John Grover, James Bond and 2001: A Space Odyssey Film Editor, Dies at 87

John Grover, the English film editor whose decades-long career included work on six James Bond films as well as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Doctor Zhivago and Labyrinth, died on September 28 at the age of 87, Deadline reports.

British Film Editors, where Grover was a longtime board member, confirmed his death on social media, according to Deadline. No cause of death was provided. Across a career that began with assistant editing work and developed into full editing credits on major features and television, Grover became closely associated with the craft behind some of British cinema's best-known productions.

What to know about film editor John Grover

• Deadline reports that John Grover died on September 28 at age 87.
• British Film Editors confirmed his death but did not provide a cause, according to Deadline.
• Grover worked on six James Bond films, serving as film editor on three of them, Deadline reports.
• His early assistant editing credits included 2001: A Space Odyssey and Doctor Zhivago, according to Deadline.
• Other films in his career included Labyrinth, Lifeforce, Buddy's Song and Funky Monkey, Deadline says.
• His final film was the 2005 Lithuanian drama Dievu miskas (Forest of the Gods), which he edited, according to Deadline.

John Grover's six James Bond film credits

Grover's connection to the James Bond series spanned six films, Deadline reports, moving from helping cut entries in the franchise to serving as the credited film editor on three later 007 pictures.

He helped cut The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977, Moonraker in 1979 and Octopussy in 1983. He later served as film editor on For Your Eyes Only in 1981, The Living Daylights in 1987 and Licence to Kill in 1989, according to Deadline.

James Bond film	Year	Grover's role
The Spy Who Loved Me	1977	Helped cut the film, according to Deadline.
Moonraker	1979	Helped cut the film, according to Deadline.
For Your Eyes Only	1981	Film editor, according to Deadline.
Octopussy	1983	Helped cut the film, according to Deadline.
The Living Daylights	1987	Film editor, according to Deadline.
Licence to Kill	1989	Film editor, according to Deadline.

From assistant editor to major feature-film credits

Deadline reports that Grover began his career working as an uncredited assistant editor on films by several major directors. Those early credits included Robert Wise's The Haunting in 1963, John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix in 1966 and Herbert Ross' Goodbye, Mr. Chips in 1969.

He also worked as an uncredited assistant editor on Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, released in 1968, according to Deadline. The same early period included work on David Lean's Doctor Zhivago from 1965, which Deadline identifies as a Best Picture Oscar nominee.

Deadline also lists The Executioner from 1975 and The Blue Bird from 1976 among Grover's feature credits as an assistant editor. Those assignments formed part of the foundation for a career that would later include credited film editing work across action, science fiction, drama and other genres.

Grover also edited films with Roger Moore beyond Bond

Grover's work with films associated with longtime James Bond actor Roger Moore extended beyond the 007 franchise. Deadline reports that he worked on two war movies starring Moore: The Wild Geese, released in 1978, and The Sea Wolves, released in 1980.

His other feature credits reflected a wide range of productions. Deadline lists The Final Option from 1982 and Lifeforce from 1985 among his films, along with Buddy's Song in 1991 and Funky Monkey in 2004.

Grover also worked on Jim Henson's Labyrinth, according to Deadline. Taken together with his Bond work and his earlier experience on films including 2001: A Space Odyssey and Doctor Zhivago, the credits show a career spent moving between large-scale productions and projects across multiple genres.

His editing career also extended into television

Grover's editing work was not limited to feature films. Deadline reports that he cut episodes of several UK television shows, including CI5: The New Professionals, Monsignor Renard and Fat Friends.

His television credits also crossed into American productions. Deadline lists the telefilm Nobody's Children among his work, as well as the 1992 production Frankenstein.

The mix of film and television credits illustrates the range of editing assignments Grover took on over the course of his career. From assistant editing on major features to credited work on Bond films and later television productions, his professional life remained centered on shaping screen stories in the edit.

John Grover's early life and final film

Deadline reports that Grover was born on October 24, 1938, in Barnet, Middlesex. His career began in assistant editing before expanding into work as a film editor in his own right.

His final movie was the 2005 Lithuanian drama Dievu miskas, also known as Forest of the Gods, which Grover edited, according to Deadline. That project came after a career that had included some of the most recognizable titles in his filmography, from Bond entries to science fiction, war films and television drama.

Grover's professional connection to editing also extended beyond individual productions. Deadline reports that he was a longtime board member of British Film Editors, the organization that confirmed his death on social media.

John Grover's family

Grover is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jenny, according to Deadline. His survivors also include their son, Tim, and daughter, Camilla, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His body of work spans early uncredited assistant editing, credited feature-film editing, six James Bond pictures and later television assignments. For audiences, the finished films remain the visible record; for Grover, the work was rooted in the editing room, where those performances, scenes and sequences were assembled into their final form.

Deadline's account of his career traces that work from The Haunting, Doctor Zhivago and 2001: A Space Odyssey through his Bond years and into later projects such as Buddy's Song, Funky Monkey and Forest of the Gods. Grover was 87.

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Grover?

John Grover was an English film editor whose credits included work on six James Bond films, according to Deadline. His career also included assistant editing work on <em>2001: A Space Odyssey</em> and <em>Doctor Zhivago</em>, as well as later credits on films including <em>Labyrinth</em>, <em>Lifeforce</em> and <em>Buddy's Song</em>.

Which James Bond movies did John Grover edit?

Deadline reports that Grover was film editor on <em>For Your Eyes Only</em>, <em>The Living Daylights</em> and <em>Licence to Kill</em>. He also helped cut three other Bond films: <em>The Spy Who Loved Me</em>, <em>Moonraker</em> and <em>Octopussy</em>, giving him six 007 credits in total.

When did John Grover die?

John Grover died on September 28 at the age of 87, according to Deadline. British Film Editors, where he had been a longtime board member, confirmed the news on social media. The organization did not provide a cause of death.

What was John Grover's final film?

Deadline reports that Grover's final film was the 2005 Lithuanian drama <em>Dievu miskas</em>, also known as <em>Forest of the Gods</em>, which he edited. It concluded a career that had included feature films, James Bond productions and television work in both the UK and the United States.