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.[1] His artistic skill was put to use on large-scale deception schemes in the Western Desert, including a dummy railhead and a dummy port.
Pusey began his career working in an architect's office in 1925. In 1930 he became an art director at British & Dominions Film Corporation.[2]
Pusey was fortunate to be able to work as assistant art director with Vincent Korda's 1936 film Things to Come, which predicted a German invasion of Poland in 1940 and the bombing of a London-like city,[3] as well as Four Feathers and The Drum. He worked as set designer for films including Land Without Music and The Challenge.[2]
Pusey made creative contributions to major camouflage and deception schemes in the Western Desert, collaborating closely with Steven Sykes. He worked on the camouflage for the dummy railhead, a deception for Operation Crusader.[4] [5] He also worked on the dummy port at Ras el Hillal. According to Geoffrey Barkas, Pusey was ideal for the job, as he was "round-faced, amiably beaming, full of ideas and approaching them in a very methodical fashion".[6] 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.[7]
Pusey became head of production in the SEAC Film Unit during the war.[2]
After the war, Pusey travelled up the River Amazon in Brazil for End of the River in 1946.[2]
He worked as production designer on TV series including Callan, Special Branch, and The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes.[8]
Pusey worked as art director or production designer between 1932 and 1976 on films and TV programs including: