Mervyn LeRoy

Born: 1900-10-15

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.


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Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2015-08-27

A personal and captivating account of the extraordinary life and work of Ingrid Bergman...

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Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 1983-02-25

Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas,...

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1990-02-20

Documentary about the making of the 1939 MGM classic film The Wizard of Oz. Includes interviews...

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The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-10-01

This documentary revisits the making of Gone with the Wind via archival footage, screen tests,...

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James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-11-22

Documentary about James Stewart's long career as an actor and positive personal life.

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You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2008-05-15

Jack L. Warner, Harry Warner, Albert Warner and Sam Warner were siblings who were born in Poland...

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Broadway After Dark

as Carl Fisher
Released: 1924-05-19

Ralph Norton, man-about-town and wealthy favorite in Broadway society circles, is attracted to...

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42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2006-03-21

Making-of documentary about the 1933 musical, 42nd Street.

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Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

as Self
Released: 1940-07-31

This 1940 presentation features highlights of earlier (1928 onward) Oscar ceremonies including...

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Hollywood, la vie rêvée de Lana Turner

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2019-05-22

Portrait of Julia Jean Turner, from her childhood to her rise of fame as Lana Turner, to her...

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Prodigal Daughters

as Newsboy
Released: 1923-04-15

Elinor "Swifty" Forbes and her younger sister Marjory are the carefree daughters of wealthy J....

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Little Johnny Jones

as George Nelson, Jockey
Released: 1923-08-12

Jockey Johnny Jones is hired to ride The Earl of Bloomsburg's horse at the English Derby....

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The Call of the Canyon

as Jack Rawlins
Released: 1923-12-16

Returning from World War I, Glenn Kilbourne travels to Arizona to regain his health. He meets a...

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The Making of the Wizard of Oz

as Self
Released: 1979-01-01

The time was 1938. The place, Hollywood. This is the story of one of the 456 films made that...

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My American Wife

as Extra
Released: 1922-12-31

A 1922 film.

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The Chorus Lady

as Duke (the jockey)
Released: 1924-11-23

When her latest show closes, Pat O'Brien returns home. The stable owned by her fiancé, Dan...

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The Making of a Great Motion Picture

as uncredited
Released: 1936-04-15

Narrated documentary of the making of Anthony Adverse (1936), featuring many clips from the...

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Going Up

as The Bellboy
Released: 1923-09-30

Going Up (1923)

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Rome, the Eternal City

as Self
Released: 1951-01-21

A Traveltalk style documentary look at Rome.

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The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self
First aired: 1948-06-20

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June...

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This Is Your Life

as Self
First aired: 1952-10-01

This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally...

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