{
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  "@id": "https://www.screensearch.co.uk/person/106629/david-macdonald",
  "name": "David MacDonald",
  "url": "https://www.screensearch.co.uk/person/106629/david-macdonald",
  "knownForDepartment": "Directing",
  "description": "David MacDonald (9 May 1904 in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire – 22 June 1983 in London) was a Scottish film director, writer and producer.\n\nMacDonald was the son of a wealthy landowner. His intention was to become a doctor but changed his mind and aged 17 went to Malaya to work on a rubber plantation for seven and a half years. When he had leave to return to Scotland, he travelled via Hollywood and became interested in filmmaking. He returned to Malaya and worked at a plantation in Kedah. According to one story, while in Malaya he met Douglas Fairbanks who encouraged MacDonald to try his luck in Hollywood.\n\nMacDonald broke into Hollywood by getting a job as technical adviser on a film Prestige. After that he was out of work for nine months.\n\nHe eventually gained a job working for Cecil B. DeMille. MacDonald worked as DeMille's assistant on The Sign of the Cross (1932), Four Frightened People (1934), Cleopatra (also 1934) and The Crusades (1935). He worked on Lives of a Bengal Lancer (also 1935) with Henry Hathaway. He also worked for King Vidor and Raoul Walsh. He returned to England with Walsh when the latter came to direct O.H.M.S. (1937) and elected to stay.",
  "birthDate": "1904-05-09",
  "deathDate": "1983-06-22",
  "birthPlace": "Helensburgh, Scotland, UK",
  "alternateName": [
    " David Macdonald"
  ],
  "sameAs": [
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  "lastVerified": "3 May 2026",
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      "tmdbId": 12025,
      "title": "Interpol Calling",
      "year": "1959",
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      "tmdbId": 21149,
      "title": "The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel",
      "year": "1955",
      "role": "Director",
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      "voteAverage": 8,
      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/8Ursq4oLL5kTvMxLIuBWi9hqWhs.jpg",
      "screenSearchUrl": "https://www.screensearch.co.uk/watch/tv/21149/the-adventures-of-the-scarlet-pimpernel-1955"
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      "title": "Mark Saber",
      "year": "1954",
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      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/xfbwSsRVSuCXTX3XTK3volQ3w7O.jpg",
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      "tmdbId": 12073,
      "title": "The Count of Monte Cristo",
      "year": "1956",
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      "title": "Ivanhoe",
      "year": "1958",
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      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/zIgn09X0tY9RzJGDMnDSnaBuUHk.jpg",
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      "tmdbId": 295749,
      "title": "Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!",
      "year": "1957",
      "role": "Director",
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      "voteAverage": 9,
      "posterUrl": null,
      "screenSearchUrl": "https://www.screensearch.co.uk/watch/tv/295749/overseas-press-club-exclusive-1957"
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      "title": "Cleopatra",
      "year": "1934",
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      "title": "Big Brown Eyes",
      "year": "1936",
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      "title": "Rulers of the Sea",
      "year": "1939",
      "role": "as Clerk (Uncredited)",
      "roleKind": "cast",
      "voteAverage": 6.667,
      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/nftJiz1CtaBs9lJyhUdxlOVVUSa.jpg",
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      "title": "The Moonraker",
      "year": "1958",
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      "tmdbId": 24212,
      "title": "Devil Girl from Mars",
      "year": "1954",
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      "title": "The Bad Lord Byron",
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      "title": "Good-Time Girl",
      "year": "1948",
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      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/aTRhDw4nTn8LJV0yxiJdEhKT1KK.jpg",
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      "title": "Our Mother's House",
      "year": "1967",
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      "title": "Christopher Columbus",
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      "title": "Cairo Road",
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      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/hxs4bvOKWUONABpMcBe08EIIUOg.jpg",
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      "title": "The Big Frame",
      "year": "1952",
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      "voteAverage": 4.5,
      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/A7JgOVD7x0D3gy6yhz1vrQcTRuA.jpg",
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      "title": "This England",
      "year": "1941",
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      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/8tjQKd2WYNFTDkerrudxSXmdwYa.jpg",
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      "title": "The Brothers",
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      "voteAverage": 5.389,
      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/8KVYaahnTplVeWxEDlxaLF6qcD.jpg",
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      "title": "Tread Softly",
      "year": "1952",
      "role": "Director",
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      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/qaMFqPytSpZ5qhTeh6QTHmFJELu.jpg",
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      "title": "Petticoat Pirates",
      "year": "1961",
      "role": "Director",
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      "voteAverage": 6.625,
      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/xidH2dc3tGd2wXGI0F23SdQKJXt.jpg",
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      "title": "Diamond City",
      "year": "1949",
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      "title": "Snowbound",
      "year": "1948",
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      "voteAverage": 6.1,
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      "tmdbId": 259526,
      "title": "This Man Is News",
      "year": "1938",
      "role": "Director",
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      "voteAverage": 5.333,
      "posterUrl": "https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/8aZyxvBCX8Tx5W1qaqdL7tBGt1s.jpg",
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}