Frederick Leonard Alfred Pusey (4 July 1909 – 12 June 1983) was a British film art director and production designer, and a Second World War camouflage officer. His artistic skill was put to use on large-scale deception schemes in the Western Desert, including a dummy railhead and a dummy port.
Biography
Early work
Pusey began his career working in an architect's office in 1925. In 1930 he became an art director at British & Dominions Film Corporation.Carrick, 1947.
Pusey was fortunate to be able to work as assistant art director with
Vincent Korda
Vincent Korda (22 June 1897 – 4 January 1979) was a Hungarian-born art director, later settling in Britain. Born in Túrkeve in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he was the younger brother of Alexander and Zoltan Korda. He was no ...
's 1936 film ''Things to Come'', which predicted a German invasion of Poland in 1940 and the bombing of a London-like city, as well as ''Four Feathers'' and ''The Drum''. He worked as set designer for films including ''Land Without Music'' and ''The Challenge''.
Wartime camouflage and film
Pusey made creative contributions to major camouflage and deception schemes in the Western Desert, collaborating closely with
Steven Sykes
Steven Robert Sykes (born 5 August 1984 in Middelburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing for in the French Top14. His regular position is lock.
Career
Youth
While still at school, Sykes r ...
. He worked on the camouflage for the dummy railhead, a deception for
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during the Second World War by the British Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) against the Axis forces (Ge ...
. He also worked on the dummy port at Ras el Hillal. According to
Geoffrey Barkas
Geoffrey Barkas (born Geoffrey de Gruchy Barkas, 27 August 1896 – 3 September 1979) was an English film maker active between the world wars.
Barkas led the British Middle East Command Camouflage Directorate in the Second World War. His larges ...
, Pusey was ideal for the job, as he was "round-faced, amiably beaming, full of ideas and approaching them in a very methodical fashion". He and Sykes worked out and put into practice a plan to make the wrecked port appear serviceable. They used a very large painted canvas, with some skilful scene painting by Pusey, to make a destroyed tunnel appear to have been repaired, and the ruined jetty to be in use. They built dummy oil storage tanks, stores, vehicles, camps and tracks.
Pusey became head of production in the SEAC Film Unit during the war.
Postwar TV and film
After the war, Pusey travelled up the River Amazon in Brazil for ''End of the River'' in 1946.
He worked as production designer on TV series including ''Callan'', ''Special Branch'', and ''The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes''.
Filmography
Pusey worked as art director or production designer between 1932 and 1976 on films and TV programs including:
* Good Night Vienna (1932)
* ''
Up for the Derby
''Up for the Derby'' is a 1933 British sports comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Sydney Howard, Dorothy Bartlam and Tom Helmore. The screenplay concerns a tramp who unexpectedly gains money.
It was made at British and Dominion ...
'' (1933)
* ''
Southern Roses
''Southern Roses'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring George Robey, Gina Malo and Chili Bouchier. It was shot at Denham Studios.Wood p.92 The film's sets were designed by the art director Frederick ...
'' (1936)
* The Shape of Things to Come (
Vincent Korda
Vincent Korda (22 June 1897 – 4 January 1979) was a Hungarian-born art director, later settling in Britain. Born in Túrkeve in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he was the younger brother of Alexander and Zoltan Korda. He was no ...
, 1936)
* Four Feathers (Vincent Korda)
* The Drum (Vincent Korda)
* Spy in Black (Michael Powell)
* Q-Planes (Michael Powell, 1939)
* Farewell Again (1937)
* The Thief of Bagdad (
Alexander Korda
Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Time Out: Fred Pusey - films /ref>
* '' Prelude to Fame'' (1950)
* Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951)
* The Pickwick Papers (1952)
* Our Girl Friday (1953)