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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.
Birthday: October 15, 1900
Death: September 13, 1987

August 15, 1939

December 17, 1942

November 08, 1951

October 18, 1961

May 27, 1933

May 13, 1946

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January 25, 1931

December 09, 1941

September 12, 1956

November 09, 1932

September 26, 1931

December 04, 1952

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July 10, 1955

November 01, 1962

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November 15, 1944

October 01, 1959

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August 15, 1941

August 04, 1933

March 01, 1934

December 22, 1949

November 01, 1941

January 04, 1931

July 15, 1949

April 29, 1948

November 16, 1958

April 12, 1955

November 01, 1940

June 10, 1960

April 29, 1933

January 27, 1966

October 24, 1963

November 21, 1936

October 27, 1934

September 27, 1956

November 09, 1945

January 28, 1933

October 30, 1937

December 27, 1961

September 18, 1932

March 27, 1937

March 26, 1932

March 03, 1954

April 16, 1938

March 07, 1931

August 12, 1953

June 30, 1929

November 25, 1933

September 07, 1935

June 07, 1930

August 01, 1931

January 14, 1943

June 08, 1935

January 20, 1934

April 20, 1930

November 16, 1935

October 31, 1947

January 10, 1930

April 28, 1928

August 24, 1930

November 27, 1931

June 06, 1926

November 17, 1929

August 11, 1937

October 30, 1927

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December 16, 1928

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January 06, 1939

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August 26, 1928

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Unknown

April 15, 1936

January 01, 1979

November 23, 1924

February 25, 1983

March 21, 2006

May 19, 1924

December 31, 1922

July 31, 1940

October 01, 1988

January 21, 1951

September 30, 1923

April 15, 1923

March 13, 1987

February 20, 1990

August 12, 1923

December 16, 1923

May 15, 2008

May 23, 1941