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Don Chaffey

Don Chaffey

Director · Died November 13, 1990, aged 73 · Hastings, Sussex, England

Donald Chaffey (5 August 1917 – 13 November 1990) was a British film director, writer, producer, and art director. Chaffey's film career began as an art director in 1947, and his directorial debut was in 1953. He remained active in the industry until his death in 1990 from heart failure. His film Charley One-Eye (1973) was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival. He is chiefly remembered for his fantasy films, which include Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963), One Million Years B.C. (1966), The Viking Queen (1967), Creatures the World Forgot (1971), Pete's Dragon (1977), and C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), his final feature film. Concurrent with his theatrically released films, Chaffey directed episodes of numerous British television series, including multiple installments of Danger Man, The Prisoner, and The Avengers. From the 1980s until his death, all of his work was in American made-for-TV movies, and in such TV series as Fantasy Island, Stingray, MacGyver, Vega$, T. J. Hooker, Matt Houston, and Charlie's Angels. Chaffey began his career in the art department of Gainsborough Pictures where he worked as a draftsman on Madonna of the Seven Moons (1945), The Rake's Progress (1945), and Caravan (1946). He was art director of The Adventures of Dusty Bates (1947) and The Little Ballerina (1948). He directed the documentary shorts Thames Tideway (1948) and Cape Cargoes (1948). Chaffey directed the short features The Mysterious Poacher (1950) and The Case of the Missing Scene (1950). He returned to the art department for King of the Underworld (1950), The Stolen Plans (1952), Murder at the Grange (1952), Murder at Scotland Yard (1952), and Black 13 (1953). Chaffey resumed his directing career with the family film Skid Kids (1953). He made the short Watch Out (1953), then did Strange Stories (1953), Bouncer Breaks Up (1953, a short), The Mask (1952), and A Good Pull Up (1953). Chaffey directed Time Is My Enemy (1954). After the short Dead on Time (1955) he made The Secret Tent (1956), The Flesh Is Weak (1957) and The Girl in the Picture (1957). He directed episodes of TV series like Theatre Royal, The Adventures of the Big Man, Chevron Hall of Stars, The Errol Flynn Theatre, Assignment Foreign Legion, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dial 999, and The New Adventures of Charlie Chan. He interspersed these with features like A Question of Adultery (1958), The Man Upstairs (1958), Danger Within (1959), Dentist in the Chair (1960), Lies My Father Told Me (1960), and Nearly a Nasty Accident (1961).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 5, 1917
Died
November 13, 1990 (aged 73)
From
Hastings, Sussex, England
Works as
Director
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 78 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What are Don Chaffey's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Power.

Genres

Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
40%
Power
16%
Survival
14%
Self
12%
Morality
11%
Society
4%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 6 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 10 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 10 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 13 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 9 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
5
Hopeful
6
Tense
3
Melancholic
5
Thrilling
3
Other
15

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Don Chaffey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Don Chaffey's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

78 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Mission: Impossible - The Golden Serpent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Mission: Impossible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Houston Knights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Outlaws (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • MacGyver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Hollywood Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Spenser: For Hire(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Stingray(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • International Airport (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • Finder of Lost Loves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Airwolf(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Lottery! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Gavilan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 14 episodes · Director

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • T.J. Hooker(1982)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Strike Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Casino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • C.H.O.M.P.S.(1979)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Shimmering Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director

  • The Gift of Love(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Vega$ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 14 episodes · Director

  • Lassie: A New Beginning(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Magic of Lassie(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Pete's Dragon(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Born to Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Charlie's Angels(1976)

    Show 11 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • The Fourth Wish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • Ride a Wild Pony(1975)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Persecution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Charley-One-Eye(1973)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Protectors(1972)

    Show 9 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • The Mysterious Poacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Creatures the World Forgot(1971)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Clinic Exclusive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • Journey to the Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • A Twist of Sand(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Journey to the Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Prisoner(1967)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Man in a Suitcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Viking Queen(1967)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • One Million Years B.C.(1966)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Baron(1966)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Crooked Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Writer

  • They All Died Laughing(1964)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Horse Without a Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director

  • The Three Lives of Thomasina(1963)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Jason and the Argonauts(1963)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Webster Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • The Prince and the Pauper(1962)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • A Matter of WHO (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 10 episodes · Director

  • Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog(1961)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Nearly a Nasty Accident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director

  • The Avengers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Danger Man(1960)

    Show 12 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Dentist in the Chair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Lies My Father Told Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Danger Within (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • The Man Upstairs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director · Additional Dialogue

  • A Question of Adultery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Dial 999 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Flesh Is Weak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

  • The Girl in the Picture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

  • Assignment Foreign Legion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Adventures of Robin Hood(1955)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Lilli Palmer Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Time Is My Enemy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Black 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Art Direction

  • The Mask (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Skid Kids (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • A Good Pull-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Bouncer Breaks Up! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Strange Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • Watch Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • King of the Underworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Art Direction

  • The Case of the Missing Scene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 78 titles from 1951 to 1989.

Biggest box office

Pete's Dragon (1977)

$40M worldwide

Highest rated

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Midcredits 89th

Most popular right now

Pete's Dragon (1977)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing76 of 78: 74 only directing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score46thWriting1 of 78: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleOther crew3 of 78: 2 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s19 · crew1960s23 · crew1970s17 · crew1980s19 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Don Chaffey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 27 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · director

They All Died Laughing (1964)

65th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

The Prisoner (1967)

Midcredits 92nd · 88% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 64/100 and the pacing 41/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Don Chaffey's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 16 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 39 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Don Chaffey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Don Chaffey's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Laurence Naismith shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers