- Born
- Died
- Birth nameNorman Zenos McLeod
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- Norman Z. McLeod was one of Hollywood's leading early comedy directors. Born in Grayling, Michigan, he came from a family that had no connections to show business (his father was a clergyman). He was educated at the University of Washington and spent two years as a fighter pilot in the US Army in France during World War I. He actually started out in the film business as an animator, but learned the comedy trade at the Christie Film Co., which specialized in comedy shorts. His first successful full-length film was Taking a Chance (1928) for Fox. He was one of Paramount's top directors when he shot two early films with The Marx Brothers, Monkey Business (1931) and Horse Feathers (1932), both considered among the team's best. Other memorable work from McLeod includes It's a Gift (1934) with W.C. Fields, Topper (1937) with Cary Grant and the Danny Kaye comedy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947).- IMDb Mini Biography By: MarxBrosFan
- SpouseEvelyn (Bunny) Ward(July 6, 1926 - January 26, 1964) (his death)
- Was a fighter pilot with the US Army in France during World War I.
- Directed 2 actors to Oscar nominations: Roland Young (Best Supporting Actor, Topper (1937)) and Billie Burke (Best Supporting Actress, Merrily We Live (1938)).
- Father: William Edward McLeod; Mother: Martha Ellen McKee.
- He has directed one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: It's a Gift (1934).
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