He startde his career as a teenage doi8ble act at a piano, but learnt his film trade whilst working at Famous Players–Lasky. He moved to Warner Bros and there directed his firt film No Place To Go. He then made several comedies that were vehicles for ALice White. At the time of the big three studios, Warner Bros was making the more gritty, working class films and this was epitomised in Little Caesar. This was the film that set the style for gangster films, in which the hero is the gangster. He set the idea of both condeming and glamourising crime and gangsters, that has followed in many films made afterwards. Five Star Final was an expose of the worst of tabloid journalism. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang was based on the autobiography of a man sent to a chain gang prison. The film ends with a degree of ambiguity that was one of his trademarks. Gold Diggers Of 1933 was a change of style into a light musical, whilst Anthony Adverse was a move into historical romantic drama. This was a bigger film than his previous ones and driven by the nedds of Warner Brothers as a studio. They Won't Forget was a return to social realism films and the film that made Lana Turner. Following the success of this film, he was enticed over to M-G-M by Louis B Mayer where he was head of production. It was here that he was responsible for the prouction of The Wizard of Oz. This was a film that used colour to its full at the time of only a few colour films. Waterloo Bridge, which was made in Britian, was the first of several films influenced by World War 2. Random Harvest is a bizarre story, but also considered one of the most romantic films made. It was the film that gained him his only Best Director nomination and was nominated for Best Picture. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a film based on an American air raid on Japan in the wake of the Pearl Habour attack. The film includes actual footage of the bombing of of Tokyo. Without Reservation is a slightly strange comedy with John Wayne in a comedy role. His colour version of Little Women was a faithful version of the book and was another box offce success for him. Quo Vardis was a big historical epic. One of several big spectacle Biblical / Roman epics made to combat the rise of television. This was the first of these epics made in Italy and huge sets. The Devil At 4 O'Clock is reputed to be the first disaster film. Gyspy was based on the Broaway musical about the life of Gypsy Rose Lee.
