Don Chaffey
Born
5 August 1917 (108)
Place of Birth
Hastings, Sussex, England
Biography
Donald Chaffey (5 August 1917 – 13 November 1990) was a British film director, writer, producer, and art director. Chaffey's film career began as an art director in 1947, and his directorial debut was in 1953. He remained active in the industry until his death in 1990 from heart failure. His film Charley One-Eye (1973) was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival. He is chiefly remembered for his fantasy films, which include Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The Three Lives of Th...
Donald Chaffey (5 August 1917 – 13 November 1990) was a British film director, writer, producer, and art director. Chaffey's film career began as an art director in 1947, and his directorial debut was in 1953. He remained active in the industry until his death in 1990 from heart failure. His film Charley One-Eye (1973) was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival. He is chiefly remembered for his fantasy films, which include Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963), One Million Years B.C. (1966), The Viking Queen (1967), Creatures the World Forgot (1971), Pete's Dragon (1977), and C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), his final feature film. Concurrent with his theatrically released films, Chaffey directed episodes of numerous British television series, including multiple installments of Danger Man, The Prisoner, and The Avengers. From the 1980s until his death, all of his work was in American made-for-TV movies, and in such TV series as Fantasy Island, Stingray, MacGyver, Vega$, T. J. Hooker, Matt Houston, and Charlie's Angels. Chaffey began his career in the art department of Gainsborough Pictures where he worked as a draftsman on Madonna of the Seven Moons (1945), The Rake's Progress (1945), and Caravan (1946). He was art director of The Adventures of Dusty Bates (1947) and The Little Ballerina (1948). He directed the documentary shorts Thames Tideway (1948) and Cape Cargoes (1948). Chaffey directed the short features The Mysterious Poacher (1950) and The Case of the Missing Scene (1950). He returned to the art department for King of the Underworld (1950), The Stolen Plans (1952), Murder at the Grange (1952), Murder at Scotland Yard (1952), and Black 13 (1953). Chaffey resumed his directing career with the family film Skid Kids (1953). He made the short Watch Out (1953), then did Strange Stories (1953), Bouncer Breaks Up (1953, a short), The Mask (1952), and A Good Pull Up (1953). Chaffey directed Time Is My Enemy (1954). After the short Dead on Time (1955) he made The Secret Tent (1956), The Flesh Is Weak (1957) and The Girl in the Picture (1957). He directed episodes of TV series like Theatre Royal, The Adventures of the Big Man, Chevron Hall of Stars, The Errol Flynn Theatre, Assignment Foreign Legion, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dial 999, and The New Adventures of Charlie Chan. He interspersed these with features like A Question of Adultery (1958), The Man Upstairs (1958), Danger Within (1959), Dentist in the Chair (1960), Lies My Father Told Me (1960), and Nearly a Nasty Accident (1961).
Filmography (40)
Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent
1989
🎬 Director
International Airport
1985
Six Into One: The Prisoner File
1984
Casino
1980
C.H.O.M.P.S.
1979
Shimmering Light
1978
🎬 Director
The Gift of Love
1978
Lassie: The New Beginning
1978
The Magic of Lassie
1978
Pete's Dragon
1977
Born to Run
1977
🎬 Director
The Fourth Wish
1976
🎬 Director
Ride a Wild Pony
1975
Persecution
1974
Charley One-Eye
1973
The Mysterious Poacher
1972
🎬 Director
Creatures the World Forgot
1971
Clinic Exclusive
1971
Journey to the Unknown
1969
🎬 Director
A Twist of Sand
1968
The Viking Queen
1967
One Million Years B.C.
1966
The Crooked Road
1965
A Jolly Bad Fellow
1964
The Horse Without a Head
1964
The Three Lives of Thomasina
1963
Jason and the Argonauts
1963
The Webster Boy
1962
🎬 Director
The Prince and the Pauper
1962
A Matter of WHO
1961
Greyfriars Bobby
1961
Nearly a Nasty Accident
1961
Dentist in the Chair
1960
Lies My Father Told Me
1960
🎬 Director
Danger Within
1959
The Man Upstairs
1958
A Question of Adultery
1958
The Flesh Is Weak
1957
The Girl in the Picture
1957
Time Is My Enemy
1954