Oscar-winning Welsh art director and production designer Les Dilley, known for his work on Star Wars, Raiders Of The Lost Ark and many other films, has died aged 84.
A statement from Dilley’s agent said he died, from complications of Alzheimer’s, with his wife and family by his side.
Born in South Wales, Dilley started his film career in London as a teenager, working in various roles before getting his first credit as an art director on 1973’s The Three Musketeers. Through the seventies and eighties he worked on UK-based projects including Alien, Superman, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, An American Werewolf In London, Never Say Never Again and Legend. He won Oscars for art direction for Star Wars and Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
In the mid-eighties, Dilley moved to Hollywood, serving as production designer on The Abyss and other projects including Casper, Inspector Gadget and Deep Impact.
In the nineties he also worked as a second unit director on such films as Honey, I Blew Up The Kid, Pay It Forward and Cold Creek Manor.
In 2020, Dilley won a Bafta for outstanding contribution to British cinema at the Bafta Cymru awards.
A statement from Dilley’s family said: “Les’s legacy lives on in the many iconic films he helped bring to life for over six decades and in his family home he personally built as an homage to his work. His love for the motion picture business was evident to the very end. When he wasn’t on set, he enjoyed constructing things in his workshop at home, playing ice hockey, and a good cup of tea. In addition to his incredible work ethic, quirky British humour, and love of life, he was a dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. He will be greatly missed.”
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