Les Dilley, the Oscar-winning artwork director and manufacturing designer, has died. He was 84.
Dilley died on Might 20 attributable to problems from Alzheimer’s illness, his household stated. “Les’s legacy lives on within the many iconic movies he helped deliver to life for over six many years and in his household residence he personally constructed as an homage to his work. His love for the movement image enterprise was evident to the very finish. When he wasn’t on set, he loved establishing issues in his workshop at residence, taking part in ice hockey, and a very good cup of tea. Along with his unimaginable work ethic, quirky British humor, and love of life, he was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and pal to many. He might be vastly missed,” the household stated in an announcement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Dilley labored on 100 movie and TV initiatives over his 60 12 months profession, together with his greatest credit being Raiders of the Misplaced Ark and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, for which he earned Academy Award trophies for greatest artwork route. That introduced him on set to work with Hollywood administrators like George Lucas, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Irvin Kershner, John Landis and Mimi Chief.
Dilley was additionally nominated for greatest artwork route for Alien, The Empire Strikes Again and The Abyss. In 2020, Dilley was honored with a BAFTA Award for his contribution to British cinema.
Born on July 11, 1941, within the Rhondda Valley of South Wales. Dilley’s household on the finish of the Second World Conflict moved to London. At 15 years of age, Dilley began his movie profession with a plastering and development apprenticeship on the Related British Image Company, whereas additionally finding out structure and constructing development at Willesden Technical School.
At age 23, he was a plaster employee on the James Bond film From Russia With Love and continued to work his means up the artwork division ladder as a draughtsman after which assistant artwork director on movies together with like Kelly’s Heroes and Jesus Christ Celebrity.
In 1973, Dilley grew to become an artwork director on Richard Lester’s The Three Musketeers, and finally grew to become a part of the UK workforce engaged on Star Wars for George Lucas, as Dilley labored alongside John Barry, Norman Reynolds and Roger Christian.
Over the subsequent decade, Dilley helped formed the visible identification on enduring movies like Superman, Alien, Empire Strikes Again, Raiders of the Misplaced Ark, An American Werewolf in London, By no means Say By no means Once more and Legend. In 1985, he moved to Hollywood to work as a manufacturing designer on movies like The Abyss, which was launched in 1989 and directed by James Cameron.
For that film, Dilley reworked an deserted nuclear energy plant in South Carolina into a big underwater filming units, wit the primary underwater tank measuring 55 ft deep by 209 ft large. “The Abyss was essentially the most difficult for me. It was over a 12 months’s price of labor, very lengthy days with just a few nights till 3 am, and on weekends the artwork division didn’t cease, so I used to be frequently checking on the development being carried out. I had labored with water on Legend, By no means Say By no means Once more and Fortunate Woman, so I had some expertise with water, however nothing near the dimensions of The Abyss. Additionally, my spouse Leslie and I had the primary of our 4 kids throughout that movie, in order that made that point much more memorable,” Dilley recalled in a 2020 interview in Buzz.
Different credit included The Exorcist III, Responsible by Suspicion, Casper, The Peacemaker, Inspector Gadget, Deep Impression and Males of Honor. Within the Nineties, Dilley expanded to work as a second unit director on initiatives like Honey, I Blew Up the Child, Diabolique, Pay It Ahead and Chilly Creek Manor.
Dilley is survived by his spouse of 38 years, Leslie Lykes Dilley, their 4 kids, Sophia Dilley, Leslie John Dilley II, Ivory Dilley and Leslie John III, and a daughter, Georgia Dilley, from his marriage to Amanda Dilley.
Dilley was a member of AMPAS, BAFTA, ADG, DGA, and SAG. Dilley was repped for his complete profession at The Gersh Company, by the late Phil Gersh, David Gersh and Barbara Halperin.