MovieChat Forums > The Dam Busters (1955) Discussion > Art Director

Art Director

posted 18 years ago by sarah-earl
3 replies | jump to latest

Hi, My name is Sarah and my father, known as John ST. JOHN EARL was (I was told by our family) the art director for the Dam Busters. He died 11 years ago and I am trying to find out all about him. Halliwells and the who's who of the movie world however, don't contain any information or listings on him, though his name, I believe was on the credits at the end of the motion picture.
Can anyone help me in my quest to find out more ?
I know so far, that he worked for Rank, and also had dealings with some other productions i.e Quatermass, Hammer House of Horror, some of the Norman Wisdom, one of the James Bond as well as The Island of Terror and Dunkirk.
I am aware he worked for Pinewood, Sheperton, Elstree and Denham studios, as well as MGM at Ealing (Dunkirk).
Any information (which can be verified) greatly recieved.
Many thanks, from a daughter who never really got to know her dad.

[–] greyollie-1 18 years ago

Only just found your post. I hope others may have been able to help you with your family history quest.

As you might have seen, the IMDB detailed credits for "The Dam Busters" lists the Art Director as 'Robert Jones'. Clicking on the link to his IMDB entry lists his other film & TV work, plus noting that he was credited sometimes as 'Bob Jones'. Perhaps your father worked for Robert Jones during the filming/post production of "The Dam Busters".

Good luck with your research.

Greyollie, Australia

[–] wwestar 11 years ago

the head of Pinewood at the time was Earl St John. Unusual name. Can you confirm that he was the art director? If it's the man I named above he appears in the opening credits of most rank films in the 50's and 60's.

[–] wwestar 11 years ago

Found some info on your father. he was an Art director at pinewood. Credits I could fine were:

Island of Terror 1966

dateline Diamonds 1965

Devils of darkness 1965

Be my Guest 1965

Man In the dark 1965

Band of Thieves 1963