Weekly Movie Challenge

Mervyn LeRoy

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.

Actor

The Chorus Lady

1924

as Duke (the jockey)

Broadway After Dark

1924

as Carl Fisher

The Call of the Canyon

1923

as Jack Rawlins

Going Up

1923

as The Bellboy

Little Johnny Jones

1923

as George Nelson, Jockey

Prodigal Daughters

1923

as Newsboy

My American Wife

1922

as Extra

Documentaries

Hollywood, la vie rêvée de Lana Turner

2019

as Self (archive footage)

Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words

2015

as Self (archive footage)

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story

2008

as Self (archive footage)

42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

2006

as Self (archive footage)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic

1990

as Self (archive footage)

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

1988

as Self (archive footage)

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

1988

as Self (archive footage)

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

1983

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Making of the Wizard of Oz

1979

as Self

Rome, the Eternal City

1951

as Self

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

1940

as Self

The Making of a Great Motion Picture

1936

Directing

Moment to Moment

1966

Director

Mary, Mary

1963

Director

Gypsy

1962

Director

A Majority of One

1961

Director

The Devil at 4 O'Clock

1961

Director

Wake Me When It's Over

1960

Director

The FBI Story

1959

Director

Home Before Dark

1958

Director

No Time for Sergeants

1958

Director

Toward the Unknown

1956

Director

The Bad Seed

1956

Director

Mister Roberts

1955

Director

Strange Lady in Town

1955

Director

Rose Marie

1954

Director

Latin Lovers

1953

Director

Million Dollar Mermaid

1952

Director

Lovely to Look At

1952

Director

Quo Vadis

1951

Director

East Side, West Side

1949

Director

Any Number Can Play

1949

Director

The Great Sinner

1949

Co-Director

Little Women

1949

Director

Homecoming

1948

Director

Desire Me

1947

Director

Without Reservations

1946

Director

The House I Live In

1945

Director

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

1944

Director

Madame Curie

1943

Director

You, John Jones!

1943

Director

Random Harvest

1942

Director

Johnny Eager

1941

Director

Unholy Partners

1941

Director

Blossoms in the Dust

1941

Director

Escape

1940

Director

Waterloo Bridge

1940

Director

The Wizard of Oz

1939

Second Unit Director

Fools for Scandal

1938

Director

They Won't Forget

1937

Director

The King and the Chorus Girl

1937

Director

Three Men on a Horse

1936

Director

Anthony Adverse

1936

Director

I Found Stella Parish

1935

Director

Page Miss Glory

1935

Director

Oil for the Lamps of China

1935

Director

Sweet Adeline

1934

Director

Happiness Ahead

1934

Director

Heat Lightning

1934

Director

Hi, Nellie!

1934

Director

The World Changes

1933

Director

Tugboat Annie

1933

Director

Gold Diggers of 1933

1933

Director

Elmer, the Great

1933

Director

Hard to Handle

1933

Director

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

1932

Director

Three on a Match

1932

Director

Big City Blues

1932

Director

Two Seconds

1932

Director

The Heart of New York

1932

Director

High Pressure

1932

Director

Local Boy Makes Good

1931

Director

Five Star Final

1931

Director

Broadminded

1931

Director

Too Young to Marry

1931

Director

Gentleman's Fate

1931

Director

Little Caesar

1931

Director

Tonight or Never

1931

Director

Top Speed

1930

Director

Numbered Men

1930

Director

Show Girl in Hollywood

1930

Director

Playing Around

1930

Director

Little Johnny Jones

1929

Director

Broadway Babies

1929

Director

Hot Stuff

1929

Director

Naughty Baby

1928

Director

Oh Kay!

1928

Director

Harold Teen

1928

Director

No Place to Go

1927

Director

Production

Moment to Moment

1966

Producer

Mary, Mary

1963

Producer

Gypsy

1962

Producer

A Majority of One

1961

Producer

Wake Me When It's Over

1960

Producer

The FBI Story

1959

Producer

Toward the Unknown

1956

Producer

The Bad Seed

1956

Producer

Strange Lady in Town

1955

Producer

Little Women

1949

Producer

The House I Live In

1945

Producer

Johnny Eager

1941

Producer

Blossoms in the Dust

1941

Producer

Escape

1940

Producer

At the Circus

1939

Producer

The Wizard of Oz

1939

Producer

Stand Up and Fight

1939

Producer

Dramatic School

1938

Producer

Fools for Scandal

1938

Producer

The Great Garrick

1937

Producer

Mr. Dodd Takes the Air

1937

Producer

Mervyn LeRoy

Actor

Videos

Documentaries

Directing

Production

Writing