Veteran Art Director Les Dilley, renowned for his work on iconic films like 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones', passes away at 84 years old.
Meet Les Dilley, the celebrated Welsh art director and production designer, who left quite an impression with his work on numerous iconic films. Born on July 11, 1941, in Rhondda, Wales, Dilley kicked off his cinematic journey at a tender age of 15, embarking on a construction and plastering apprenticeship at the Associated British Picture Corporation.
Cut to 1963, and Dilley was stationed as a plaster worker on the set of "From Russia With Love." Through the ensuing two decades, he rose to become an assistant art director for films such as "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Kelly's Heroes," and "Three Musketeers" and its sequel. In 1977, he made his mark as an art director on the legendary "Star Wars: A New Hope," lending his creative touch to the sneaky R2-D2, the sandcrawler, and Luke Skywalker's exciting landspeeder.
No sooner had he donned his hat as an art director, than he speedily hopped aboard the art department for its sequel, "Empire Strikes Back." He also flexed his artistic muscles on talking-skull movies such as "Raiders of the Lost Ark," eerie creature-features like "Alien," and the Kryptonian adventures of "Superman." His production designer credits span stellar gems like "The Abyss," "Exorcist III" (aka Legion), "Invaders From Mars," "Casper," "Black Knight," and "Deep Impact." In 2020, BAFTA's Welsh branch honored Dilley with an Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award, with praises pouring in from his colleagues, like George Lucas and Ridley Scott.
After parting ways with the British kids' show "Teacup Travels" in 2017, Dilley hung up his gloves and bowed out of the world of cinema. As per IMDB and Mubi, Dilley could be seen in a web series called "New-Gen," though as of now, the series is yet to see the light of the day.
A stalwart artist for over six decades, Dilley leaves behind his wife Leslie, five children, and a legacy that lives on in the many iconic films he graced with his presence. His personal abode, brimming with movie memorabilia, is a vivid testament to the passion he held for the motion picture industry. Not to forget, his wit and zest for life found favor with countless colleagues and friends. He will be dearly missed.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, IMDB, Mubi
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- Les Dilley, the acclaimed art director, contributed to numerous movies, such as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Alien," found on platforms like IMDB and Mubi, making the list of upcoming releases on tech blogs like Gizmodo under the category 'Movies-and-TV'.
- Following his exceptional work on classics like "Star Wars: A New Hope" and "The Abyss", Les Dilley earned numerous production designer credits, including "Casper", "Black Knight", and "Deep Impact", topics that could be covered in magazine articles for entertainment websites such as io9.
- After a career spanning six decades that included iconic films like "Alien" and "Superman", Les Dilley's legacy continues to influence modern moviemaking, showcasing the significance of his work in reviews and news, available on platforms like Gizmodo, io9, and others within the entertainment and technology domain.
