About

Known credits:
117
Birthday:
1900-10-15
Place of birth:
San Francisco, California, USA
Website:
N/A

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
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
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
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
1926 Ella Cinders Writing Scenario Writer 59
Average

Production
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