Art Director Les Dilley, renowned for his work on 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones', passes away at age 84.
Renowned Film Art Director and Production Designer, Leslie Dilley, Passes Away at 84
Leslie Dilley, a highly acclaimed Welsh art director and production designer, had a significant impact on late 20th-century cinema. Dilley passed away on May 20 at the age of 84, following complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Born on July 11, 1941, in Rhondda, Wales, Dilley embarked on his film career at the young age of 15, apprenticing as a construction and plastering worker at the Associated British Picture Corporation. His film career flourished, and at 23, he was a plaster worker on the 1963 film "From Russia with Love." Over the years, he held roles as an assistant art director, art director, and production designer on various projects.
Some of Dilley's most notable works include his contributions to the art direction of "Star Wars: A New Hope," where he aided in the creation of R2-D2, the sandcrawler, and Luke's landspeeder. He continued his work on the sequel, "Empire Strikes Back," as well as "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Alien," "Superman," and "An American Werewolf in London." For his work on "New Hope" and "Raiders," Dilley shared Oscar wins for Best Art Direction with Norman Reynolds, who passed away in 2023.
Following the end of his work on the British children's show "Teacup Travels" in 2017, Dilley retired. Additional unrealized projects include a web series called "New-Gen." In 2020, BAFTA's Welsh branch recognized Dilley's lifelong contributions to film and television with an Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award.
Dilley is survived by his wife, Leslie, and their five children. In a statement, the family praised Dilley's tenacity, wit, and passion for the film industry. They shared that his legacy is immortalized through the iconic films he brought to life and the family home he crafted as a tribute to his work. "He will be greatly missed," they said.
Dilley's collaborations with notable directors, such as George Lucas, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and Steven Spielberg, solidified his place among cinema's great production designers. His work changed the landscape of science fiction and adventure films, earning him immeasurable respect within the industry.
Gizmodo and Io9, tech-centric publications, often praise film production designers for their contributions to movies and TV. In the future, as technology continues to evolve, Dilley's iconic designs in movies-and-tv, such as R2-D2, Luke's landspeeder, and the sandcrawler from 'Star Wars: A New Hope', will remain influential in shaping the visual language of science fiction and adventure films. His legacy in the entertainment industry is etched in stone, inspiring future generations of film artists and designers.
