Leslie Hurry (1909-1978) was a painter, whose work had a strong Surrealist element, and one of the most well-regarded set designers of his generation.

Born in London, he studied at St John's Wood Art School before winning a 5 year scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools. His early artistic output focused around murals, for his father's house and a chain of bars owned by a firm of brewers, before turning to landscapes. Travelling Ireland and Britain for subject matter led to his first one-man show in 1937 at the Wertheim Gallery, London, after which he lived briefly in Brittany and Paris.

In 1942 Hurry was approached by the ballet dancer, actor and choreographer Robert Helpmann to collaborate on the stage design for a production of Hamlet at Sadler's Wells. The success of this resulted in Hurry continuing to work for Sadler's Wells on set design, as well as being commissioned to work for the Old Vic, the Royal Opera House and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Upon his death in 1978, Hurry had left behind a large body of work, some of which is held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum as well as collections at Stratford upon Avon's Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Metropolitan Library in Toronto.

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