Desmond Stanley Tracey Davis (24 May 1926 – 3 July 2021) was a British film and television director, best known for his 1981 version of '' Clash of the Titans''.

Early life and career

Desmond Davis joined the British Army film unit serving at the end of the Second World War at age 18. He travelled extensively and the footage of his work can be seen in the Imperial War Museum. After serving his apprenticeship as a clapper boy in the 1940s, working on classic movies such as '' The African Queen'', Davis worked his way up to first camera operator in low-budget British films of the 1950s. In the 1960s, Davis worked as a camera operator on such internationally acclaimed films as ''

A Taste of Honey ''A Taste of Honey'' is the first play by the British dramatist Shelagh Delaney, written when she was 19. It was intended as a novel, but she turned it into a play because she hoped to revitalise British theatre and address social issues that ...

'', ''

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" is a short story by Alan Sillitoe, published in 1959 as part of a short story collection of the same title. The work focuses on Smith, a poor Nottingham teenager from a dismal home in a working clas ...

'', '' Freud: The Secret Passion'' (directed by

John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...

) and '' Tom Jones'', which won the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for Best Picture.

Director

Davis made his directorial debut in 1964 with ''

Girl with Green Eyes ''Girl with Green Eyes'' is a 1964 British film, which Edna O'Brien adapted from her novel ''The Lonely Girl''. It tells the story of a young, naive country girl's romance with a sophisticated older man. Directed by Desmond Davis Desmond St ...

'' winning the US

National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...

award for Best Director. His best known film is the 1981 version of '' Clash of the Titans''. Davis reunited with the two female stars of ''Girl with Green Eyes'',

Rita Tushingham Rita Tushingham (born 14 March 1942) is an English actress. She is known for her starring roles in films including ''A Taste of Honey'' (1961), ''The Leather Boys'' (1964), '' The Knack ...and How to Get It'' (1965), ''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965), ...

and

Lynn Redgrave Lynn Rachel Redgrave (8 March 1943 – 2 May 2010) was an English actress. She won two Golden Globe Awards throughout her career. A member of the Redgrave family of actors, Lynn trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962. By ...

, in ''

Smashing Time ''Smashing Time'' is a 1967 British satirical comedy film starring Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave. It is a satire on the 1960s media-influenced phenomenon of ''Swinging London''. It was written by George Melly and directed by Desmond Davis ...

'' (1967), a comedy set in 1960s swinging London. At the 1966 San Sebastian International Film Festival, he won the Golden Seashell award for '' I Was Happy Here'', which starred

Sarah Miles Sarah Miles (born 31 December 1941) is an English actress. She is known for her roles in films ''The Servant'' (1963), ''Blowup'' (1966), ''Ryan's Daughter'' (1970), ''The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing'' (1973), '' White Mischief'' (1987) and '' Ho ...

. In the 1970s Davis took a long hiatus from feature films, and turned his focus on television for work, including episodes of ''

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'' and '' The New Avengers'', as well as an adaptation of

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's ''Measure for Measure'' in the

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series. After directing '' Clash of the Titans'', he directed the 1985 feature film adaptation of

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

's ''

Ordeal by Innocence ''Ordeal by Innocence'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 3 November 1958 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retaile ...

'' starring

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and

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. Davis also directed the 1983 television adaptation of

Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...

's ''

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'' with

Ian Richardson Ian William Richardson (7 April 19349 February 2007) was a Scottish actor. He portrayed the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's '' House of Cards'' (1990–1995) television trilogy. Richardson was also a leading S ...

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. He continued his work in television, directing a version of '' Camille'' with

Greta Scacchi Greta Scacchi, OMRI (; born 18 February 1960) is an Italian-Australian actress. She holds dual Italian and Australian citizenship. She is best known for her roles in the films '' White Mischief'' (1987), '' Presumed Innocent'' (1990), '' The Pl ...

and

Colin Firth Colin Andrew Firth (born 10 September 1960) is an English actor and producer. He was identified in the mid-1980s with the " Brit Pack" of rising young British actors, undertaking a challenging series of roles, including leading roles in '' A M ...

in 1984 and the British drama series '' The Chief''.

Personal life

Davis married Shirley Smith in 1959, and the couple had one son before divorcing.

Death

He died in July 2021 at the age of 95.Anthony Hayward
Desmond Davis obituary
in: The Guardian, 2 August 2021

Films Directed

*''

'' (1964) *'' The Uncle'' (1965) *'' I Was Happy Here'' (1966) *''

'' (1967) *''

A Nice Girl Like Me ''A Nice Girl Like Me'' is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Desmond Davis. Plot The plot revolves around a girl who lives with her shrewd aunts, goes on a trip, gets pregnant, and must lie to her aunts that the baby is not hers. Cast * B ...

'' (1969) *'' Clash of the Titans'' (1981) *''

'' (1984)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Desmond 1926 births 2021 deaths British television directors Film directors from London British Army personnel of World War II British Army soldiers