Jeffrey Paul Huntsman

J. Paul Huntsman passed away peacefully on February 21, 2008, in his home in Glendale, California, after a two- year battle with brain cancer. Paul was born February 4, 1953, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Max and Hazel Thorngren Huntsman. He attended local grade schools in Idaho Falls and graduated from Skyline High School in 1971. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in film, Paul spent two years in the Peace Corp in Morocco.

Paul started his film career with Sun Classic Films in Salt Lake City, Utah. He worked there on many projects including the Grizzly Adams television series. He commuted between Salt Lake and Los Angeles before deciding to move to the Los Angeles area permanently. He began his career as a sound editor in the film industry, working on major motion pictures, including "Thief," and "To Live and Die in L.A." In 1989, Paul began working at Todd A-O Studios and was promoted to Supervising Sound Editor. His first project for them was "Major League" and some of his favorites were "Personal Best," "Little Giants," "The Cowboy Way" and "Blue Chips." In 1996, Paul went to work for Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California. He was hired as a Supervising Sound Editor and because of his knowledge in the newly emerging digital formats, he converted the sound editing department from analog to digital based systems. His many film projects include "Grumpier Old Men," "The Firm," "Scent of A Woman," "The Thin Red Line" and "The Illusionist." In 1991, Paul received the BAFTA, the British equivalent of the Academy Award for "The Fabulous Baker Boys." In 1998, he received an Emmy nomination for "Don King, Only In America." Paul was a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2002, he was elected to its Board of Governors, an honored position in the film industry.

An avid fly fisherman, Paul could be found fishing the Pacific Ocean, the Dean and the Inklin rivers in Canada, the waters of Belize and the Sea Of Cortez, as well as his boyhood favorites in Idaho and Montana.

He met the love of his life, Jessica Gallavan, a fellow sound editor, while working on the movie "Havana." Paul and Jessica were married in July of 1995, and with her son, Brendan, they chose Glendale, California, as their home.

Paul is survived by Jessica and Brendan; his parents, Max and Hazel of Ammon, Idaho; brother, M. David (Angie) Huntsman of Iona, Idaho; and sister, Beverly (Harland) Hendricks of Ammon, Idaho.

Cremation services were in California, and there will be a memorial celebration for Paul at the Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, March 16th, and a memorial celebration in the Idaho Falls area this summer for family and friends.

Contributions may be made in his memory to The Brain Cancer Society in the honor of J. Paul Huntsman.

http://www.braintumor society.org Family Tribute