Phyllis Dalton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phyllis Dalton MBE
in 1967
Born	Phyllis Margaret Dalton (1925-10-16)16 October 1925 Chiswick, Middlesex, England
Died	9 January 2025(2025-01-09) (aged 99) Somerset, England
Occupation	Costume designer
Years active	1951–1993
Spouse(s)	James Whiteley ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1976)​ Christopher Synge Barton

Phyllis Margaret Dalton was a very talented British costume designer. She was born on October 16, 1925, and passed away on January 9, 2025. Phyllis Dalton won many important awards for her work. These include two Academy Awards (also known as Oscars), a BAFTA Award, and an Emmy Award.

She was well-known for working with famous directors like David Lean, Carol Reed, Rob Reiner, and Kenneth Branagh. She was nominated for the Best Costume Design Oscar three times. She won twice for the movies Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Henry V (1989). She also won a BAFTA Award for The Hireling (1973).

Phyllis Dalton's Early Life

Phyllis Dalton was born in Chiswick, England, on October 16, 1925. When she was a teenager, she studied at the Ealing School of Art. During World War II, she trained to be a "Wren" (a member of the Women's Royal Naval Service). She worked at Bletchley Park, a secret place where codes were broken. She later said this work was "unbelievably boring."

Her Amazing Career in Film

In 1946, after the war, Phyllis Dalton's grandmother helped her enter a competition at Vogue Magazine. She won a chance to work as an assistant in the costume department at Gainsborough Studios. There, she started her career on films like A Christmas Carol (1951), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and Anastasia (1956).

Dalton became famous for her costume work in the late 1950s. She designed costumes for movies such as Island in the Sun (1957) and Our Man in Havana (1959).

Her most famous work was with director David Lean. She designed costumes for his highly praised films: Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 and Dr. Zhivago in 1965. She won her first Oscar for Dr. Zhivago. For this movie, Phyllis Dalton and her team created 3,000 individual costumes. They also put together 35,000 clothing items for the extra actors.

The main characters, Zhivago and Lara, each had about 90 different costume combinations. Other important characters had about 15 costume changes each. This was before computers could create images (CGI). By the end of filming, the costume department had used a huge amount of materials. They used 984 yards of fabric, 300,000 yards of thread, 1 million buttons, and 7,000 safety pins!

Peter O'Toole in one of Dalton's famous costumes for Lawrence of Arabia (1962). This is the sheikh's white robes and keffiyeh given to him by Sherif Ali.

Julie Christie in one of Dalton's award-winning designs for Dr. Zhivago (1965).

Dalton's costumes for Montoya, Buttercup, and Westley from The Princess Bride (1987) on display at the EMP Museum, Seattle.

Phyllis Dalton designed costumes for over forty films in total. Other well-known movies include Lord Jim (1965), Oliver! (1968), and The Princess Bride (1987). Many famous actors wore her designs, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, Robin Williams, Keanu Reeves, Denzel Washington, and Michael Palin.

Her work also included films like Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953), John Paul Jones (1959), and The World of Suzie Wong (1960). Her last credited work was Much Ado About Nothing in 1993. In 2012, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held a special event to celebrate her amazing contributions to British cinema.

Her Personal Life

Phyllis Dalton was married twice. Her first marriage was to theatre producer James Whiteley in 1969, and they divorced in 1976. She then married Christopher Synge Barton and became a stepmother to his son. Phyllis Dalton lived in Somerset, England. She passed away at home on January 9, 2025, at the age of 99.

Filmography

Film Work

Television Work

Awards and Nominations

Other Recognitions

• Phyllis Dalton was honored with the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2002. This award recognized her great service to the film industry.