Douglas Hickox

Hickox was born in London, where he was educated at Emanuel School. He started in the film industry at age 17, working at Pinewood Studios as "a thirty bob a week office boy".

Hickox worked extensively as an assistant director and second unit director throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. ‘’The British B Film’’ (Steve Chibnall & Brian McFarlane; BFI, 2009) credits him with working on over thirty musical shorts and a handful of jazz/pop supporting featurettes. He worked on TV shows such as Sunday Break and Tempo and became a leading director of TV commercials. In 1966 he won several awards for his advertisements at the Venice International Advertising Film Congress.

He made his first major picture, Entertaining Mr Sloane, in 1970 at the age of 41. He joined forces with the producer who had the rights and raised the finance. Hickox was meant to follow it with A Mouthful of Gold with Nicol Williamson and The Italian Girl by Iris Murdoch but neither was made.

"I think of myself as an interpretive director," he said in 1970. "I'm a narrative director, basically. An audience should become totally involved in the film, the actors and the story. They shouldn't be aware of the director at all or of how things are done."

Over the next ten years, he developed a reputation for the wit and style of his direction, and for his taut action sequences. His work includes Les Bicyclettes de Belsize (1968), Entertaining Mr Sloane (1970), Sitting Target (1972), Theatre of Blood (1973), Brannigan (1975), Sky Riders (1976) and Zulu Dawn (1979). He worked on various TV movies and mini-series in the 1980s until his death. He died in a London hospital following a heart surgery operation at age 59.

Hickox was married three times. His first wife was Josephine Elizabeth Popovic (nee May). In 1958 he married Anne V. Coates, the Oscar-winning editor of Lawrence of Arabia. After his death, his third wife Annabel approached the Raindance Film Festival with an annual bequest from Douglas' estate. This bequest led directly to the creation of the British Independent Film Awards. In recognition of Douglas's commitment and support for new talent, BIFA inaugurated the Douglas Hickox Award, which is given to a British director on their debut feature.

Douglas had two sons, Anthony Hickox (1959–2023), also a director, and James D. R. Hickox (b. 1965) and two daughters, one with Coates, Emma Hickox (b. 1964) who is a successful film editor, and one with Annabel, Diana. Anthony Hickox is known for Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992), whilst he was Executive Producer on Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995) directed by his brother James D. R. Hickox. Emma E. Hickox's resume includes The Brylcreem Boys, Kinky Boots, The Jacket, The Boat that Rocked, Blue Crush, Rock of Ages and A Walk to Remember.

Douglas Hickox was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery, London.

As director

As assistant/second unit director