Mervyn LeRoy
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.
Fotos
Películas (103)
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008 · Self (archive footage)
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006 · Self (archive footage)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
1990 · Self (archive footage)
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988 · Self (archive footage)
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987 · Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
1982 · Self
The Making of the Wizard of Oz
1979 · Self
Moment to Moment
1966 · Producer, Director
Mary, Mary
1963 · Director, Producer
Gypsy
1962 · Director, Producer
A Majority of One
1961 · Director, Producer
The Devil at 4 O'Clock
1961 · Director
Wake Me When It's Over
1960 · Director, Producer
The FBI Story
1959 · Director, Producer
Home Before Dark
1958 · Director
No Time for Sergeants
1958 · Director
Toward the Unknown
1956 · Director, Producer
The Bad Seed
1956 · Director, Producer
Mister Roberts
1955 · Director
Strange Lady in Town
1955 · Director, Producer
Rose Marie
1954 · Director
Latin Lovers
1953 · Director
Million Dollar Mermaid
1952 · Director
Lovely to Look At
1952 · Director
Quo Vadis
1951 · Director
Rome, the Eternal City
1951 · Self
East Side, West Side
1949 · Director
Any Number Can Play
1949 · Director
The Great Sinner
1949 · Co-Director
Little Women
1949 · Director, Producer
Homecoming
1948 · Director
Desire Me
1947 · Director
Without Reservations
1946 · Director
The House I Live In
1945 · Director, Producer
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
1944 · Director
Madame Curie
1943 · Director
You, John Jones!
1943 · Director
Random Harvest
1942 · Director
Johnny Eager
1941 · Director, Producer
Unholy Partners
1941 · Director
Blossoms in the Dust
1941 · Director, Producer
You Can't Fool a Camera
1941 · Himself
Escape
1940 · Director, Producer
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
1940 · Self
Waterloo Bridge
1940 · Director
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 · Director, Producer
The Great Garrick
1937 · Producer
Mr. Dodd Takes the Air
1937 · Producer
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
The Making of a Great Motion Picture
1936
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
Flying Romeos
1928 · Director
No Place to Go
1927 · Director
Ella Cinders
1926 · Scenario Writer
The Chorus Lady
1924 · Duke (the jockey)
Broadway After Dark
1924 · Carl Fisher
The Call of the Canyon
1923 · Jack Rawlins
Going Up
1923 · The Bellboy
Little Johnny Jones
1923 · George Nelson, Jockey
Prodigal Daughters
1923 · Newsboy
My American Wife
1922 · Extra
