ABSTRACT
THE UNITED STATES It is important to state, at the onset, that many sound professionals assumed Jack Foley-the man for whom the craft is named-was a sound editor who began to perform footstep cues for his own reels, and thus began a career of doing those of other editors who had neither the talent nor the patience to do them. This, so it was understood, led to Jack then performing some props that were better left to him than the cutting room. Somewhere along the line, the rumor went around that Jack was from England, and that he was around in the 1950s and 1960s. It was said that he was from Universal Studios, and it was assumed that the editors and Foley artists who had worked at Universal must have known the venerable Mr. Foley. Almost everyone in postproduction sound had some kind of conception about Jack that we now know is inaccurate. Imagine my embarrassment as I now recall my appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, which was in July 1989, where I continue this myth on national television. I must constantly correct the record with every audience or class who sees this clip, as I try to encourage the critical thinking of young minds. So, let us begin with who Jack Foley was, and why he is considered the pioneer of today’s craft of Foley.
