Don Challis

Don Challis.

Donald Challis (born 26 June 1929) is a British sound and dubbing editor for many critically acclaimed films, including The Three Musketeers (1973 film), A Taste of Honey (film) and Help! (film). His most famous contribution was to Oh! What a Lovely War as the sound editor, winning him a BAFTA Film Award alongside Simon Kaye for Best Film Soundtrack in 1970.[1]

Biography

Don Challis was born in Tottenham, England. His career started at the age of 19 in 1948 at the Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England,with the Crown Film Unit as an apprentice assistant film editor, the studios having been commandeered by the government for making propaganda films for the Ministry of Information. His Association of Cine Technicians Union membership number was 8708.

He spent some time at Beaconsfield Studios, Merton Park Studios and Countryman Films in Soho Square, London.

Best Soundtrack BAFTA winners (1970) Don Challis and Simon Kaye

In 1969, he took the role of sound editor for the hit musical film Oh! What a Lovely War which went down as a huge success, winning five BAFTA Film Awards in 1970, one of which going to himself and his partner Simon Kaye (who was the sound mixer for the film) for the Best Soundtrack.[2] This huge success led him to being in the sound editing department for a range of horror and drama films including Tam-Lin (film) in 1970, Blue Blood (1973 film) and I Don't Want to Be Born in 1975. More so, the success gave him the opportunity to be the sound editor for the award winning adaptations of The Three Musketeers (1973 film) and The Four Musketeers (film) in 1974.[3]

In 1971, Challis became the sound editor for the award-winning film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. However, he fell ill during the production of the film so his role was taken over by Les Wiggins, a sound editor from Middlesex, England.[4] This resulted in Wiggins being credited sound editor, leaving Don Challis uncredited despite his contribution.[5]

Challis' last contribution to the sound department of the film industry was in 1976 with Emily (film). Then, at the end of the same year, he moved from his home in Hertfordshire, England, to Essex with his wife and two daughters. Marking the move as the end of his career in the sound editing department, he settled for the ownership of a small post office.

Filmography

Credited roles [6]

Year Film title Role in production
1976 Emily (film) dubbing editor
1975 I Don't Want to Be Born sound editor
1974 The Four Musketeers (film) sound editor
1973 The Man Called Noon sound editor
1973 Blue Blood (1973 film) sound editor
1973 The Three Musketeers (1973 film) sound editor
1972 Nothing But the Night sound editor
1972 The Ragman's Daughter dubbing editor
1971 The Boy Friend (1971 film) dubbing editor
1970 Tam-Lin (film) dubbing editor
1969 Oh! What a Lovely War sound editor
1969 Connecting Rooms sound editor
1968 Petulia dubbing editor
1968 Sebastian (1968 film) dubbing editor
1967 How I Won the War dubbing editor
1966 The Shuttered Room sound editor
1966 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (film) sound editor
1965 I Was Happy Here sound editor
1965 The Knack ...and How to Get It sound editor
1965 Help! (film) sound editor
1963 Tom Jones (1963 film) sound editor
1963 Girl with Green Eyes sound editor
1962 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (film) sound editor
1961 During One Night sound editor
1961 A Taste of Honey (film) sound editor
1960 Sons and Lovers (1960 film) sound editor
1960 A Circle of Deception sound editor
1959 Beat Girl dubbing editor

Uncredited roles

Year Film title Role in production
1971 Fiddler on the Roof (film) Sound editor**
1959 The Rough and the Smooth assistant editor
1952 Hindle Wakes (1952 film) assistant editor

[**] role taken over by Les Wiggins (credited)

References

  1. ↑ "BAFTA awards; best soundtrack 1970" Retrieved on 15 June 2015
  2. ↑ "BAFTA awards; best soundtrack 1970" Retrieved on 15 June 2015
  3. ↑ "BFI: filmography of Don Challis" Retrieved 15 June 2015
  4. ↑ "BFI: Les Wiggins filmography" Retrieved 15 June 2015
  5. ↑ "Fiddler on the Roof credits" The New York Times, Retrieved 15 June 2015
  6. ↑ "BFI: filmography of Don Challis" Retrieved 15 June 2015
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