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 live-action 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]

Don Challis.

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 live-action film) and The Four Musketeers 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]

YearFilm titleRole in production
1976Emily (film)dubbing editor
1975I Don't Want to Be Bornsound editor
1974The Four Musketeerssound editor
1973The Man Called Noonsound editor
1973Blue Blood (1973 film)sound editor
1973The Three Musketeers (1973 live-action film)sound editor
1972Nothing But the Nightsound editor
1972The Ragman's Daughterdubbing editor
1971The Boy Friend (1971 film)dubbing editor
1970Tam-Lin (film)dubbing editor
1969Oh! What a Lovely Warsound editor
1969Connecting Roomssound editor
1968Petuliadubbing editor
1968Sebastian (1968 film)dubbing editor
1967How I Won the Wardubbing editor
1966The Shuttered Roomsound editor
1966A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (film)sound editor
1965I Was Happy Heresound editor
1965The Knack ...and How to Get Itsound editor
1965Help! (film)sound editor
1963Tom Jones (1963 film)sound editor
1963Girl with Green Eyessound editor
1962The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (film)sound editor
1961During One Nightsound editor
1961A Taste of Honey (film)sound editor
1960Sons and Lovers (1960 film)sound editor
1960A Circle of Deceptionsound editor
1959Beat Girldubbing editor

Uncredited roles

YearFilm titleRole in production
1971Fiddler on the Roof (film)Sound editor**
1959The Rough and the Smoothassistant editor
1952Hindle 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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