Clive Donner, the British film director whose movies helped set the tone for the swinging sixties, died yesterday at the age of 84, his family said.

He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and died in London. Mr Donner’s career began at Pinewood Studios outside London when he was 15, his cousin Gavin Asher said.

“One of the things he was most proud of was what he did for the careers of quite a lot of British actors including Alan Bates, David Hemmings and Ian McKellen,” he said.

“A lot of them went on to eclipse his fame and success but he was very giving in that sense.”

Mr Donner directed Nothing But The Best, a 1964 comedy featuring Mr Bates and Denholm Elliott. He also directed the 1965 comedy What’s New Pussycat?, starring Peter ­Sellers.