About

Known credits:
51
Birthday:
1904-05-09
Place of birth:
Helensburgh, Scotland, UK
Website:
N/A

David MacDonald

Overview

David MacDonald (9 May 1904 in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire – 22 June 1983 in London) was a Scottish film director, writer and producer.

MacDonald was the son of a wealthy landowner. His intention was to become a doctor but changed his mind and aged 17 went to Malaya to work on a rubber plantation for seven and a half years. When he had leave to return to Scotland, he travelled via Hollywood and became interested in filmmaking. He returned to Malaya and worked at a plantation in Kedah. According to one story, while in Malaya he met Douglas Fairbanks who encouraged MacDonald to try his luck in Hollywood.

MacDonald broke into Hollywood by getting a job as technical adviser on a film Prestige. After that he was out of work for nine months.

He eventually gained a job working for Cecil B. DeMille. MacDonald worked as DeMille's assistant on The Sign of the Cross (1932), Four Frightened People (1934), Cleopatra (also 1934) and The Crusades (1935). He worked on Lives of a Bengal Lancer (also 1935) with Henry Hathaway. He also worked for King Vidor and Raoul Walsh. He returned to England with Walsh when the latter came to direct O.H.M.S. (1937) and elected to stay.

Known for

Acting
2019 Creepshow Actor Captain Talby (segment "Bad Wolf Down") N/A
N/A
1939 Rulers of the Sea Actor Clerk (Uncredited) 59
Average
1936 Special Agent K-7 Actor Goodwin 58
Average

Directing
1962 The Golden Rabbit Directing Director N/A
N/A
1961 Petticoat Pirates Directing Director 58
Average
1958 The Moonraker Directing Director 59
Average
1958 Jack the Ripper Directing Director 59
Average
1958 A Lady Mislaid Directing Director 58
Average
1957 Small Hotel Directing Director 59
Average
1955 Alias John Preston Directing Director 58
Average
1955 Three Cornered Fate Directing Director N/A
N/A
1954 Devil Girl from Mars Directing Director 58
Average
1953 Operation Malaya Directing Director N/A
N/A
1952 Tread Softly Directing Director 58
Average
1952 The Big Frame Directing Director 58
Average
1951 Fortune in Diamonds Directing Director 59
Average
1950 Cairo Road Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Christopher Columbus Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Diamond City Directing Director 59
Average
1949 The Bad Lord Byron Directing Director 58
Average
1948 Good-Time Girl Directing Director 59
Average
1948 Snowbound Directing Director 59
Average
1947 The Brothers Directing Director 58
Average
1943 Desert Victory Directing Director 59
Average
1941 This England Directing Director 59
Average
1940 Law and Disorder Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 The Midas Touch Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 Men of the Lightship Directing Director 58
Average
1939 Riding High Directing Director N/A
N/A
1939 This Man in Paris Directing Director N/A
N/A
1939 Spies of the Air Directing Director 59
Average
1938 This Man Is News Directing Director 58
Average
1938 Dead Men Tell No Tales Directing Director N/A
N/A
1938 The Last Curtain Directing Director 58
Average
1938 A Spot of Bother Directing Director N/A
N/A
1937 Death Croons the Blues Directing Director N/A
N/A
1937 It's Never Too Late to Mend Directing Director 59
Average
1936 Big Brown Eyes Directing Assistant Director 59
Average
1934 Cleopatra Directing Assistant Director 59
Average
One Just Man Directing Director N/A
N/A
The Yellow Robe Directing Director N/A
N/A
Final Column Directing Director N/A
N/A
Man in Demand Directing Director N/A
N/A
Make It Three Directing Director N/A
N/A
Meet Mr. Penny Directing Director N/A
N/A
Triple Blackmail Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1953 Operation Malaya Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1947 The Brothers Writing Writer 58
Average

Production
1943 Desert Victory Production Producer 59
Average

Camera
1982 The Rocking Horse Winner Camera Director of Photography N/A
N/A
1967 Our Mother's House Camera Assistant Camera 59
Average