Editing Lewis Milestone (section)

===Hollywood apprenticeship 1919–1924===

When Milestone arrived in Hollywood, he was still in financial difficulties. He later said to sustain himself until his studio job commenced, he briefly worked as a card dealer at a [[Los Angeles City Oil Field]] gambling venue.<ref>Millichap, 1981 p. 28: An unpublished interview with Mark Lambert, see Millichap footnote. And See p. 28 for comparison to 1913 arrival in America.<br />Silver, 2010: Silver describes Milestone as "émigré, not "immigrant"<br />Koszarski, 1976 p. 317: "Milestone was a Russian émigré."</ref><ref>Strago, 2017: "Like most great pioneer filmmakers, Milestone led an adventurous life before he hit the soundstage."</ref>

Milestone accepted mundane assignments from Hampton{{who|reason=Who is Hampton?|date=June 2023}} at $20 per week, and progressed from assistant editor toward director. In 1920 he was chosen as general assistant to director [[Henry King (director)|Henry King]] at [[Pathé Exchange]]. Milestone's first credited work was as assistant on King's film ''[[Dice of Destiny]]'' (1920).<ref>Millichap, 1981 p. 28: For Hampton he performed "a multitude of off jobs{{nbsp}}... sweeping floors and running errands{{nbsp}}... editing work consisted merely of splicing films{{nbsp}}... [but] "personal contacts would prove valuable in his steady advancement{{nbsp}}... became King's general assistant" in 1920</ref><ref>Canham, 1974 p. 72: Began work as "a cutter"And "promoted to the role of general assistant" for Henry King.</ref><ref>Barson, 2020: "He launched his Hollywood career in 1920, working for Henry King."</ref>

During the next six years, Milestone "took on jobs in any capacity available" in the Hollywood film industry, working as editor for director-producer [[Thomas H. Ince|Thomas Ince]], as general assistant and co-author on film scripts by [[William A. Seiter]] and as a gag writer for comedian [[Harold Lloyd]]. In 1923, Milestone followed Seiter{{who|reason=Who is Seiter?|date=June 2023}} to [[Warner Bros.|Warner Brothers]] studios as assistant director on [[Little Church Around the Corner (film)|Little Church Around the Corner]] (1923), completing most of the film-making tasks on the production.<ref>Millichap, 1981 p. 28</ref><ref>Canham, 1974 p. 72: "For the next six years [1921–1926] Milestone took on jobs in any capacity available: he assisted [[William A. Seiter]], wrote scenarios and treatments and did some editing."</ref> Milestone's reputation as an effective "film doctor" who was skilled at salvaging movies led Warner to began offering Milestone's services to other studios at inflated rates.<ref>Millichap, 1981 pp. 28&ndash;29: "Warners often lent out the young editor to other studios at several times his salary".</ref>