He started in the film industry at age 17, working at Pinewood Studios as "a thirty bob a week office boy".
‘’The British B Film’’ (Steve Chibnall & Brian McFarlane; BFI, 2009) credits him with working on over thirty musical shorts and a handful of jazz/pop supporting featurettes.
Hickox was meant to follow it with A Mouthful of Gold with Nicol Williamson and The Italian Girl by Iris Murdoch but neither was made.
"[3] Over the next ten years, he developed a reputation for the wit and style of his direction, and for his taut action sequences.
His work includes Les Bicyclettes de Belsize (1968), Entertaining Mr Sloane (1970), Sitting Target (1972), Theatre of Blood (1973), Brannigan (1975), Sky Riders (1976) and Zulu Dawn (1979).
After his death, his third wife Annabel approached the Raindance Film Festival with an annual bequest from Douglas' estate.