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Don Chaffey

Don Chaffey

Directing

August 5, 1917 – November 13, 1990 (died at 73)
Hastings, Sussex, England
Male
51 Movies
30 TV Shows

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).

Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels

1976 6.7

Director

Age 59 (now 73)
11 eps
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

1988 7.5

Director

Age 71 (now 73)
5 eps
The Avengers
The Avengers

The Avengers

1961 7.8

Director

Age 43 (now 73)
5 eps
The Prisoner
The Prisoner

The Prisoner

1967 7.7

Director

Age 50 (now 73)
4 eps
Matt Houston
Matt Houston

Matt Houston

1982 6.3

Director

Age 65 (now 73)
14 eps
T. J. Hooker
T. J. Hooker

T. J. Hooker

1982 6.5

Director

Age 64 (now 73)
6 eps
Vega$
Vega$

Vega$

1978 7.0

Director

Age 61 (now 73)
14 eps
Danger Man
Danger Man

Danger Man

1960 7.4

Director

Age 43 (now 73)
12 eps
MacGyver
MacGyver

MacGyver

1985 7.7

Director

Age 68 (now 73)
2 eps
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood

The Adventures of Robin Hood

1955 6.4

Director

Age 38 (now 73)
7 eps
The Protectors
The Protectors

The Protectors

1972 6.1

Director

Age 55 (now 73)
9 eps
Hotel
Hotel

Hotel

1982 6.8

Director

Age 65 (now 73)
4 eps
Airwolf
Airwolf

Airwolf

1984 7.6

Director

Age 66 (now 73)
1 ep
Spenser: For Hire
Spenser: For Hire

Spenser: For Hire

1985 6.9

Director

Age 68 (now 73)
2 eps
Stingray
Stingray

Stingray

1985 7.2

Director

Age 67 (now 73)
2 eps
Hunter
Hunter

Hunter

1984 7.1

Director

Age 67 (now 73)
1 ep