Don Chaffey

Directing

Born:August 5, 1917
Died:November 13, 1990(aged 73)
Birthplace:Hastings, Sussex, England
Nationality:United Kingdom
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Community

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 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 (47 movies)

Casino movie poster
10.0
10.0

Casino

1980

Director

The Prince and the Pauper movie poster
7.3
7.3

The Prince and the Pauper

1962

Director

Jason and the Argonauts movie poster
7.2
7.2

Jason and the Argonauts

1963

Director

Nearly a Nasty Accident movie poster
7.0
7.0

Nearly a Nasty Accident

1961

Director

Greyfriars Bobby movie poster
6.9
6.9

Greyfriars Bobby

1961

Director

The Three Lives of Thomasina movie poster
6.8
6.8

The Three Lives of Thomasina

1963

Director

Time Is My Enemy movie poster
6.4
6.4

Time Is My Enemy

1954

Director

Pete's Dragon movie poster
6.3
6.3

Pete's Dragon

1977

Director

Danger Within movie poster
6.2
6.2

Danger Within

1959

Director

The Girl in the Picture movie poster
6.2
6.2

The Girl in the Picture

1957

Director

A Matter of WHO movie poster
6.2
6.2

A Matter of WHO

1961

Director

The Man Upstairs movie poster
6.1
6.1

The Man Upstairs

1958

Director

One Million Years B.C. movie poster
6.1
6.1

One Million Years B.C.

1966

Director

The Horse Without a Head movie poster
6.0
6.0

The Horse Without a Head

1964

Director

Ride a Wild Pony movie poster
6.0
6.0

Ride a Wild Pony

1975

Director

The Gift of Love movie poster
6.0
6.0

The Gift of Love

1978

Director

Dentist in the Chair movie poster
5.9
5.9

Dentist in the Chair

1960

Director

The Flesh Is Weak movie poster
5.8
5.8

The Flesh Is Weak

1957

Director

The Magic of Lassie movie poster
5.4
5.4

The Magic of Lassie

1978

Director

The Crooked Road movie poster
5.0
5.0

The Crooked Road

1965

Writer

International Airport movie poster
5.0
5.0

International Airport

1985

Director

C.H.O.M.P.S. movie poster
5.0
5.0

C.H.O.M.P.S.

1979

Director

Creatures the World Forgot movie poster
4.9
4.9

Creatures the World Forgot

1971

Director

Lassie: The New Beginning movie poster
4.8
4.8

Lassie: The New Beginning

1978

Director

Charley One-Eye movie poster
4.7
4.7

Charley One-Eye

1973

Director

The Viking Queen movie poster
4.7
4.7

The Viking Queen

1967

Director

Skid Kids movie poster
4.5
4.5

Skid Kids

1953

Director

A Twist of Sand movie poster
4.0
4.0

A Twist of Sand

1968

Director

A Jolly Bad Fellow movie poster
4.0
4.0

A Jolly Bad Fellow

1964

Director

A Question of Adultery movie poster
3.3
3.3

A Question of Adultery

1958

Director

Watch Out movie poster
3.0
3.0

Watch Out

1953

Director

Clinic Exclusive movie poster
2.8
2.8

Clinic Exclusive

1971

Director

Persecution movie poster
2.8
2.8

Persecution

1974

Director

A Good Pull-Up movie poster
2.0
2.0

A Good Pull-Up

1953

Director

Six Into One: The Prisoner File movie poster

Six Into One: The Prisoner File

1984

as Self

The Mysterious Poacher movie poster

The Mysterious Poacher

1972

Director

The Webster Boy movie poster

The Webster Boy

1962

Director

Bouncer Breaks Up! movie poster

Bouncer Breaks Up!

1953

Director

Born to Run movie poster

Born to Run

1977

Director

The Fourth Wish movie poster

The Fourth Wish

1976

Director

Shimmering Light movie poster

Shimmering Light

1978

Director

Lies My Father Told Me movie poster

Lies My Father Told Me

1960

Director

The Mask movie poster

The Mask

1953

Director

The Case of the Missing Scene movie poster

The Case of the Missing Scene

1951

Director

Journey to the Unknown movie poster

Journey to the Unknown

1969

Director

Strange Stories movie poster

Strange Stories

1953

Director

Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent movie poster

Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent

1989

Director

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