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Don Chaffey is a Director, Writer, Art Direction, Music and Additional Dialogue British born on 5 august 1917 at Hastings (United-kingdom)

Don Chaffey

Don Chaffey
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Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 5 august 1917 at Hastings (United-kingdom)
Death 13 november 1990 (at 73 years)

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 1973 film Charley One-Eye was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.

He is chiefly known for his fantasy films, which include Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964), One Million Years B.C. (1966), The Viking Queen (1967), Creatures the World Forgot (1970), Pete's Dragon (1977), and C.H.O.M.P.S (1979), his final feature film.

Concurrent with his theatrically released films, Chaffey directed numerous British television series episodes, including several for The Prisoner, Danger Man, 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, T.J. Hooker, Matt Houston, and Charlie's Angels.

Biography

Don Chaffey a beaucoup tourné pour la télévision, réalisant des épisodes de séries culte comme Destination Danger, Chapeau melon et bottes de cuir ou Le Prisonnier (dont L'Arrivée, le pilote de la série).

Au cinéma, il se spécialise dans le film de genre à grand spectacle : fantastique, péplum, aventures. Une de ses plus grands succès est Jason et les Argonautes, dont les effets spéciaux sont réalisés par Ray Harryhausen. Dans les années 1960, il travaille notamment par la Hammer Films (La Reine des Vikings, Un million d'années avant J.C.), puis s'oriente vers le film pour la jeunesse, en collaboration avec Disney (Les Trois vies de Thomasina, Peter et Elliott le dragon) ou Hannah et Barbera (C.H.O.M.P.S.).

Best films

Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon
(1977)
(Director)

Usually with

Donald Houston
Donald Houston
(7 films)
Patricia Jessel
Patricia Jessel
(4 films)
Vincent Ball
Vincent Ball
(5 films)
Bernard Lee
Bernard Lee
(3 films)
Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
(3 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Don Chaffey (36 films)

Display filmography as list

Director

C.H.O.M.P.S.
C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979)
, 1h31
Directed by Don Chaffey, Burt Topper
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy
Themes Films about animals, Children's films, Robot films
Actors Wesley Eure, Red Buttons, Valerie Bertinelli, Conrad Bain, Jim Backus, Chuck McCann
Rating49% 2.4599152.4599152.4599152.4599152.459915
Brian Foster (Wesley Eure), a young inventor, creates a robotic dog for use as part of a home protection system. C.H.O.M.P.S. is an acronym for "Canine HOMe Protection System." Ralph Norton (Conrad Bain) is his boss who he constantly argues with. Norton's daughter Casey (Valerie Bertinelli) and Foster develop a relationship. A rival company wants the dog and sends a few petty criminals to dognap "C.H.O.M.P.S."
The Magic of Lassie
The Magic of Lassie (1978)
, 1h40
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Musical
Themes Films about animals, Films about music and musicians, Films about dogs, Musical films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors James Stewart, Michael Sharrett, Pernell Roberts, Mickey Rooney, Gary Davis, Stéphanie Zimbalist
Rating55% 2.756062.756062.756062.756062.75606
The story begins on the Mitchell Winery in Northern California. Lassie lives with Clovis Mitchell and his grandchildren, Chris and Kelly, but is discovered one day by her former owner. Lassie is taken back to the previous owner's estate in Colorado Springs. Dissatisfied with her new home, the dog runs away and travels across several states to be with the Mitchell family again.
Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon (1977)
, 1h45
Directed by Don Bluth, Don Chaffey
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Films about music and musicians, Films about dragons, Musical films, Children's films, Films about child abuse
Actors Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, Shelley Winters, Sean Marshall
Rating63% 3.150223.150223.150223.150223.15022
In the early 1900s, a young orphan named Pete flees his abusive adoptive hillbilly family, the Gogans. As Lena Gogan and company pursue him ("The Happiest Home in These Hills"), an unseen force, which Pete calls Elliott, knocks them into a mud pit. The next morning, Pete and Elliott, a green and purple dragon who has the power of invisibility, share breakfast ("I Love You, Too") and visit Passamaquoddy, a village where the unseen Elliott, performing clumsy antics, causes Pete to be labeled a source of ill luck. Lampie, the drunken old lighthouse keeper, stumbles out of a tavern and encounters Pete. A mischievous Elliott makes himself visible, and a terrified Lampie runs into the saloon to warn the townsfolk ("I Saw a Dragon"). In a seaside cave, Pete scolds Elliott for causing trouble. Just as they make up, Lampie's daughter Nora appears, having spotted Pete earlier. She says that due to the ongoing tides from the sea, that it's unsafe for Pete to stay, thus leaving Elliott to remain there. She offers him shelter at the lighthouse, and they talk ("It's Not Easy"). Pete learns the story of Nora's fiancé, Paul, whose ship was reported lost at sea the previous year. Pete promises to ask Elliott about Paul, and Nora accepts, believing Elliott to be an imaginary friend.
The Fourth Wish
The Fourth Wish (1976)
, 1h47
Directed by Don Chaffey
Actors John Meillon, Michael Craig, Anne Haddy, Ron Haddrick, Robyn Nevin, Edwin Hodgeman
Rating68% 3.414063.414063.414063.414063.41406
Casey learns that his 12-year-old son Sean has leukaemia and will die in a few months. Casey leaves his job to devote himself to making his son happy, seeing to grant three wishes of Sean: to own a dog, be reunited with his mother, and meet the Queen.
Ride a Wild Pony
Ride a Wild Pony (1975)
, 1h31
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin USA
Genres Comedy-drama, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films about horses, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Michael Craig, John Meillon, Peter Gwynne, Melissa Jaffer, Lorraine Bayly, Elizabeth Alexander
Rating60% 3.0037253.0037253.0037253.0037253.003725
Set in a small Australian town between world wars, the film follows the battle between two children, Scott, a poor farm boy, and Josie, the handicapped daughter of a wealthy ranch owner, for ownership of a horse that both children love. Scott requires a horse to ride seven miles to school today and his father buys an unbroken pony, which Scott names Taff. Josie yearns to ride again but, being crippled, must settle on the use of a cart and pony. Scott's pony disappears, while a pony is eventually selected for Josie from her father's herd. When Scott sees the horse, which Josie named Bo, performing in the pony and cart competition at the township fair, he recognizes it as his horse and attempts to take it away. The ensuing quarrel affects both the children as well as dividing the town. The children eventually become friends and, while the ownership issue is legally resolved, they agree on a way of sharing the pony between them.
Persecution
Persecution (1974)
, 1h35
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror
Actors Lana Turner, Trevor Howard, Ralph Bates, Olga Georges-Picot, Suzan Farmer, Patrick Allen
Rating45% 2.2745352.2745352.2745352.2745352.274535
Carrie Masters (Lana Turner) is a crippled, wealthy, bitter woman who takes pleasure in tormenting her young son David (Mark Weavers). She blames him for her crippled leg and, in bizarre and horrifying ways, extracts her revenge by dominating him.
Charley-One-Eye
Charley-One-Eye (1973)
, 1h36
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Western
Themes Films about racism
Actors Richard Roundtree, Roy Thinnes, Nigel Davenport, Aldo Sambrell, Patrick Mower, David Lodge
Rating58% 2.944152.944152.944152.944152.94415
Après avoir tué un officier, un soldat noir, Ben, est contraint de déserter l'armée et il est aussitôt traqué par elle et les Mexicains. Perdu dans le désert, il rencontre un Indien taiseux et solitaire affligé d'un pied-bot, Taureau-Assis, qui ne parle qu'à son animal de compagnie, un poulet surnommé "Charley le borgne". Le déserteur et l'Indien, malgré leur caractère différent, se lient d'amitié. Ils se réfugient à côté d’une petite église abandonnée. Lorsque Ben est capturé par un odieux chasseur de primes raciste, l'Indien, jusqu'ici peu loquace, prend les armes et part à son secours.
Creatures the World Forgot
Creatures the World Forgot (1971)
, 1h35
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Horror
Themes La préhistoire
Actors Julie Ege, Brian O'Shaughnessy, Tony Bonner, Rosalie Crutchley, Don Leonard, John Hollis
Rating45% 2.2661052.2661052.2661052.2661052.266105
La tribu du roc est un groupe d'hommes préhistoriques passant leur temps à se déplacer tant il est impossible de s'installer quelque part définitivement. En effet, dans ce monde, l'environnement est rempli de danger aurpès desquels il ne vaut mieux pas s'attarder. Lorsque leur chef meurt, c'est l'un de ses deux fils qui prend sa place et cela attise la jalousie de l'autre frère, résolument tourné vers le mal...
A Twist of Sand
A Twist of Sand (1968)
, 1h30
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Richard Johnson, Honor Blackman, Jeremy Kemp, Peter Vaughan, Roy Dotrice, Guy Doleman
Rating54% 2.70912.70912.70912.70912.7091
Geoffrey Peace, a former British Naval Officer, makes his living as a smuggler around the Mediterranean. After being forced to dump his cargo after nearly being caught by the authorities in Malta, Peace is desperate to regain his loss. When an ex-colleague appears and tells him of an idea about smuggling diamonds out of South West Africa, he sees his chance to make a lot of money.
The Viking Queen
The Viking Queen (1967)
, 1h31
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Action, Adventure, Peplum
Themes Films set in Africa
Actors Don Murray, Denis Shaw, Donald Houston, Andrew Keir, Adrienne Corri, Niall MacGinnis
Rating51% 2.556952.556952.556952.556952.55695
According to her father's wishes, Queen Salinas agrees to share the rule of Icena with Justinian, a Roman. This decision angers both the bloodthirsty Druids and Romans less just than Justinian. As the two rulers fall in love, the Druids and the Romans begin to plot their downfall. It's not long before the hills of Britain are stained with the lovers blood.
One Million Years B.C.
One Million Years B.C. (1966)
, 1h40
Directed by Ray Harryhausen, Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, La préhistoire, Animaux préhistoriques
Actors Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Percy Herbert, Robert Brown, Martine Beswick
Rating57% 2.8542752.8542752.8542752.8542752.854275
Akoba (Robert Brown) leads a hunting party into the hills to search for prey. One member of the tribe traps a warthog in a pit, and then Akoba's son Tumak (John Richardson) kills it. The tribe brings it home for dinner and Tumak is later banished to the harsh desert because of a fight over a piece of meat with Akoba. After surviving many dangers such as a giant iguana, ape men, Apatosaurus and a giant spider, he collapses on a remote beach, where he is spotted by "Loana the Fair One" (Raquel Welch) and her fellow fisherwomen of the Shell tribe. They are about to help him when an Archelon (which is three times the size of the actual prehistoric Archelon) makes its way to the beach. Men of the Shell tribe arrive and drive it back into the sea. Tumak is taken to their village, where Loana tends to him. Scenes follow emphasising that the Shell tribe is more advanced and more civilized than the Rock tribe. They have cave paintings, music, delicate jewellery made from shells, agriculture, and rudimentary language – all things Tumak seems to have never before encountered.