David Gamble, an award-winning film editor known for his work on Shakespeare in Love and other notable films, has died at the age of 70. His twin passions were film and music, and he enjoyed DJing at his friends’ live club in east London, What’s Cookin‘.
Early life and career beginnings
David was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, to Ida (nee Haire), a housewife, and William Gamble, a clerk. He attended the Model primary school, then Foyle college, before studying ecology at Edinburgh University. It was while living in Edinburgh that his love of film grew, through the annual film festival. On graduation in 1977 he worked in various jobs including as a park ranger in the Hermitage of Braid, Edinburgh, and as a wildlife conservation researcher in Loch Leven, where he studied the mating patterns of brown trout.
But his heart lay in the visual arts, and in 1983, on hearing from a friend that there were jobs going in London selling tickets at the Royal Academy, he made his way there. He then got a job as assistant projectionist at the London Film School, before working as a freelance assistant editor from 1984 to 1989, then freelance editor thereafter.
Film editing career
One of his first editing credits was on the 1989 TV series Streetwise, starring Andy Serkis. In the 1990s David co-edited the miniseries Tales of the City starring Laura Linney, and edited dramas including the TV movies Loved Up, Black Easter (both 1995) and Truth or Dare (1996), as well as the pilot episode of Cold Feet in 1997. Moving into feature films he edited Different for Girls (1996) and My Son the Fanatic (1997), written by Hanif Kureishi, before going on to Shakespeare in Love.
As the editor on the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes, David won a Bafta, and was nominated for an Academy Award (the film, directed by John Madden, won the Oscar for best film). More films followed, including Veronica Guerin (2003), starring Cate Blanchett, and Shopgirl (2005), featuring Steve Martin and Claire Danes.
Later years and teaching
The essence of great film editing is storytelling, and David was a wonderful storyteller. His wit and musicality informed his editing and the passions of his life were film and music – in the late 2000s he sometimes DJed at his friends Steve and Ali’s live music club What’s Cookin‘ in east London. In 2006 David moved from editing to teaching, inspiring students at various film schools including the National Film School and London Film Academy, and universities such as Edinburgh, Kent, Goldsmiths, University of London and Southampton Solent, which made him an honorary fellow in 2015. He continued teaching until last year.
Personal life and legacy
David was the kindest of men. His wit and humour, and his distinctive laugh, were all commented upon by colleagues, friends and neighbours. His love for art, music and literature made him an erudite companion. David and his wife, Alex Mackie, met in 1983, at a gig by the electro-funk band Prince Charles and the City Beat. They were together from then, marrying in 1997. He is survived by his wife, and his sisters, Jenny and Heather.
