David MacDonald

Known for DirectingBorn 1904-05-09Died 1983-06-22Helensburgh, Scotland, UK

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.Read more

Movies & web series

This Man in Paris

Riding High

The Rocking Horse Winner

The Golden Rabbit

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Three Cornered Fate

The Midas Touch

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

Mark Saber

Jack the Ripper

A Lady Mislaid

Fortune in Diamonds

Men of the Lightship

Interpol Calling

Our Mother's House

Small Hotel

The Moonraker

Dead Men Tell No Tales

Death Croons the Blues

This England

Petticoat Pirates

Rulers of the Sea

Spies of the Air

The Last Curtain

Ivanhoe

Cairo Road

Good-Time Girl

Big Brown Eyes

Law and Disorder

Desert Victory

The Bad Lord Byron

Snowbound

It's Never Too Late to Mend

Diamond City

Cleopatra

Alias John Preston

Christopher Columbus

Tread Softly

The Brothers

Devil Girl from Mars

The Count of Monte Cristo

This Man Is News

Special Agent K-7

The Big Frame

Operation Malaya

A Spot of Bother

One Just Man

Triple Blackmail