Don Challis

Donald Challis (26 June 1929 – 2017) was a British sound and dubbing editor for many critically acclaimed films, including A Taste of Honey, Help! (1965), and The Three Musketeers (1973). He won a BAFTA Film Award as sound editor alongside Simon Kaye for Best Film Soundtrack in 1970 for Oh! What a Lovely War.

Biography Don Challis was born in Tottenham, England. His career started at the age of 19 in 1948 at the Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England, with the Crown Film Unit as an apprentice assistant film editor, the studios having been commandeered by the government for making propaganda films for the Ministry of Information. His Association of Cine Technicians Union membership number was 8708.

He spent some time at Beaconsfield Studios, Merton Park Studios and Countryman Films in Soho Square, London.

In 1969, he took the role of sound editor for the hit musical film Oh! What a Lovely War which went down as a huge success, winning five BAFTA Film Awards in 1970, one of which going to himself and his partner Simon Kaye (who was the sound mixer for the film) for the Best Soundtrack. This huge success led him to being in the sound editing department for a range of horror and drama films including Tam Lin in 1970, Blue Blood (1973 film) and I Don't Want to Be Born in 1975. More so, the success gave him the opportunity to be the sound editor for the award-winning adaptations of The Three Musketeers (1973 live-action film) and The Four Musketeers in 1974.

In 1971, Challis became the sound editor for the award-winning film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. However he fell ill during the production of the film so his role was taken over by Les Wiggins, a sound editor from Middlesex, England. This resulted in Wiggins being credited sound editor, leaving Don Challis uncredited despite his contribution.

Challis' last contribution to the sound department of the film industry was in 1976 with Emily (film). Then, at the end of the same year, he moved from his home in Hertfordshire, England, to Essex with his wife and two daughters. Marking the move as the end of his career in the sound editing department, he settled for the ownership of a small post office.

Filmography

Credited roles Year Film title Role in production 1959 Beat Girl dubbing editor 1960 A Circle of Deception sound editor 1960 Sons and Lovers sound editor 1961 A Taste of Honey sound editor 1961 During One Night sound editor 1962 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner sound editor 1963 Girl with Green Eyes sound editor 1963 Tom Jones sound editor 1965 Help! sound editor 1965 The Knack ...and How to Get It sound editor 1965 I Was Happy Here sound editor 1966 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum sound editor 1966 The Shuttered Room sound editor 1967 How I Won the War dubbing editor 1968 Sebastian dubbing editor 1968 Petulia dubbing editor 1969 Connecting Rooms sound editor 1969 Oh! What a Lovely War sound editor 1970 Tam Lin dubbing editor 1971 The Boy Friend dubbing editor 1972 The Ragman's Daughter dubbing editor 1972 Nothing But the Night sound editor 1973 The Three Musketeers sound editor 1973 Blue Blood sound editor 1973 The Man Called Noon sound editor 1974 The Four Musketeers sound editor 1975 I Don't Want to Be Born sound editor 1976 Emily dubbing editor

Uncredited roles Year Film title Role in production 1952 Hindle Wakes assistant editor 1959 The Rough and the Smooth assistant editor 1971 Fiddler on the Roof Sound editor** [**] role taken over by Les Wiggins (credited)