Renowned artist and set designer Les Dilley, known for his work on 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones', passes away at 84.
Renowned Art Director and Production Designer Les Dilley, who crafted visual landscapes for iconic films, passed away on May 20 at the age of 84 following complications from Alzheimer's.
Born on July 11, 1941, in Rhondda, Wales, Dilley's film journey commenced as a 15-year-old with an apprenticeship in plastering and construction at the Associated British Picture Corporation. His impressive career trajectory saw him start as a draughtsman and climb to the position of art director.
Dilley's big break came with his work on the 1963 James Bond film "From Russia With Love", where he was a plaster worker. He later served as an assistant art director for "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Kelly's Heroes". His experience grew further when he became an art director for the "Three Musketeers" in 1973 and its sequel.
His significant contributions extended to the 1977 blockbuster "Star Wars: A New Hope", for which he created the physical build for R2-D2, the sandcrawler, and Luke's landspeeder, leading to an Academy Award win for Best Art Direction. He continued his collaborative work on the franchise with "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980.
Other notable projects in Dilley's illustrious career include "Superman", "An American Werewolf in London", "Alien", and "The Abyss". For the latter, he received an Oscar nomination, and for "Star Wars: A New Hope" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark", he won Best Art Direction, all shared with fellow art director Norman Reynolds.
Retiring in 2017 after working on the British kids' show "Teacup Travels", Dilley had, at the time of his passing, a Web series credit for "New-Gen". In 2020, the British Academy Cymru Awards honored him with the Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award, with tributes pouring in from industry veterans such as George Lucas and Ridley Scott.
Dilley is survived by his wife Leslie and five children. The family remembers him as a dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. They said, "His legacy lives on in the many iconic films he helped bring to life for over six decades and in his personally built family home, an ode to his work. His love for the motion picture business was evident to the very end."
[Source: The Hollywood Reporter]
- Les Dilley's impressive work in the entertainment industry spanned over six decades, extending to renowned science fiction and action movies like 'Star Wars: A New Hope' and 'Alien' as featured on Gizmodo under 'movies-and-tv'.
- On Gizmodo's 'io9', technology enthusiasts might be interested to know that Dilley, the legend who crafted the physical build for R2-D2 in 'Star Wars: A New Hope', had a knack for blending future technology with cinematic designs.
- In the realm of film production, Les Dilley's contributions transcended time, with his groundbreaking work evident in iconic movies like 'Star Wars', 'Superman', and 'An American Werewolf in London', shaping the future of entertainment.
