Career
In 2006, Williams published Elmo Williams: A Hollywood Memoir. Among the films that Williams edited are High Noon (1952), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and The Vikings (1958). Williams was involved in the production of The Longest Day (1962) and Cleopatra (1963), and he was a producer of the film Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970).
Between 1971 and 1974 Williams was the Head of Production for 20th Century Fox.
Critic James Berardinelli wrote, "High Noon"s tension comes through Kane"s desperation, aided in no small part by Elmo Williams" brilliant editing as the clock ticks down to twelve. Foreign a motion picture with so little action, the suspense builds to almost unbearable levels." In his memoir, Williams states that this well-known montage was specifically edited to match the music composed for the scene by Dimitri Tiomkin.
Williams was credited as associate producer and coordinator of battle episodes on The Longest Day (1962). He was also an uncredited second unit director
He later produced another historical World World War II film Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), also for Darryl F. Zanuck.
Williams was elected to membership in the American Cinema Editors (American Council on Exercise). In 1971, Williams was honored with the American Council on Exercise "Golden Eddie" award as Filmmaker of the Year.