Celebrated UK film stills photographer David Appleby has died aged 77 at his home in Somerset.
London-born Appleby enjoyed a lifelong collaboration with filmmaker Alan Parker, with whom he first worked on Bugsy Malone, Parker’s first major feature film. They went on to work together on Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita and The Life Of David Gale.
Parker died in 2020.
Appleby also shot stills for Ridley Scott’s debut feature The Duellists, as well as 1492: Conquest Of Paradise, Kingdom Of Heaven and Robin Hood.
He was born in Wandsworth, London, in 1947, and developed an early passion for cinema and photography. He left school aged 15 and with the support of his parents, and went to assist a photographer in London while enrolling in evening classes for photography. He gained early work in commercials, where he first met directors Parker and Scott, as well as Tony Scott and Adrian Lyne.
Appleby became known for his quiet, low-profile, stealth approach on a film set.
Further highlights in his long and distinguished career include Handmade Films’ Monty Python favourites Life Of Brian and The Meaning Of Life, as well as Pink Floyd: The Wall, Trail Of The Pink Panther, Curse Of The Pink Panther, Son Of The Pink Panther, Brazil for Terry Gilliam, Roland Joffe’s The Killing Fields, The Mission and City Of Joy, Total Recall, Memphis Belle, Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein, Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Seven Years In Tibet, Brassed Off, Hilary And Jackie, Entrapment, The End Of The Affair, Proof Of Life, Chocolat, Possession, Sylvia, V For Vendetta, War Horse, Belle and Goodbye Christopher Robin.
In recent years, Appleby worked on Rocketman for director Dexter Fletcher, who he first met as a child actor in Bugsy Malone, as well as Tolkien, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, Invasion, Beyond Paradise and The Road Trip.
”David never tired of the buzz that being on a film set brought him,” said Appleby’s wife, Juliana Malucelli. ”Talented, creative and respected by directors, producers, actors and his peers, David’s extensive body of work is a wonderful legacy for generations of film lovers to enjoy. An honest, generous, down-to-earth man with a wonderful sense of humour, he garnered respect and admiration from all who worked with him. Film stills was his passion but aside from being an incredible photographer, he was also an incredible person.”
He is survived by his wife, brother, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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