Elena Maganini, Emmy-Winning Editor of 'Dexter' Pilot, Dies at 70

Key points

• Elena Maganini died on Oct. 21 in Burbank from breast cancer complications at age 70.
• She won an Emmy Award for editing the pilot episode of the series 'Dexter.'
• Her early career included editing John McNaughton's 1986 film 'Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer.'
• She edited other McNaughton projects such as 'Wild Things,' 'Mad Dog & Glory,' and 'Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll.'
• Television credits included 'Madam Secretary,' 'Good Behavior,' 'Clarice,' 'Manifest,' and 'The Cleaning Lady.'
• She was nominated for an Emmy and a Cable ACE Award for the anthology 'If These Walls Could Talk.'

Background

Elena Maganini began her career at Sinnot & Associates in Chicago after graduating from the University of Illinois and studying filmmaking at Columbia College Chicago. She was a member of the American Cinema Editors and survived by her husband Scott Collins, a communications director at the Motion Picture Editors Guild, along with her daughter and daughter-in-law.

Why it matters

Maganini's career spanned influential independent cinema and major television productions, demonstrating a versatile skill set that earned her industry recognition, including an Emmy Award. Her passing marks the loss of a significant figure in post-production who worked with notable directors and actors across several decades.

What to watch

A memorial service will be held on Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills. Donations in her memory may be directed to Columbia College Chicago, Tree House Humane Society, or the Stray Cat Alliance.