William Mills Anderson, ACE – the award-winning  editor of films such as Peter Weir’s The Year of Living Dangerously and Dead Poets Society, the latter of which earned him a BAFTA nomination – passed away in Los Angeles on Jan. 4. He was 73.

Anderson was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, onMarch 12, 1948. Relocating to Sydney, Australia, from Northern Ireland in 1960, the then-bowling prodigy Bill soon found himself picture and sound editing on film and television projects.

Credits include longtime collaborator Weir’s Green Card, Fearless, Gallipoli and The Truman Show, as well as films including Puberty Blues, Tender Mercies, 1492: Conquest of Paradise and Just Cause. Anderson won the AFI Best Achievement in Sound and Best Achievement in Editing for Don’s Party in 1976. In 1980 he won the AFI Best Achievement in Sound and Best Achievement in Editing for Breaker Morant. Further Australian Film Institute awards were presented to Anderson in 1981, for Best Achievement in Editing for Gallipoli and in 1984, for Best Achievement in Editing for Razorback.

He was a mentor to many including editor Lee Smith, ACE, (with whom he shared editing credits on The Truman Show) and his nephew, editor/director Padraic McKinley. Anderson lived a full and dynamic life.

He touched the hearts and minds of many people and was loved and respected for his kindness, generosity, sense of humor and talent. His work lives on in the films he helpedcreate and he lives on in our hearts forever.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Sarah Anderson, and a brother, Robert. Bill leaves behind three sons, Liam, Aran and Sean; grandchildren Abby, Owen, Aden and Eliana; sister, Gloria; brothers Jackie and Jim; brother-in-law Jimmy and a host of other loving relatives and friends.

A memorial was held for Anderson in Santa Monica on Jan. 29, with further memorials to be held in Australia and Ireland later in the year.