Don Zimmerman

Editor · Born June 15, 1944 (82) · Culver City, California, USA

Oscar nominee

Don Zimmerman entered the business of show in 1969 as an apprentice editor in music and sound effects. He worked for the Mirisch Co. under Dick Carruth, Frank Warner and Jim Richards on films such as: The Hawaiians, Gaily, Gaily, Little Big Man, The Godfather, Where's Papa and Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He then became a picture assistant editor for Hal Ashby on films such as: The Landlord, Harold and Maude, Shampoo and Bound for Glory. After eight years in the industry, Don became a picture editor on the Hal Ashby film Coming Home, which earned him an Academy Award nomination. He also edited the film Being There for Hal. In 1993, Don met Tom Shadyac on his first feature film, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Don has since edited The Nutty Professor and Liar Liar for Tom. Don feels Patch Adams is Tom's best work to date, and hopes to continue working with him in the future.

What are Don Zimmerman's films like?

Across their 41 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy17 titles39^th

Drama10 titles73^rd

Action8 titles42^nd

Adventure5 titles40^th

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Bonds

31%

Self

27%

Morality

17%

Survival

12%

Society

6%

Power

4%

Ideas

2%

Family bonds9 Identity8 Friendship8 Purpose8 Self-worth6 Romantic love6 Redemption7 Survival5

What they feel like to watch

their average across 41 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 2 · Wry 2 · Earnest 35

Light

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 22 · Serious 12 · Dark 7

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 13 · Stylized 25 · Heightened 3

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 11 · Charged 21 · Intense 9

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 16 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 16

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 8

Casual

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 27 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

Easy watch

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 24 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 6

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 36 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

14

Joyful

13

Melancholic

12

Hopeful

11

Thrilling

11

Other

48

How their films linger

Feel-good19 Fun14 Bittersweet14 Hopeful14 Rousing9 Thought-provoking5

How their films end · 5 with a twist

Happy24
Bittersweet16
Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Don Zimmerman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (12).

Also on these channels

Howdy2 titles, show their 2 titles on Howdy
Sony Pictures Core2 titles, show their 2 titles on Sony Pictures Core
Lionsgate+1 title, show their title on Lionsgate+
ScreenPix1 title, show their title on ScreenPix
Shout! TV1 title, show their title on Shout! TV

Subscription and free streaming for Don Zimmerman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

49 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

Bill & Ted Face the Music(2020)
Editor
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Nine Lives(2016)
Editor
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
RED 2(2013)
Editor
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Men in Black 3(2012)
Editor
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Marmaduke(2010)
Editor
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian(2009)
Editor
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Jumper(2008)
Editor
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Rush Hour 3(2007)
Editor
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Night at the Museum(2006)
Editor
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Fun with Dick and Jane(2005)
Editor
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Flight of the Phoenix(2004)
Editor
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
The Cat in the Hat(2003)
Editor
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Just Married(2003)
Editor
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Dragonfly(2002)
Editor
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
The Ladies Man(2000)
Editor
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Galaxy Quest(1999)
Editor
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Brokedown Palace(1999)
Editor
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Patch Adams(1998)
Editor
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Half Baked(1998)
Editor
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Liar Liar(1997)
Editor
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
The Nutty Professor(1996)
Editor
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
A Walk in the Clouds(1995)
Editor
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
The Scout(1994)
Editor
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective(1994)
Editor
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Leap of Faith(1992)
Editor
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Diggstown(1992)
Editor
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
The Prince of Tides(1991)
Editor
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Navy Seals(1990)
Editor
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
The Package(1989)
Editor
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Everybody's All-American(1988)
Editor
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Fatal Beauty(1987)
Editor
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Roxanne(1987)
Thanks
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Over the Top(1987)
Editor
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Cobra(1986)
Editor
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
Rocky IV(1985)
Editor
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
My Man Adam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Editor
Teachers(1984)
Editor
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Staying Alive(1983)
Editor
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Best Friends(1982)
Editor
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Rocky III(1982)
Editor
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Barbarosa(1982)
Editor
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
A Change of Seasons(1980)
Editor
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Being There(1979)
Editor
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Heaven Can Wait(1978)
Editor
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Coming Home(1978)
Editor
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Nickel Ride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Assistant Editor
Jonathan Livingston Seagull(1973)
Sound Editor
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
The Last of Sheila(1973)
Assistant Editor
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Harold and Maude(1971)
Assistant Editor
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 48 titles from 1971 to 2020.

Biggest box office

Men in Black 3 (2012)

$654M worldwide

Highest rated

Being There (1979)

Midcredits 97^th

By role

only this rolewith another role

Editing43 of 48 · 48^thOther crew5 of 48

By decade

1970s7 · crew1980s14 · crew1990s13 · crew2000s9 · crew2010s4 · crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

Nominated for an Oscar in 1979, Best Film Editing.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Don Zimmerman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49^th percentile, the median of all 47; across their 41 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 41

Approval · how many liked their films

45^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 41

Reach · how many have seen their films

94^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 41

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

75^th and up10
50^th to 74^th13
25^th to 49^th17
Below 25^th7

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 47 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved3
Divisive1
Cult Classic1
Crowd Pleaser21
Broadly Agreed9
Mixed12

Most divisive · editor

The Cat in the Hat (2003)

95^th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

Being There (1979)

Midcredits 97^th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 50/100 in their films, across 41 reviewed titles; fans 60, detractors 33. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Don Zimmerman's work okay for kids?

Across up to 35 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Violence & Gore31 titles20–73 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all films

Sex & Nudity35 titles12–58 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all films

Profanity31 titles27–69 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most films

Alcohol & Drugs28 titles10–48 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all films

Frightening / Intense27 titles11–63 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all films

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.