Mervyn LeRoy

Directing·Oct 15, 1900·San Francisco, California, USA

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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.

Film	Credit
Moment to Moment1966 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Mary, Mary1963 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Gypsy1962 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
A Majority of One1961 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Devil at 4 O'Clock1961 · Director	Director
Wake Me When It's Over1960 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The FBI Story1959 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Home Before Dark1958 · Director	Director
No Time for Sergeants1958 · Director	Director
Toward the Unknown1956 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Bad Seed1956 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Mister Roberts1955 · Director	Director
Strange Lady in Town1955 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Rose Marie1954 · Director	Director
Latin Lovers1953 · Director	Director
Million Dollar Mermaid1952 · Director	Director
Lovely to Look At1952 · Director	Director
Quo Vadis1951 · Director	Director
East Side, West Side1949 · Director	Director
Any Number Can Play1949 · Director	Director
Little Women1949 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Homecoming1948 · Director	Director
Desire Me1947 · Director	Director
Without Reservations1946 · Director	Director
The House I Live In1945 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo1944 · Director	Director
Madame Curie1943 · Director	Director
You, John Jones!1943 · Director	Director
Random Harvest1942 · Director	Director
Johnny Eager1941 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Unholy Partners1941 · Director	Director
Blossoms in the Dust1941 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Escape1940 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Waterloo Bridge1940 · Director	Director
Fools for Scandal1938 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
They Won't Forget1937 · Director	Director
The King and the Chorus Girl1937 · Director	Director
Three Men on a Horse1936 · Director	Director
Anthony Adverse1936 · Director	Director
I Found Stella Parish1935 · Director	Director
Page Miss Glory1935 · Director	Director
Oil for the Lamps of China1935 · Director	Director
Sweet Adeline1934 · Director	Director
Happiness Ahead1934 · Director	Director
Heat Lightning1934 · Director	Director
Hi, Nellie!1934 · Director	Director
The World Changes1933 · Director	Director
Tugboat Annie1933 · Director	Director
Gold Diggers of 19331933 · Director	Director
Elmer, the Great1933 · Director	Director
Hard to Handle1933 · Director	Director
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang1932 · Director	Director
Three on a Match1932 · Director	Director
Big City Blues1932 · Director	Director
Two Seconds1932 · Director	Director
The Heart of New York1932 · Director	Director
High Pressure1932 · Director	Director
Local Boy Makes Good1931 · Director	Director
Five Star Final1931 · Director	Director
Broadminded1931 · Director	Director
Too Young to Marry1931 · Director	Director
Gentleman's Fate1931 · Director	Director
Little Caesar1931 · Director	Director
Tonight or Never1931 · Director	Director
Top Speed1930 · Director	Director
Numbered Men1930 · Director	Director
Show Girl in Hollywood1930 · Director	Director
Playing Around1930 · Director	Director
Little Johnny Jones1929 · Director	Director
Broadway Babies1929 · Director	Director
Hot Stuff1929 · Director	Director
Naughty Baby1928 · Director	Director
Oh Kay!1928 · Director	Director
Harold Teen1928 · Director	Director
Flying Romeos1928 · Director	Director
No Place to Go1927 · Director	Director