A former salesman and journalist, Ken Annakin got into the film industry making documentary shorts. His feature debut, Holiday Camp (1947), was a comedy about a Cockney family on vacation. It was made for the Rank Organization and was a modest success, spawning three sequels, all of which he directed. He worked steadily thereafter, mainly in light ...
April 22, 2009, Beverly Hills, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Beverley, Yorkshire, England, UK
Profession
Director, Writer, Producer
Spouse
Pauline Annakin (m. 1959–2009)
Children
Jane Annakin, Deborah Annakin
Star Sign
Leo
#
Fact
1
Had an amazingly diverse early career, including as a trainee income tax inspector in Hull during the Depression. He held down other civil service jobs, as well as selling advertising space, working as a car salesman and prospecting for gold. He had a brief fling with journalism before joining the RAF during World War II. Invalided out, Annakin signed with Verity Films in 1942 as a camera assistant, working his way up to directing documentaries. His career really took off, when he joined Gainsborough as a feature director in 1946.
2
His daughter from a previous marriage, talent agent Jane Annakin, died of cancer in 1998.
3
Was close friends with James MacArthur, who co-starred in several pictures he directed. In 2008 MacArthur and Annakin hosted a special screening of Swiss Family Robinson (1960)--directed by Annakin and starring MacArthur--for a large family gathering at a film festival involving over 900 children. MacArthur visited Annakin frequently after Annakin suffered a heart attack and stroke in February 2008.
4
Served with the Royal Air Force during the 1940 Battle of Britain, but was injured during the Blitz and went on to work as a camera operator making training films during the war.
5
He has two daughters, Jane and Deborah.
6
He was awarded a Doctor of Letters degree from Hull University.
7
He was named a Disney Legend in 2002.
8
Following Annakin's death, George Lucas stated that, contrary to previous reports, he did not name the character "Anakin Skywalker" (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)) after Annakin.
9
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Genghis Khan: The Story of a Lifetime
2014
TV Mini-Series
Genghis Khan: The Story of a Lifetime
2010
Gengis Khan
1992
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
1988
The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue
1985
Video short archive footage
The Pirate Movie
1982
Cheaper to Keep Her
1981
The Fifth Musketeer
1979
Institute for Revenge
1979
TV Movie
The Pirate
1978
TV Movie
Murder at the Mardi Gras
1978
TV Movie
Paper Tiger
1975
The Call of the Wild
1972
Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies
1969
The Biggest Bundle of Them All
1968
The Long Duel
1967
Battle of the Bulge
1965
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes
1965
Underworld Informers
1963
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1955-1963
TV Series 6 episodes
The Fast Lady
1962
The Longest Day
1962
British exterior episodes
Crooks Anonymous
1962
The Hellions
1961
A Coming-Out Party
1961
Swiss Family Robinson
1960
Third Man on the Mountain
1959
Elephant Gun
1958
Across the Bridge
1957
Three Men in a Boat
1956
Loser Takes All
1956
Value for Money
1955
Land of Fury
1954
You Know What Sailors Are
1954
The Sword and the Rose
1953
Outpost in Malaya
1952
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
1952
Hotel Sahara
1951
Trio
1950
episode "Mr. Know-All", episode "Verger, The"
Double Confession
1950
Landfall
1949
The Huggetts Abroad
1949
Vote for Huggett
1949
Here Come the Huggetts
1948
Quartet
1948
segment "Colonel's Lady, The"
Broken Journey
1948
Miranda
1948
Holiday Camp
1947
Fenlands
1946
Documentary short
It Began on the Clyde
1946
Short
Make Fruitful the Land
1946
Short
West Riding
1946
Short
English Criminal Justice
1946
Documentary short
A Ride with Uncle Joe
1943
Short
London 1942
1943
Documentary short
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
1988
writer
Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies
1969
original story and screenplay
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes
1965
written by
Mission in Morocco
1959
dialogue
English Criminal Justice
1946
Documentary short uncredited
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
1988
producer
Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies
1969
producer
The Long Duel
1967
producer
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rent-a-Person
2004
Short
Narrator (voice)
A Voice in the Night
1941
Radio Announcer (voice, uncredited)
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics
2008
TV Movie documentary grateful thanks
Swiss Family Robinson: Adventure in the Making
2002
Video documentary special thanks
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth
2001
TV Movie documentary grateful acknowledgment
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Interviewee
A Day to Remember: A Conversation with Ken Annakin
2006
Video documentary short
Himself
The 100 Greatest War Films
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Swiss Family Robinson: Adventure in the Making
2002
Video documentary
Himself - Director
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth
2001
TV Movie documentary
Himself
History vs. Hollywood
2001
TV Series documentary
Himself
Backstory
2000
TV Series documentary
Himself
Cinema
1969
TV Series documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Calendar
2011
TV Series
Himself
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards
2010
TV Special
Himself - In Memoriam
The Orange British Academy Film Awards
2010
TV Special
Himself - Memorial Tribute
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1983
Razzie Award
Razzie Awards
Worst Director
The Pirate Movie (1982)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1966
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
1963
DGA Award
Directors Guild of America, USA
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
The Longest Day (1962)
1957
Crystal Globe
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Three Men in a Boat (1956)
Known for movies
Battle of the Bulge (1965) as Director
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965) as Director
Swiss Family Robinson (1960) as Director
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988) as Director
$1.7 Million
