# Leslie Dilley

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Welsh production designer (1941–2025)

Leslie Dilley Born (1941-01-11)11 January 1941 Rhondda, Wales Died 20 May 2025(2025-05-20) (aged 84) Other names Ivor Leslie Dilley Les Dilley Occupations Production designer, art director Years active 1973–2025

**Leslie Dilley** (11 January 1941 – 20 May 2025) was a Welsh [art director](/source/Art_director) and [production designer](/source/Production_designer). During his film career from the 1970s to 2000s, he won the [Academy Award for Best Art Direction](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Art_Direction) twice for *[Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope](/source/Star_Wars_(film))* (1977) and *[Raiders of the Lost Ark](/source/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark)* (1981), sharing this both times with [Norman Reynolds](/source/Norman_Reynolds). Dilley received additional Best Art Direction nominations for *[Alien](/source/Alien_(film))* (1979), *[The Empire Strikes Back](/source/The_Empire_Strikes_Back)* (1980), and *[The Abyss](/source/The_Abyss)* (1989). Apart from art direction, Dilley was a production designer for *[The Exorcist III](/source/The_Exorcist_III)* (1990), *[Casper](/source/Casper_(film))* (1995), and *[Deep Impact](/source/Deep_Impact_(film))* (1998).

## Early life and education

Dilley was born in [Rhondda Valley](/source/Rhondda_Valley), [South Wales](/source/South_Wales) on 11 January 1941.[1][2] Growing up, Dilley and his family moved to [London](/source/London) and lived in [Wembley Park](/source/Wembley_Park). For his post-secondary education, Dilley studied architecture at [Willesden Technical College](/source/Willesden_Technical_College).[3][4] While working as an apprentice [plasterer](/source/Plasterwork) during college, Dilley was encouraged by a classmate to apply for a job at [Pinewood Studios](/source/Pinewood_Studios). After Pinewood told him there were no open positions available, Dilley completed a five year plastering apprenticeship at the [Associated British Picture Corporation](/source/Associated_British_Picture_Corporation).[5]

## Career

At the ABPC, Dilley began his career as a [drafter](/source/Drafter) throughout the 1960s.[1] While working as an Assistant Art Director during the early 1970s, Dilley became an [art director](/source/Art_director) for *[The Three Musketeers](/source/The_Three_Musketeers_(1973_live-action_film))* (1973).[6] His art director tenure continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s with films such as *[Superman](/source/Superman_(1978_film))* (1978), *[An American Werewolf in London](/source/An_American_Werewolf_in_London)* (1981) and *[Never Say Never Again](/source/Never_Say_Never_Again)* (1983).[7] Outside of these movies, Dilley won the [Academy Award for Best Art Direction](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Art_Direction) for *[Star Wars](/source/Star_Wars_(film))* (1977) and *[Raiders of the Lost Ark](/source/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark)* (1981). He additionally received Academy Award nominations for his art directorship on *[Alien](/source/Alien_(film))* (1979), *[The Empire Strikes Back](/source/The_Empire_Strikes_Back)* (1980), and *[The Abyss](/source/The_Abyss)* (1989).[8][9]

During the 1990s to 2000s, Dilley primarily worked as a [production designer](/source/Production_designer). Some of his production works during these decades include *[The Exorcist III](/source/The_Exorcist_III)* (1990), *[Casper](/source/Casper_(film))* (1995), *[Inspector Gadget](/source/Inspector_Gadget_(film))* (1999), *[Son of the Mask](/source/Son_of_the_Mask)* (2005) and *[Little Man](/source/Little_Man_(2006_film))* (2006).[6] Dilley also made cameo appearances in his production designed films, including *[Deep Impact](/source/Deep_Impact_(film))* (1998) and *[Pay It Forward](/source/Pay_It_Forward_(film))* (2000).[7]

## Death

Dilley died from complications of Alzheimer's disease on 20 May 2025, at the age of 84.[2]

## Selected filmography

Dilley won two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and was nominated for three more:

**Won**

- *[Star Wars](/source/Star_Wars_(film))* (1977)

- *[Raiders of the Lost Ark](/source/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark)* (1981)

**Nominated**

- *[Alien](/source/Alien_(film))* (1979)

- *[The Empire Strikes Back](/source/The_Empire_Strikes_Back)* (1980)

- *[The Abyss](/source/The_Abyss)* (1989)[10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Jankiewicz_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Jankiewicz_1-1) Jankiewicz, Pat (November 2019). ["The Man Who Built R2-D2: Leslie Dilley"](https://books.google.com/books?id=fzCxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA22). *The Best of Star Wars Insider*. Vol. 11: Aliens, Creatures and Droids. London: Titan. p. 23. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781785851964](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781785851964). Retrieved 8 March 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-THR_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-THR_2-1) Vlessing, Etan (24 May 2025). ["Les Dilley, 'Star Wars,' 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' Art Director, Dies at 84"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/les-dilley-dead-art-director-star-wars-1236229476/). The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 May 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Waddell, Calum (October 2015). ["The Art of War"](https://archive.org/details/Star_Wars_Insider_October_2015/page/n49/mode/2up). *Star Wars Insider*. No. 140. p. 50. Retrieved 8 March 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Langman, Larry (2000). [*Destination Hollywood: The Influence of Europeans on American Filmmaking*](https://books.google.com/books?id=fAXRKZOA8CUC&pg=PA186). Jefferson, North Carolina and London: McFarland & Company. p. 186. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [078640681X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/078640681X). Retrieved 8 March 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Waddell 2015, pp. 50, 52

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bfi_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bfi_6-1) ["Leslie Dilley"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160506074539/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa4bc9c6). *British Film Institute*. Archived from [the original](https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa4bc9c6) on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-galeincontext_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-galeincontext_7-1) "Leslie Dilley". *Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television*. Vol. 44. Gale. 2002 – via Gale in Context.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dePriest_8-0)** dePriest, Joe (25 July 1988). "Art director keeps the ocean on his mind". *Rocky Mount Telegram*. p. 11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** "Academy Award nominations told". *Kilgore News-Herald*. 14 February 1990. p. 3.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Oscars1990_10-0)** ["The 62nd Academy Awards (1990) Nominees and Winners"](http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1990). *oscars.org*. Retrieved 1 August 2011.

## External links

- [Leslie Dilley](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0226898/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

v t e Academy Award for Best Production Design Interior Decoration (1927–1939) 1927/1928: William Cameron Menzies 1928/1929: Cedric Gibbons 1929/1930: Herman Rosse 1930/1931: Max Rée 1931/1932: Gordon Wiles 1932/1933: William S. Darling 1934: Cedric Gibbons, Fredric Hope 1935: Richard Day 1936: Richard Day 1937: Stephen Goosson 1938: Carl Jules Weyl 1939: Lyle R. Wheeler Black & White / Color (1940–1946) 1940 (bw): Cedric Gibbons and Paul Groesse / (c): Vincent Korda 1941 (bw): Richard Day, Nathan Juran, and Thomas Little / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Urie McCleary, and Edwin B. Willis 1942 (bw): Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright, and Thomas Little / (c): Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright, and Thomas Little 1943 (bw): James Basevi, William S. Darling, and Thomas Little / (c): Alexander Golitzen, John B. Goodman, Russell A. Gausman, and Ira S. Webb 1944 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, William Ferrari, Paul Huldschinsky, and Edwin B. Willis / (c): Wiard Ihnen and Thomas Little 1945 (bw): Wiard Ihnen and A. Roland Fields / (c): Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegté, and Samuel M. Comer 1946 (bw): William S. Darling, Lyle R. Wheeler, Thomas Little, and Frank E. Hughes / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, and Edwin B. Willis Art Direction–Set Decoration Black & White / Color (1947–1956) 1947 (bw): John Bryan and Wilfred Shingleton / (c): Alfred Junge 1948 (bw): Roger K. Furse and Carmen Dillon / (c): Hein Heckroth and Arthur Lawson 1949 (bw): Harry Horner, John Meehan, and Emile Kuri / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, Edwin B. Willis, and Jack D. Moore 1950 (bw): Hans Dreier, John Meehan, Samuel M. Comer, and Ray Moyer / (c): Hans Dreier, Walter Tyler, Samuel M. Comer, and Ray Moyer 1951 (bw): Richard Day and George James Hopkins / (c): Cedric Gibbons, E. Preston Ames, Edwin B. Willis, and F. Keogh Gleason 1952 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Edward Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis, and F. Keogh Gleason /(c): Paul Sheriff and Marcel Vertès 1953 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Edward Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis, and Hugh Hunt / (c): Lyle R. Wheeler, George Davis, Walter M. Scott, and Paul S. Fox 1954 (bw): Richard Day / (c): John Meehan and Emile Kuri 1955 (bw): Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen, Samuel M. Comer, and Arthur Krams / (c): William Flannery, Jo Mielziner, and Robert Priestley 1956 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Malcolm F. Brown, Edwin B. Willis, and F. Keogh Gleason / (c): Lyle R. Wheeler, John DeCuir, Walter M. Scott, and Paul S. Fox 1957–1958 1957: Ted Haworth and Robert Priestley 1958: William A. Horning, E. Preston Ames, Henry Grace, and F. Keogh Gleason Black & White / Color (1959–1966) 1959 (bw): Lyle R. Wheeler, George Davis, Walter M. Scott, and Stuart A. Reiss / (c): William A. Horning (posthumous award), Edward Carfagno, and Hugh Hunt 1960 (bw): Alexandre Trauner and Edward G. Boyle / (c): Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom (posthumous award), Russell A. Gausman, and Julia Heron 1961 (bw): Harry Horner and Gene Callahan / (c): Boris Leven and Victor A. Gangelin 1962 (bw): Alexander Golitzen, Henry Bumstead, and Oliver Emert /(c): John Box, John Stoll, and Dario Simoni 1963 (bw): Gene Callahan / (c): John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Hilyard M. Brown, Herman A. Blumenthal, Elven Webb, Maurice Pelling, Boris Juraga, Walter M. Scott, Paul S. Fox, and Ray Moyer 1964 (bw): Vassilis Photopoulos / (c): Gene Allen, Cecil Beaton, and George James Hopkins 1965 (bw): Robert Clatworthy and Joseph Kish /(c): John Box, Terence Marsh, and Dario Simoni 1966 (bw): Richard Sylbert and George James Hopkins / (c): Jack Martin Smith, Dale Hennesy, Walter M. Scott, and Stuart A. Reiss 1967–1980 1967: John Truscott, Edward Carrere, and John W. Brown 1968: John Box, Terence Marsh, Vernon Dixon, and Ken Muggleston 1969: John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Herman A. Blumenthal, Walter M. Scott, George James Hopkins, and Raphaël Bretton 1970: Urie McCleary, Gil Parrondo, Antonio Mateos, and Pierre-Louis Thévenet 1971: John Box, Ernest Archer, Jack Maxsted, Gil Parrondo, and Vernon Dixon 1972: Rolf Zehetbauer, Jurgen Kiebach, and Herbert Strabel 1973: Henry Bumstead and James W. Payne 1974: Dean Tavoularis, Angelo P. Graham, and George R. Nelson 1975: Ken Adam, Roy Walker, and Vernon Dixon 1976: George C. Jenkins and George Gaines 1977: John Barry, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, and Roger Christian 1978: Paul Sylbert, Edwin O'Donovan, and George Gaines 1979: Philip Rosenberg, Tony Walton, Edward Stewart, and Gary J. Brink 1980: Pierre Guffroy and Jack Stephens 1981–2000 1981: Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley (art); Michael D. Ford (set) 1982: Stuart Craig and Robert W. Laing (art); Michael Seirton (set) 1983: Anna Asp (art) 1984: Patrizia von Brandenstein (art); Karel Černý (set) 1985: Stephen B. Grimes (art); Josie MacAvin (set) 1986: Gianni Quaranta and Brian Ackland-Snow (art); Brian Savegar and Elio Altramura (set) 1987: Ferdinando Scarfiotti (art); Bruno Cesari and Osvaldo Desideri (set) 1988: Stuart Craig (art); Gérard James (set) 1989: Anton Furst (art); Peter Young (set) 1990: Richard Sylbert (art); Rick Simpson (set) 1991: Dennis Gassner (art); Nancy Haigh (set) 1992: Luciana Arrighi (art); Ian Whittaker (set) 1993: Allan Starski (art); Ewa Braun (set) 1994: Ken Adam (art); Carolyn Scott (set) 1995: Eugenio Zanetti (art) 1996: Stuart Craig (art); Stephenie McMillan (set) 1997: Peter Lamont (art); Michael D. Ford (set) 1998: Martin Childs (art); Jill Quertier (set) 1999: Rick Heinrichs (art); Peter Young (set) 2000: Timmy Yip (art) 2001–present 2001: Catherine Martin (art); Brigitte Broch (set) 2002: John Myhre (art); Gordon Sim (set) 2003: Grant Major (art); Dan Hennah and Alan Lee (set) 2004: Dante Ferretti (art); Francesca Lo Schiavo (set) 2005: John Myhre (art); Gretchen Rau (set) 2006: Eugenio Caballero (art); Pilar Revuelta (set) 2007: Dante Ferretti (art); Francesca Lo Schiavo (set) 2008: Donald Graham Burt (art); Victor J. Zolfo (set) 2009: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg (art); Kim Sinclair (set) 2010: Robert Stromberg (art); Karen O'Hara (set) 2011: Dante Ferretti (art); Francesca Lo Schiavo (set) 2012: Rick Carter (art); Jim Erickson (set) 2013: Catherine Martin (art); Beverley Dunn (set) 2014: Adam Stockhausen (art); Anna Pinnock (set) 2015: Colin Gibson (art); Lisa Thompson (set) 2016: David Wasco (art); Sandy Reynolds-Wasco (set) 2017: Paul Denham Austerberry (art); Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin (set) 2018: Hannah Beachler (art); Jay Hart (set) 2019: Barbara Ling (art); Nancy Haigh (set) 2020: Donald Graham Burt (art); Jan Pascale (set) 2021: Patrice Vermette (art) and Zsuzsanna Sipos (set) 2022: Christian M. Goldbeck (art) and Ernestine Hipper (set) 2023: James Price and Shona Heath (art); Zsuzsa Mihalek (set) 2024: Nathan Crowley (art); Lee Sandales (set) 2025: Tamara Deverell (art); Shane Vieau (set)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Leslie Dilley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Dilley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Dilley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.