David MacDonald

Biography

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.

Directed

1. Devil Girl from Mars (1954) — Director
2. Good-Time Girl (1948) — Director
3. Christopher Columbus (1949) — Director
4. Desert Victory (1943) — Director
5. Snowbound (1948) — Director
6. The Moonraker (1958) — Director
7. Alias John Preston (1955) — Director
8. The Big Frame (1952) — Director
9. The Brothers (1947) — Director
10. Ivanhoe (1958) — Director
11. It's Never Too Late to Mend (1937) — Director
12. Cairo Road (1950) — Director
13. The Bad Lord Byron (1949) — Director
14. The Count of Monte Cristo (1956) — Director
15. Tread Softly (1952) — Director
16. This Man Is News (1938) — Director
17. The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1955) — Director
18. Diamond City (1949) — Director
19. Petticoat Pirates (1961) — Director
20. This England (1941) — Director
21. Fortune in Diamonds (1951) — Director
22. Interpol Calling (1959) — Director
23. Small Hotel (1957) — Director
24. Spies of the Air (1939) — Director
25. The Last Curtain (1937) — Director
26. Law and Disorder (1940) — Director
27. Men of the Lightship (1940) — Director
28. Jack the Ripper (1958) — Director
29. A Lady Mislaid (1958) — Director
30. Mark Saber (1954) — Director
31. This Man in Paris (1939) — Director
32. Dead Men Tell No Tales (1938) — Director
33. One Just Man (1954) — Director
34. Man in Demand (1955) — Director
35. The Golden Rabbit (1962) — Director
36. Triple Blackmail (1955) — Director
37. Final Column (1955) — Director
38. Make It Three (1938) — Director
39. The Yellow Robe (1954) — Director
40. Death Croons the Blues (1937) — Director

Also appeared in

1. Special Agent K-7 (1936) — Goodwin
2. Rulers of the Sea (1939) — Clerk (Uncredited)