Art Director Les Dilley, instrumental in shaping visuals for blockbuster franchises 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones', passes away at 84.
L figurehead Les Dilley, the renowned and award-winning art director and production designer who touched numerous silver screens, bid his final curtain call on May 20, at the ripe age of 84, succumbing to complications from Alzheimer's.
Born on the 11th of July, 1941, in the heart of Rhondda, Wales, Dilley embarked on his cinematic journey as a boy of fifteen, with a plastering apprenticeship under his belt at the Associated British Picture Corporation. By the age of 23, he was a hard-hatted worker on the set of From Russia With Love, and an assistant art director on Jesus Christ Superstar and Kelly's Heroes. Following stints as an art director on Three Musketeers and its sequel, he jumped aboard the UK team for Star Wars: A New Hope, helping construct R2-D2, the sandcrawler, and Luke's iconic landspeeder.
He went on to shape the artistic direction for its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, along with Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, Superman, and An American Werewolf in London. His production designer credits include The Abyss, Exorcist III, Invaders from Mars, Casper, Black Knight, and Deep Impact. While A New Hope and Raiders of the Lost Ark each brought him Oscar wins for Best Art Direction-Set Direction, shared with fellow art director Norman Reynolds, Empire and Alien nabbed him nominations. Les' collaboration with legendary directors like George Lucas and Ridley Scott cemented his standing as a cinematic titan.
As a production designer for the British kids' show Teacup Travels, which ended in 2017, Dilley decided to hang up his director's hat and ride off into the sunset. IMDb and Mubi even give him acknowledgment for a forthcoming web series called New-Gen. The British Academy Cymru Awards, a branch of BAFTA, honored him with an Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award in 2020. At this ceremony, he was lavished with praise by industry heavyweights like George Lucas, who described him as his "main contact with the art department, and an all-around great guy. [...] If anybody deserves this award, it's you."
Les is survived by his loving wife Leslie and five children. In a heartfelt declaration, his family shared, "Les's legacy endures in the countless iconic films he breathed life into for over six decades and in his family home he personally crafted as a tribute to his work. His infectious enthusiasm for the silver screen, unique British wit, and zest for life made him a highly respected art director, a loving husband, a doting father, a caring grandparent, and a cherished friend to many. He will be sorely missed."
[Credit to The Hollywood Reporter for this noteworthy tidings]
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Gizmodo recently published an article discussing Les Dilley's career, noting his contributions to iconic films such as 'Star Wars: A New Hope' and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. In the same vein, io9 also highlighted Dilley's work, specifically mentioning his production designer credits for movies like 'The Abyss' and 'Exorcist III'. For entertainment enthusiasts following movies, technology, and the future of television, the 'movies-and-tv' section on Gizmodo and io9 are valuable resources to stay updated on upcoming releases and industry news.
