Mervyn LeRoy

Mervyn LeRoy (October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director, film producer and occasional actor.

Early life

LeRoy was born in San Francisco, to Jewish parents Edna (née Armer) and Harry LeRoy. His family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake. (His paternal grandfather owned a successful San Francisco department store that was destroyed in the quake; the store was heavily insured, but the insurance company went bankrupt in the aftermath of the 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.

Career

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.