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Mervyn LeRoy
Directing

Mervyn LeRoy
Known For
Directing
Birthday
1900-10-15,San Francisco, California, USA
Gender
Male
Biography
Mervyn LeRoy was an American film director, producer, and sometime actor. LeRoy worked in costumes, processing labs and as a camera assistant until he became a gag writer and actor in silent films, including The Ten Commandments in 1923. LeRoy credits Ten Commandments director, Cecil B. DeMille, for inspiring him to become a director: "As the top director of the era, DeMille had been the magnet that had drawn me to his set as often as I could go." LeRoy also credits DeMille for teaching him the directing techniques required to make his own films. His first directing job was with First National Pictures on 1927's No Place to Go. LeRoy ended up working at Warner Bros. after they took control of First National. When his movies made lots of money without costing too much, he became well received in the movie business. He directed two key films which launched Edward G. Robinson into major stardom, the Oscar-nominated critique of tabloid journalism Five Star Final, and the classic gangster film Little Caesar, which made his mark. From that point forward, LeRoy would be responsible for a diverse variety of films as a director and producer. The following year's I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang was also nominated for the Academy Award for Outstanding Production as was his Anthony Adverse. In 1938 he was chosen as head of production at MGM, where he was responsible for the decision to make The Wizard of Oz. He was responsible for discovering Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Robert Mitchum, and Lana Turner. His 1941 film Blossoms in the Dust was nominated for the Academy Award for Outstanding Motion Picture. His first big hit as a director with MGM was 1942's Random Harvest which was their biggest of the season earning worldwide rentals of $8 million and for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Directing. The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Outstanding Motion Picture. He hit big again two years later with Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo with rentals of $6 million. In 1951, he scored his biggest hit with Quo Vadis earning worldwide rentals of $21 million as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture. In the early 1950s, LeRoy directed such musicals as Lovely to Look At, Million Dollar Mermaid, Latin Lovers and Rose Marie. He returned to Warner Brothers in 1955, where he took over from John Ford as director on Mister Roberts, another big hit, which was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture. He also directed films for Warners such as The Bad Seed, No Time for Sergeants, The FBI Story, and Gypsy. He received an honorary Oscar in 1946 for The House I Live In, "for tolerance short subject", and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1976. A total of eight movies Mervyn LeRoy directed or co-directed were nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, one of the highest numbers among all directors.

Filmography

The Making of a Great Motion Picture

6.667

The Making of a Great Motion Picture
1936-04-15

The Making of the Wizard of Oz

7.5

The Making of the Wizard of Oz
1979-01-01

The Chorus Lady

7

The Chorus Lady
1924-11-23

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

7

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983-02-25

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

6

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006-03-21

Broadway After Dark

10

Broadway After Dark
1924-05-19

My American Wife

10

My American Wife
1922-12-31

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

6.5

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
1940-07-31

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

8.2

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988-10-01

Rome, the Eternal City

0

Rome, the Eternal City
1951-01-21

9

Going Up
1923-09-30

Prodigal Daughters

3.333

Prodigal Daughters
1923-04-15

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

6.5

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987-03-13

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic

8.3

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic
1990-02-20

Little Johnny Jones

8

Little Johnny Jones
1923-08-12

The Call of the Canyon

7

The Call of the Canyon
1923-12-16

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story

8.5

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008-05-15

You Can't Fool a Camera

6

You Can't Fool a Camera
1941-05-23

Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady

6

Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
1982-08-16

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

7.5

Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957-07-29

This Is Your Life

6.5

This Is Your Life
1952-10-01

The Ed Sullivan Show

6.848

The Ed Sullivan Show
1948-06-20