
About
Mervyn LeRoy
Overview
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.
Known for
Acting |
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2019 | Hollywood, la vie rêvée de Lana Turner | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2015 | Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 60 Fair |
2008 | You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2006 | 42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
1990 | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
1988 | James Stewart: A Wonderful Life | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
1988 | The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
1983 | Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Actor | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 59 Average |
1979 | The Making of the Wizard of Oz | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1951 | Rome, the Eternal City | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1940 | Cavalcade of the Academy Awards | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
1936 | The Making of a Great Motion Picture | Actor | 59 Average |
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1924 | The Chorus Lady | Actor | Duke (the jockey) | N/A N/A |
1924 | Broadway After Dark | Actor | Carl Fisher | N/A N/A |
1923 | The Call of the Canyon | Actor | Jack Rawlins | N/A N/A |
1923 | Going Up | Actor | The Bellboy | N/A N/A |
1923 | Little Johnny Jones | Actor | George Nelson, Jockey | N/A N/A |
1923 | Prodigal Daughters | Actor | Newsboy | 58 Average |
1922 | My American Wife | Actor | Extra | N/A N/A |
Directing |
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1966 | Moment to Moment | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1963 | Mary, Mary | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1962 | Gypsy | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1961 | A Majority of One | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1961 | The Devil at 4 O'Clock | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1960 | Wake Me When It's Over | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1959 | The FBI Story | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1958 | Home Before Dark | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1958 | No Time for Sergeants | Directing | Director | 60 Fair |
1956 | Toward the Unknown | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1956 | The Bad Seed | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
1955 | Mister Roberts | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1955 | Strange Lady in Town | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1954 | Rose Marie | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1953 | Latin Lovers | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1952 | Million Dollar Mermaid | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1952 | Lovely to Look At | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1951 | Quo Vadis | Directing | Director | 64 Fair |
1949 | East Side, West Side | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1949 | Any Number Can Play | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1949 | The Great Sinner | Directing | Co-Director | 59 Average |
1949 | Little Women | Directing | Director | 63 Fair |
1948 | Homecoming | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1947 | Desire Me | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1946 | Without Reservations | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1945 | The House I Live In | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1944 | Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1943 | Madame Curie | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1943 | You, John Jones! | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1942 | Random Harvest | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1941 | Johnny Eager | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1941 | Unholy Partners | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1941 | Blossoms in the Dust | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1940 | Escape | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1940 | Waterloo Bridge | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
1938 | Fools for Scandal | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1937 | They Won't Forget | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1937 | The King and the Chorus Girl | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1936 | Three Men on a Horse | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1936 | Anthony Adverse | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1935 | I Found Stella Parish | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1935 | Page Miss Glory | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1935 | Oil for the Lamps of China | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1934 | Sweet Adeline | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1934 | Happiness Ahead | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1934 | Heat Lightning | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1934 | Hi, Nellie! | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1933 | The World Changes | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1933 | Tugboat Annie | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1933 | Gold Diggers of 1933 | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1933 | Elmer, the Great | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1933 | Hard to Handle | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1932 | I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang | Directing | Director | 64 Fair |
1932 | Three on a Match | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1932 | Big City Blues | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1932 | Two Seconds | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1932 | The Heart of New York | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1932 | High Pressure | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1931 | Local Boy Makes Good | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1931 | Five Star Final | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1931 | Broadminded | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1931 | Too Young to Marry | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1931 | Gentleman's Fate | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1931 | Little Caesar | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
1931 | Tonight or Never | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1930 | Top Speed | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1930 | Numbered Men | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1930 | Show Girl in Hollywood | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1930 | Playing Around | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1929 | Little Johnny Jones | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1929 | Broadway Babies | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1929 | Hot Stuff | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1928 | Naughty Baby | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1928 | Oh Kay! | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1928 | Harold Teen | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1927 | No Place to Go | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
Writing |
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1926 | Ella Cinders | Writing | Scenario Writer | 59 Average |
Production |
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1966 | Moment to Moment | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1963 | Mary, Mary | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1962 | Gypsy | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1961 | A Majority of One | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1960 | Wake Me When It's Over | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1959 | The FBI Story | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1956 | Toward the Unknown | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1956 | The Bad Seed | Production | Producer | 62 Fair |
1955 | Strange Lady in Town | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1949 | Little Women | Production | Producer | 63 Fair |
1945 | The House I Live In | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1941 | Johnny Eager | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1941 | Blossoms in the Dust | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1940 | Escape | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1939 | At the Circus | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1939 | The Wizard of Oz | Production | Producer | 74 Good |
1939 | Stand Up and Fight | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1938 | Dramatic School | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1938 | Fools for Scandal | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1937 | The Great Garrick | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1937 | Mr. Dodd Takes the Air | Production | Producer | 58 Average |