Editing Mervyn LeRoy (section)

=== ''The Green Berets'' (1968): Uncredited adviser ===

LeRoy served for over five months as an uncredited adviser on the 1968 [[The Green Berets (film)|''The Green Berets'']], co-directed by [[Ray Kellogg (director)|Ray Kellogg]] and [[John Wayne]] and based on [[Robin Moore]]'s [[The Green Berets (book)|1965 collection of short stories]].<ref>McGee, 2007 TCM: "Robin Moore's collection of short stories called "The Green Berets" portrayed the crack commando unit as lawless, sadistic, and racist."</ref><ref>Whiteley, 2020: "After this, disillusioned by the increasingly youth-related movie industry, he retired from film making, apart from a brief, uncredited advisory role, helping his friend, John Wayne with his movie 'The Green Berets' in 1968."<br />Barson, 2020: "LeRoy also assisted Wayne on the Vietnam War film The Green Berets (1968) before retiring."<br />Canham, 1976 p. 167: "[LeRoy] spent five months helping John Wayne" on the film.</ref>

The studio producing ''The Green Berets,'' [[Warner Bros.-Seven Arts|Seven Arts]], after recently acquiring Warners, were concerned that Wayne's dual role as actor-director was beyond his abilities. LeRoy describes his enlistment in the project and the extent of his contribution:

{{blockquote|[[Eliot Hyman]] [head of Seven Stars operations] told me that I had a free hand with the picture. I could do anything I wanted – even close it down if I felt it should be shut down...When I got to [[Fort Benning]], Duke [Wayne] and I had a long talk and straightened out the question as to how I could help him. Then I took over and assisted Duke with the directing whenever he thought he needed me…<ref name="LeRoy and Kleiner, 1974 p. 218">LeRoy and Kleiner, 1974 p. 218</ref>}}

LeRoy added that he "was on the picture for five and a half months...I didn't do it for nothing, of course, but I wouldn't let them put my name on it, as I didn't think that would be fair to Duke." LeRoy retired from Warners-Seven Arts shortly after completing ''The Green Berets,'' representing his directorial [[swan song]].<ref name="LeRoy and Kleiner, 1974 p. 218" />

LeRoy received an [[Academy Honorary Award|honorary]] [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] in 1946 for ''[[The House I Live In (1945 film)|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 [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] at the Oscars, one of the highest numbers among all directors.

On February 8, 1960, he received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 1560 [[Vine Street]], for his contributions to the motion pictures industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/mervyn-leroy|title=Mervyn LeRoy {{!}} Hollywood Walk of Fame|website=www.walkoffame.com|access-date=June 21, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/mervyn-leroy/|title=Mervyn LeRoy|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=June 21, 2016}}</ref>