Film director Annakin dies at 94

Annakin's many films include Call of the Wild and Monte Carlo or Bust

British film director Ken Annakin, best known for his war movies The Longest Day and The Battle of the Bulge, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 94.

According to daughter Deborah Peters, the film-maker had been in ill health since having a heart attack and stroke within a day of each other in February.

Born in 1914, he began by making propaganda films during World War II.

His other well-known features include Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines and Swiss Family Robinson.

Robert Wagner, who worked with Annakin on 1968's The Biggest Bundle of Them All, described him as someone who "just loved the movies".

Ken was an important part of the Disney legacy Roy Disney

"He had a tremendous curiosity," he told the Los Angeles Times. "Up until the end of his life, he was still involved with the intrigue and the romance of making movies."

His daughter added he was "still trying to get films made" at the time of his death.

"He was absolutely fine, other than old age," she is quoted as saying. "I don't think anybody like that ever really stops."

Swiss Family Robinson was once of several films Annakin made for Walt Disney over the course of his five-decade career.

His nephew Roy described the director as "an important part of the Disney legacy [who] made several memorable films for my uncle Walt."

The British-born director also made several pictures for Walt Disney (right)

Annakin never won an Oscar but was honoured with an OBE in 2002 for services to drama.

He was also indirectly honoured by his friend George Lucas, who named the Star Wars character Anakin Skywalker after him.

Annakin died on Wednesday, the same day as British cinematographer and director Jack Cardiff.

The two worked together on 1979 film The Fifth Musketeer, also known as Behind the Iron Mask.

In addition to The Longest Day, Annakin also made a number of films with actor Richard Todd.

These include The Story of Robin Hood in 1952 and The Sword and the Rose in 1953.