Production designer and art director Ivor Leslie Dilley, better known as Les Dilley, died on May 20 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
The news was confirmed to Variety by representatives for Dilley. His wife and family were by his side.
In a statement, the 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.”
Dilley worked on 100 film and TV projects in various capacities over his 60-year career. He worked with George Lucas, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Irvin Kershner, John Landis, and Mimi Leader. As an art director and production designer, he helped bring to life some of cinema’s most impactful films.
Dilley won two Academy Awards for best art direction for his work on “Star Wars” and “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”. He was also nominated for best art direction for “Alien,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Abyss”. Dilley was honored in 2020 with a BAFTA Award for his outstanding contribution to British Cinema at the BAFTA CYMRU awards
He was born in 1941 in the Rhondda Valley of South Wales. At the end of WWII, Dilley and his family moved back to London, where he was raised in Wembley Park. At fifteen, Dilley started his film career in a five-year plastering and construction apprenticeship at the Associated British Picture Corporation while simultaneously studying architecture and building construction at Willesden Technical College. At 23, he was a plaster worker on the James Bond film “From Russia With Love.” He continued to work his way up the art department and became assistant art director on films including “Jesus Christ Superstar”.
In 1973, Dilley became an Art Director on Richard Lester’s “The Three Musketeers,” and continued to art direct on many notable films. In the late 70s, he was recruited to be part of the UK team tasked with creating the world of “Star Wars” for Lucas, working alongside John Barry, Norman Reynolds, and Roger Christian.
In 1985, Dilley moved to Hollywood to continue his career as a production designer. He considered his work on “The Abyss” to be one of his proudest accomplishments. For the film, he transformed an abandoned nuclear power plant in South Carolina into one of the largest underwater filming sets ever created — at the time the main underwater tank was the largest filtered water tank in the world, 55 ft deep by 209 ft wide.
Starting in the 90s, Dilley continued to expand his career as a second unit director. In addition to his role as production designer, he second unit directed seven films including “Honey, I Blew Up The Kid” and “Pay It Forward.”
His last project brought him back to the UK for the children’s TV series, “The Teacup Travels.”
Dilley is survived by his wife of 38 years, Leslie Lykes Dilley and their four children: Sophia Dilley and son-in-law Daniel Kauffman, Leslie John Dilley II and daughter-in-law Julia Tourianski Dilley, Ivory Dilley and EmmaJane Dilley and four grandchildren: Arsion, Nausicaä, Cal, and Leslie John III. He is also survived by his daughter Georgia Dilley from his first marriage to Amanda Dilley, and a large extended family in England and Wales.
He was a member of AMPAS, BAFTA, ADG, DGA, and SAG. Dilley was represented for his entire career at The Gersh Agency by the late Phil Gersh, David Gersh, and Barbara Halperin.
