[1][2] He rose to the ranks at CBS on the Ed Sullivan Show, becoming the first African-American film editor to be employed by network television in New York.

He was an athlete on the basketball, football and track teams at Asbury Park High School, and an avid swimmer during the summer months along the Jersey shore.

During this time, he met the love of his life Carole at a dance in Harlem at the Hotel Theresa on the top floor in the Skyline Ballroom.

[3] In 1956 John left the Signal Corps and was hired by CBS-TV, becoming the first African-American film editor to be employed by network television in New York.

For the last four of his twelve years with CBS, he was the supervising film editor for the award-winning documentary unit, Eye On New York.