Harley Cokeliss (born Harley Louis Cokliss, February 11, 1945) is an American director, writer and producer of film and television.[1][2]

Harley Cokeliss
Born
Harley Cokliss

(1945-02-11) February 11, 1945 (age 79)
Alma materLondon Film School
Occupation(s)Film and television director, producer, screenwriter, actor
AwardsOulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival Starboy Award

Early life

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Originally brought up in Chicago, he moved to Britain in 1966 to study at the London Film School, and spent the majority of his career in the UK.[3]

Career

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Cokeliss started making documentaries for British television in 1970, including the first filmed version of J. G. Ballard's story Crash!.[4] Papers relating to the film Crash! are available at the British Library (Add MS 89171/1).[5] Cokeliss's initial treatment and Ballard's draft script for Crash! are published in Crash: The Collector's Edition, ed. Chris Beckett.[6] He returned to Chicago in 1972 to make a documentary about blues musicians in the city.[7][8]

Cokeliss later graduated to making feature films, serving as second unit director on The Empire Strikes Back before helming films like Battletruck, Black Moon Rising, and Malone. He wrote and directed the 1988 horror film Dream Demon.[9] He has directed episodes of various television series, including The New Adventures of Robin Hood, CI5: The New Professionals, and Xena: Warrior Princess.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer Producer
1972 Chicago Blues[10] Yes No Yes
1977 The Battle of Billy's Pond Yes Yes No
1977 The Glitterball Yes Yes No
1979 That Summer! Yes No No
1982 Warlords of the 21st Century Yes No No
1986 Black Moon Rising Yes No No
1987 Malone Yes No No
1988 Dream Demon Yes Yes No
2000 Pilgrim Yes Yes No
2010 Paris Connections Yes No No

Assistant director

  • Six Reels of Film to Be Shown in Any Order (1971)

Second unit director

Television

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TV series

Year Title Notes
1994-1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys 3 episodes
1995 Xena: Warrior Princess 1 episode
1997 The New Adventures of Robin Hood 3 episodes
1999 CI5: The New Professionals 2 episodes
2000 Dark Knight 2 episodes, also writer
2001 The Immortal 2 episodes

TV movies

  • Crash! (1971) (short film)
  • The Ruby Ring (1997)
  • An Angel for May (2002)

References

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  1. ^ The New York Times
  2. ^ Film, British Council. "British Council Film: Harley Cokeliss". film.britishcouncil.org. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  3. ^ "Harley Cokliss". BFI. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  4. ^ Baxter, John, Chapter 34, "The Nasty", The Inner Man: The Life of J.G. Ballard, Hachette, 2011.
  5. ^ Harley Cokeliss: Papers relating to his film about J.G. Ballard[permanent dead link], archives and manuscripts catalogue, the British Library. Retrieved 21 May 2020
  6. ^ Beckett, Chris (2017). Crash: The Collector's Edition. HarperCollins.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 1, 1983). "SCREEN: 'CHICAGO BLUES,' A HISTORY". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  8. ^ Thomas, Philip (March 5, 1991). "Chicago Blues OST review". Q Magazine. 55: 85.
  9. ^ Chibnall, Steve; Petley, Julian (2002). British Horror Cinema. Routledge. p. 6.
  10. ^ Project, The Chicago Independent Radio. "The History of Chicago Blues (1972) | CHIRP Radio". chirpradio.org. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
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