Trivia

Was close friends with James MacArthur, who co-starred in several pictures he directed. In 2008 MacArthur and Annakin hosted a special screening of Swiss Family Robinson (1960)--directed by Annakin and starring MacArthur--for a large family gathering at a film festival involving over 900 children. MacArthur visited Annakin frequently after Annakin suffered a heart attack and stroke in February 2008.

Following Annakin's death, George Lucas stated that, contrary to previous reports, he did not name the character "Anakin Skywalker" (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)) after Annakin.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.

Served with the Royal Air Force during the 1940 Battle of Britain, but was injured during the Blitz and went on to work as a camera operator making training films during the war.

Had an amazingly diverse early career, including as a trainee income tax inspector in Hull during the Depression. He held down other civil service jobs, as well as selling advertising space, working as a car salesman and prospecting for gold. He had a brief fling with journalism before joining the RAF during World War II. Invalided out, Annakin signed with Verity Films in 1942 as a camera assistant, working his way up to directing documentaries. His career really took off, when he joined Gainsborough as a feature director in 1946.

His daughter from a previous marriage, talent agent Jane Annakin, died of cancer in 1998.

He was named a Disney Legend in 2002.

He was awarded a Doctor of Letters degree from Hull University.

He has two daughters, Jane and Deborah.

In 1970 he started making the film Capri with Michael Gough, Zena Walker,Karen Dotrice and Jack Watling but finance for it ran out.

In 1970-71, he produced, directed and co-wrote an adaption of the 1969 Olivia Manning novel The Play Room, a story of adolescent lesbianism, starring Karen Dotrice, Silvia Dionisio and Mascha Gonska. The money ran out and filming was abandoned in June 1971, 5 days before completion. It was never completed or released.

He directed The Hellions (1961): the first Western genre film made in Africa, shot on location in South Africa.