Wallace Worsley; Retired Production Manager

Wallace Worsley, a retired motion picture and television production manager whose career spanned more than 50 years, has died at his Studio City home. He was 82.

In 1982, Worsley was the third recipient of the Directors Guild of America’s Frank Capra Achievement Award. He had served as a past president and member of the guild’s Council for Assistant Directors and Production Managers over a 25-year period.

He died Tuesday of heart failure, said his wife, Sue Dwiggins.

Born in Fort Wayne, Ind., Worsley was the son of silent film director Wallace Worsley, who directed “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923) with Lon Chaney. The younger Worsley began working for MGM in 1933, first as a script clerk on films including “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) and later as assistant director on several Arthur Freed musicals including “Easter Parade” (1948).

During the 1950s, Worsley worked in Europe as director of television projects such as “Flash Gordon” and “Orient Express.” He later produced documentaries for the U.S. Information Agency. He returned to Hollywood in 1961 and joined Universal Studios, where he worked as a production manager on films such as “Topaz” (1969), “Earthquake!” (1974) and “E.T.” (1982). Worsley also worked for Warner Bros. and on the 1979 Paramount Pictures television miniseries “Shogun,” for which he won a Directors Guild of America production award. His last film credit was as production manager on “Night Mother” (1986), but he continued to work as a consultant.

Worsley was also an active trustee of the Guild’s Educational and Benevolent Foundation and helped found the Assn. of Motion Picture & Television Producers/Directors Guild of America apprenticeship program in 1963.

He is survived by his wife of 19 years; son Christopher Worsley of Washington, D.C.; daughter Julie Goforth of Northridge; stepson Don Dwiggins of Northridge; stepdaughter Toni Williams of Cupertino, Calif.; two grandchildren; four step-grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

No formal services are planned, but a Directors Guild memorial service is pending. Forest Lawn Mortuary in Glendale is handling the arrangements. Donations can be made in Worsley’s name to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.