the 1980’s gave Rawlings the opportunity to pick more personal and aesthetic projects around the globe,and he worked in Johannesburg on Fiela’s Child in the months prior to Mandela’s freedom; No Escape in Australia; and Trapped In Paradise in northern Canada.

Rawlings revisited the space slasher franchise with his work on Alien 3 and even put a Bond on his CV when cutting Piers Brosnan’s 007 debut Goldeneye in 1995.

His final feature film was the big screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom Of The Opera in 2004,but in retirement Terry retained his fascination for film and was constantly asked by many in the industry to assess various works on progress as a mark of their respect for his expertise.

Terry Rawlings leaves behind his loving Louise, 81 three sons, and seven grandchildren.

His son, Dave Rawlings, said: "He was a dedicated family man and his legacy will live on in us and our successors.

"But his name will forever be etched in the film history,and whatever replaces the internet in 1,000 years’ time will still be running his movies."