Alan Maley was born in England and attended Reigate College of Art. He went to work in the British film industry, where he served a five-year apprenticeship, beginning as an assistant sign painter.
During the '50s used to work as a freelance scenic and matte artist at Shepperton and Pinewood Studios. He made some matte works for Wally Veevers during the sixties. Among his favorite shots was the final scene in "Dr. Strangelove," a Stanley Kubrick film in which actor Slim Pickens rides a nuclear bomb to his doom. Maley's career included associations with film figures such as John Huston, on "Moulin Rouge" and "Beat the Devil." Maley was at the scenic and matte painting unit under Peter Ellenshaw for the Disney movie In search of castaways (1962) filmed at Pinewood Studios. Ellenshaw was very happy with him and some years latter Maley went to the USA to work at Disney matte department under Ellenshaw at 1966. He became head of the matte team in the seventies until his retirement from Disney at 1975. He went back shortly to matte paintings at the '80s to be matte painting supervisor at ILM. He also was known as a painter and exhibited impressionistic oils and Victorian-era scenes. He established Past Impressions, a business in Belvedere, to sell lithographs of the latter pieces.
Alan Maley working on a painting from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Filmography.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (ILM matte painting supervisor)
- Dragonslayer (1981) (ILM matte painting supervisor)
- Spy Who Loved Me, The (1977) (special optical effects)
- Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)(DISNEY matte artist)
- Island at the Top of the World, The (1974) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Return of the Big Cat (1974) (TV) (DISNEY matte artist)
- The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973)(DISNEY matte artist)
- Mystery on the castle of Dracula(1972)(DISNEY matte artist)
- Biscuit Eater, The (1972) (DISNEY title designer)
- Snowball Express (1972) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Scandalous John (1971) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Barefoot Executive, The (1971) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Wild Country, The (1971) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Boatniks, The (1970) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The (1970) (DISNEY title designer)
- King of the Grizzlies (1970)(DISNEY matte artist)
- Rascal (1969)(DISNEY matte artist)
- Love Bug, The (1969) (DISNEY special photographic effects)
- Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, The (1968) (DISNEY Matte artist, title designer)
- The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968) (DISNEY matte artist)
- Never a dull moment (1968)(DISNEY matte artist)
- The Happiest Millionaire (1967) (DISNEY matte artist, title designer)
- Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)(matte painter)
- Becket (1964)(matte painter)
- In Search of the Castaways (1962)(scenic artist)
- Very Important Person (1961) (scenic artist)
- Make Mine Mink (1960)(scenic artist)
- Too Many Crooks (1959)(scenic artist)
- No Highway (1951) (Assistant scenic artist)