Career
Schaeffer"s first feature film editing cr was for The Canterville Ghost (directed by Jules Dassin-1944). The film was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Hollywood. In the era of the Hollywood studio system, film editors typically served an apprenticeship at the studio of about ten years as assistant editors before promotion to editor, and Schaeffer had been an Ben Lewis" assistant editor on Dinner at Eight (directed by George Cukor-1933).
Schaeffer continued to edit for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer productions through about 1949.
The film was directed by Russell Rouse, and initiated their extended collaboration on seven films. Schaeffer subsequently wove the footage from the first three "Davy Crockett" broadcast programs into the feature film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955).
He also worked on the classic chiller The Tingler (directed by William Castle-1959). Schaeffer"s final feature film, The Caper of the Golden Bulls (1967), was also Rouse"s final film as a director
Schaeffer retired from editing around 1968.
