Don Chaffey

Don Chaffey

DirectingHastings, Sussex, England

Donald Chaffey (5 August 1917 – 13 November 1990) was a British film director, writer, producer, and art director. Chaffey's film career began as an art director in 1947, and his directorial debut was in 1953. He remained active in the industry until his death in 1990 from heart failure. His film Charley One-Eye (1973) was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival. He is chiefly remembered for his fantasy films, which include Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963), One Million Years B.C. (1966), The Viking Queen (1967), Creatures the World Forgot (1971), Pete's Dragon (1977), and C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), his final feature film. Concurrent with his theatrically released films, Chaffey directed episodes of numerous British television series, including multiple installments of Danger Man, The Prisoner, and The Avengers. From the 1980s until his death, all of his work was in American made-for-TV movies, and in such TV series as Fantasy Island, Stingray, MacGyver, Vega$, T. J. Hooker, Matt Houston, and Charlie's Angels. Chaffey began his career in the art department of Gainsborough Pictures where he worked as a draftsman on Madonna of the Seven Moons (1945), The Rake's Progress (1945), and Caravan (1946). He was art director of The Adventures of Dusty Bates (1947) and The Little Ballerina (1948). He directed the documentary shorts Thames Tideway (1948) and Cape Cargoes (1948). Chaffey directed the short features The Mysterious Poacher (1950) and The Case of the Missing Scene (1950). He returned to the art department for King of the Underworld (1950), The Stolen Plans (1952), Murder at the Grange (1952), Murder at Scotland Yard (1952), and Black 13 (1953). Chaffey resumed his directing career with the family film Skid Kids (1953). He made the short Watch Out (1953), then did Strange Stories (1953), Bouncer Breaks Up (1953, a short), The Mask (1952), and A Good Pull Up (1953). Chaffey directed Time Is My Enemy (1954). After the short Dead on Time (1955) he made The Secret Tent (1956), The Flesh Is Weak (1957) and The Girl in the Picture (1957). He directed episodes of TV series like Theatre Royal, The Adventures of the Big Man, Chevron Hall of Stars, The Errol Flynn Theatre, Assignment Foreign Legion, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dial 999, and The New Adventures of Charlie Chan. He interspersed these with features like A Question of Adultery (1958), The Man Upstairs (1958), Danger Within (1959), Dentist in the Chair (1960), Lies My Father Told Me (1960), and Nearly a Nasty Accident (1961).

Directed by Don

T. J. Hooker

T. J. Hooker

6.5TV
1982
MacGyver

MacGyver

7.7TV
1985
Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels

6.7TV
1976
Airwolf

Airwolf

7.6TV
1984
The Avengers

The Avengers

7.7TV
1961
Hotel

Hotel

6.8TV
1982
Hunter

Hunter

7.1TV
1984
Matt Houston

Matt Houston

6.2TV
1982
The Prisoner

The Prisoner

7.7TV
1967
Spenser: For Hire

Spenser: For Hire

6.7TV
1985
Vega$

Vega$

7.0TV
1978
Danger Man

Danger Man

7.3TV
1960
Greyfriars Bobby

Greyfriars Bobby

6.9Film
1961
Finder of Lost Loves

Finder of Lost Loves

5.7TV
1984
Skid Kids

Skid Kids

4.5Film
1953
The Adventures of Robin Hood

The Adventures of Robin Hood

6.3TV
1955
Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

7.5TV
1988
The Girl in the Picture

The Girl in the Picture

6.2Film
1957
Jason and the Argonauts

Jason and the Argonauts

7.2Film
1963
Journey to the Unknown

Journey to the Unknown

6.3TV
1968
Shimmering Light

Shimmering Light

0.0Film
1978
The Protectors

The Protectors

5.8TV
1972
Stingray

Stingray

7.2TV
1985
Man in a Suitcase

Man in a Suitcase

7.0TV
1967
International Airport

International Airport

5.0Film
1985
Persecution

Persecution

2.8Film
1974
Strike Force

Strike Force

7.3TV
1981
The Wonderful World of Disney

The Wonderful World of Disney

8.0TV
1961
Hollywood Beat

Hollywood Beat

5.0TV
1985
Lottery!

Lottery!

5.5TV
1983
Pete's Dragon

Pete's Dragon

6.3Film
1977
Houston Knights

Houston Knights

4.3TV
1987
One Million Years B.C.

One Million Years B.C.

6.1Film
1966
The Baron

The Baron

5.4TV
1966
Lilli Palmer Theatre

Lilli Palmer Theatre

0.0TV
1955
No Image

Assignment Foreign Legion

1.5TV
1956
Gavilan

Gavilan

5.5TV
1982
Dial 999

Dial 999

0.0TV
1958
Outlaws

Outlaws

6.8TV
1986
C.H.O.M.P.S.

C.H.O.M.P.S.

5.0Film
1979
The Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper

7.1Film
1962
The Three Lives of Thomasina

The Three Lives of Thomasina

6.8Film
1963
Born to Run

Born to Run

0.0Film
1977
Clinic Exclusive

Clinic Exclusive

2.8Film
1971
Casino

Casino

10.0Film
1980
Lassie: The New Beginning

Lassie: The New Beginning

4.8Film
1978
The Magic of Lassie

The Magic of Lassie

5.4Film
1978
Danger Within

Danger Within

6.2Film
1959
Ride a Wild Pony

Ride a Wild Pony

6.4Film
1975
A Matter of WHO

A Matter of WHO

6.2Film
1961
Charley One-Eye

Charley One-Eye

4.7Film
1973
The Horse Without a Head

The Horse Without a Head

6.0Film
1964
The Viking Queen

The Viking Queen

4.6Film
1967
Creatures the World Forgot

Creatures the World Forgot

4.9Film
1971
The Gift of Love

The Gift of Love

6.0Film
1978
The Flesh Is Weak

The Flesh Is Weak

5.8Film
1957
Dentist in the Chair

Dentist in the Chair

5.9Film
1960
The Man Upstairs

The Man Upstairs

6.1Film
1958
A Jolly Bad Fellow

A Jolly Bad Fellow

4.0Film
1964
A Question of Adultery

A Question of Adultery

3.3Film
1958
A Twist of Sand

A Twist of Sand

4.5Film
1968
Watch Out

Watch Out

3.0Film
1953
The Mask

The Mask

0.0Film
1953
Journey to the Unknown

Journey to the Unknown

0.0Film
1969
The Webster Boy

The Webster Boy

0.0Film
1962
Strange Stories

Strange Stories

0.0Film
1953
Nearly a Nasty Accident

Nearly a Nasty Accident

7.0Film
1961
The Crooked Road

The Crooked Road

5.0Film
1965
Time Is My Enemy

Time Is My Enemy

6.4Film
1954
The Fourth Wish

The Fourth Wish

0.0Film
1976
Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent

Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent

0.0Film
1989
Bouncer Breaks Up!

Bouncer Breaks Up!

0.0Film
1953
No Image

Lies My Father Told Me

0.0Film
1960
No Image

The Case of the Missing Scene

0.0Film
1951
A Good Pull-Up

A Good Pull-Up

2.0Film
1953
No Image

The Mysterious Poacher

0.0Film
1972