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Ken Annakin

A versatile filmmaker, skilled at light comedies, dramas and oversized adventures, Ken Annakin was the director of such box office hits as "The Swiss Family Robinson" (1960), "The Longest Day" (1962) and "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" (1965). He spent his twenties in search of excitement across three continents before returning to his native England and serving in World War II; the conflict would introduce him to the film industry, where he would begin his career in documentaries before moving to features in the late 1940s. A string of genial comedies and dramas preceded his association with Walt Disney Pictures, which yielded his biggest international hits, including "Robinson." Later, his talents were put to use on sprawling projects like "Longest Day" and "Flying Machines." Though his career wound down in the late 1970s, he remained active until a decade prior to his death in 2009; his body of work, filled with entertaining and enduring pictures, left him with a notable legacy in the world cinema community.