About

Known credits:
12
Birthday:
1926-06-24
Place of birth:
Lewisham, London, England, UK
Website:
N/A

Desmond Saunders

Overview

Desmond "Des" Saunders (24 June 1926– 21 April 2018) was a British television director and film editor.

He had a long association with producer Gerry Anderson, having served as a director for the series Supercar (1961–62), Stingray (1964–65), Thunderbirds (1965–66), Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967–68), Joe 90 (1968–69) and Terrahawks (1983–86). Saunders was also production controller for Joe 90 and co-wrote one of the episodes, "Lone-Handed 90". He briefly worked as a production supervisor for The Secret Service (1969).

Elsewhere in television, Saunders had both production and post-production roles for The Protectors (1972–73).

His film editing credits are: RX for Murder (1958), A Woman's Temptation (1959), Escort for Hire (1960), Compelled (1960), Tarnished Heroes and So Evil, So Young (both 1961) and Voyage of the Damned (1976). He was sound editor for Floods of Fear (1959).

While working on puppet series for Anderson, the A.P. Films team received constant requests to make the puppets more real. Once, Saunders chose all of the male puppets and put little penises on them. When the girls came in during the morning, there was, as Saunders describes, "the most terrible uproar". In response, he said: "Well, you know, you gotta bring them to life somehow, haven't you?".

He died on 21 April 2018 at the age of 91.

Known for

Directing

2014 This Is Supermarionation Directing Director 59
Average
1986 Inside the Labyrinth Directing Director 59
Average
1983 Terrahawks: Expect the Unexpected Directing Director 58
Average
1982 Countdown to Disaster Directing Director N/A
N/A
1981 Invaders from the Deep Directing Director 58
Average
1981 The Amazing Adventures Of Joe 90 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1980 Thunderbirds to the Rescue Directing Director N/A
N/A
1980 Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons Directing Director N/A
N/A
1965 Thunderbirds: Pit of Peril Directing Director N/A
N/A

Production

1968 Joe 90 Production Production Manager 69
Fair

Editing

1976 Voyage of the Damned Editing Editor 58
Average
1958 Rx Murder Editing Editor 58
Average