Herbert Neil Travis (October 12, 1936 – March 28, 2012) was an American film and television editor with about 28 feature film credits from 1970–2007. He is best known for editing the television miniseries Roots (1977) and the feature film Dances with Wolves (1990).
Travis was born in Los Angeles, California, and received a bachelor's degree in film and theater arts from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Travis won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Film Editing In A Drama Series for the first part of the television miniseries Roots (1977), and he and James Heckert were nominated for the award for the second part as well. Travis won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and the American Cinema Editors Eddie for the film Dances with Wolves (directed by Kevin Costner-1990). Travis had been selected as a member of the American Cinema Editors, and received the Career Achievement Award in 2010.
In 2010, Travis was interviewed about his career by Karen Herman for the Archive of American Television. Videorecording of a 2-hour interview. No transcript posted; contact publisher for availability.
Filmography
+ Editor Year Film Director Notes 1970 The Traveling ExecutionerJack Smight1972 The CowboysMark RydellSecond collaboration with Mark Rydell1978 Jaws 2Jeannot Szwarc1979 Hot StuffDom DeLuise 1980 Die LaughingJeff Werner Nights at O'Rear'sRobert Mandel The IdolmakerTaylor Hackford1981 Nobody's PerfektPeter Bonerz 1983 Second ThoughtsLawrence Turman CujoLewis Teague1984 The Philadelphia ExperimentStewart Raffill1985 Marie Roger DonaldsonFirst collaboration with Roger Donaldson1987 No Way OutSecond collaboration with Roger Donaldson1988 CocktailThird collaboration with Roger Donaldson1990 Dances with WolvesKevin Costner1991 DeceivedDamian Harris1992 Patriot GamesPhillip NoyceFirst collaboration with Phillip Noyce1993 Bopha!Morgan Freeman1994 Clear and Present DangerPhillip NoyceSecond collaboration with Phillip Noyce1995 OutbreakWolfgang Petersen1996 Moll FlandersPen Densham1997 The EdgeLee TamahoriFirst collaboration with Lee Tamahori1998 Stepmom Chris ColumbusFirst collaboration with Chris Columbus1999 Bicentennial ManSecond collaboration with Chris Columbus2001 Along Came a SpiderLee TamahoriSecond collaboration with Lee Tamahori2002 The Sum of All FearsPhil Alden Robinson2003 Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesJonathan Mostow2007 PremonitionMennan Yapo
+ Editorial department Year Film Director Role Notes1965 BillieDon Weis Assistant editor1968 Hell in the PacificJohn Boorman1969 The ReiversMark RydellAssociate film editorFirst collaboration with Mark Rydell2004 I, RobotAlex ProyasAdditional editing
TV movies
+ Editor Year Film Director Notes1971 They Call It MurderWalter Grauman1972 Climb an Angry Mountain Leonard Horn1973 The Bait1974 Men of the DragonHarry Falk1976 The Dark Side of InnocenceJerry Thorpe 1977 SnowbeastHerb Wallerstein Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn John Erman1985 The Atlanta Child Murders1988 Hot PaintSheldon Larry1989 Shannon's DealLewis Teague
TV pilots
+ Editor Year Film Director1975 Black BartRobert Butler
TV series
+ Editor Year Title Notes1973 Roll Out6 episodes1974−76 Harry O15 episodes1977 Roots 2 episodes1979 Roots: The Next Generations1984 The Master1 episode1985 The Atlanta Child Murders2 episodes1987 Out on a Limb 1 episode2006 Brotherhood
+ Additional crew Year Title Role Notes1966−67 Please Don't Eat the DaisiesAssistant to the producer28 episodes
+ Writer Year Title Notes1967 Please Don't Eat the Daisies1 episode
TV specials
+ Editor Year Title2007 79th Academy Awards
Awards
Academy Awards 1991, USA Award Person Academy Award for Editing 'Dances with Wolves' Neil Travis
Primetime Emmy Awards 1977, USA Award Person Outstanding Film Editing in a Drama Series 'Roots' Neil Travis
American Cinema Editors 2010, USA Award Person Career Achievement Award Neil Travis
References
Further reading Interview with Travis about editing and the advent of digital filmmaking. Essay on the film that notes its editing. Obituary.