Mervyn LeRoy

Mervyn LeRoy (October 15, 1900 - September 13, 1987) was an American film director, producer and sometime actor. Born in San Francisco, California, his family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake. To make money, young Mervyn sold newspapers and entered talent shows as a singer. Through this he worked his way into vaudeville. When his act broke up, he and his cousin, Jesse Lasky, went to Hollywood.

Related Topics:
October 15 - 1900 - September 13 - 1987 - San Francisco, California - 1906 - Earthquake - Newspaper - Vaudeville - Jesse Lasky - Hollywood

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LeRoy worked in costumes, processing labs and as a camera assistant until he became a gag writer and actor in silent films. His first directing job was in 1927's No Place to Go. When his movies made lots of money without costing too much, he became well-received in the movie business.

Related Topics:
Silent film - 1927 - No Place to Go

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In 1930 he directed the gangster epic Little Caesar, and his career was made. In 1938 he was chosen as head of production at MGM. It was his doing that the studio made The Wizard of Oz. He was responsible for discovering Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Robert Mitchum and Lana Turner.

Related Topics:
1930 - Little Caesar - 1938 - MGM - The Wizard of Oz - Clark Gable - Loretta Young - Robert Mitchum - Lana Turner

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In the 1950s LeRoy directed such musicals as Lovely to Look At, Million Dollar Mermaid, Latin Lovers and Rose Marie. He moved to Warner Brothers, where he was responsible for such famous films as Mister Roberts, The Bad Seed, No Time for Sergeants, The FBI Story and Gypsy.

Related Topics:
1950s - Lovely to Look At - Million Dollar Mermaid - Latin Lovers - Rose Marie - Warner Brothers - Mister Roberts - The Bad Seed - No Time for Sergeants - The FBI Story - Gypsy

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He was nominated in 1943 for Best Director for Random Harvest. and also in 1940 as the producer of The Wizard of Oz. In addition, 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.

Related Topics:
1943 - Best Director - Random Harvest - 1940 - The Wizard of Oz - Oscar - 1946 - The House I Live In - The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award - 1976

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LeRoy retired in 1965 and wrote his autobiography, Take One, in 1974. He died in Beverly Hills, California and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street.

Related Topics:
1965 - 1974 - Beverly Hills, California - Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery - Glendale, California - Hollywood Walk of Fame

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