Mervyn LeRoy was born into a family that was devastated by the great San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906. He and his father managed to survive, but lost everything they had. To make ends meet, LeRoy sold newspapers and entered talent contests as a singer. He eventually entered vaudeville, performing as "LeRoy and Cooper--Two Kids and a Piano" before joining his cousin, Jesse L. Lasky, in Hollywood.
LeRoy began his career in the film industry by working in the costume department, film lab, and as a camera assistant before becoming a comedy gag writer and part-time actor in silent films. He eventually transitioned to directing, making his debut with "No Place to Go" in 1927. He quickly gained a reputation as a talented director, earning the nickname "The Boy Wonder" of Warner Bros. with hits like "Harold Teen" and "Naughty Baby".
During the 1930s, LeRoy continued to direct a wide range of films, including the gangster classic "Little Caesar" and the social drama "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang". He also produced and partly directed the classic "The Wizard of Oz", although it was not initially well-received at the box office.
LeRoy continued to direct and produce films throughout the 1940s and 1950s, including hits like "Johnny Eager", "Random Harvest", and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo". He also formed his own production company and produced and directed films based on successful stage plays.
LeRoy's output declined in the 1960s, and he took a working retirement in 1965. He remained involved in the film industry, but his last directorial effort was assisting John Wayne on "The Green Berets" in 1968. He died in 1987 without ever winning an Oscar for Best Director, despite his many successes in the industry.
