Art Director Les Dilley, renowned for his work on 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones', passes away at the age of 84.
Vibrant Veteran: A Tribute to Les Dilley, Legendary Filmmaker
Graduate to the glamorous story of Leslie Dilley, an acclaimed production designer and art director, who navigated the film industry for an extraordinary six decades. This man, who passed away on May 20 at the age of 84 due to Alzheimer's complications, left behind an indelible mark on cinema.
Born on July 11, 1941, in Rhondda, Wales, Dilley embarked on his film journey at the tender age of 15 when he took up a plastering and construction apprenticeship at the Associated British Picture Corporation. Fast forward to age 23, he was a humble plaster worker on the iconic 1963 film, From Russia With Love. His hard work paid off, leading him to become an assistant art director on Jesus Christ Superstar and Kelly's Heroes.
His big break came in 1973 as an art director for the swashbuckling adventure, Three Musketeers, followed by its sequel. The UK team for the groundbreaking Star Wars: A New Hope welcomed Dilley, where he contributed to the physical build of R2-D2, the sandcrawler, and Luke's landspeeder.
The sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, saw him direct art as well. His illustrious portfolio continued with art direction for films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, Superman, and An American Werewolf in London. In the realm of production design, he was behind projects like The Abyss, Exorcist III, Invaders From Mars, Casper, Black Knight, and Deep Impact. Notably, The Abyss, The Empire Strikes Back, and Alien each earned him Oscar nominations, while New Hope and Raiders earned him wins for Best Art Direction, shared with fellow art director Norman Reynolds, who passed in 2023.
Working on the British kids' show Teacup Travels wrapped up in 2017, prompting Dilley's retirement. Though there are mentions of a web series called New-Gen on IMDb and Mubi, it has yet to release. In 2020, the British Academy Cymru Awards (BAFTA's Welsh branch) honored him with an Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award, showering him with praise from industry titans like George Lucas, Ridley Scott, and more.
The legendary Dilley is survived by his loving wife Leslie and five children. They reminisced, "His legacy lives on in the many iconic films he helped bring to life. His love for the motion picture business was evident until the very end. Besides his incredible work ethic, unique British charm, and zest for life, he was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He will be deeply missed." [via The Hollywood Reporter]
Still craving more? Curious about upcoming releases for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the evolution of the DC Universe, and the future of Doctor Who? Stay tuned for more exciting updates!
- Les Dilley's influence in the field of movies and technology is not limited to the past, as his design work can be seen in contemporary projects such as the upcoming web series New-Gen listed on IMDb and Mubi.
- In the future, movies and television shows created by visionaries like George Lucas, Ridley Scott, and Les Dilley, might continue to push boundaries and inspire future generations, as they have done with franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Marvel.
- As fans eagerly await the next installments of iconic franchises, entertainment sites like Gizmodo, Io9, and Movies-and-TV will continue to keep readers informed about the latest updates in the realms of science fiction, fantasy, and action.
