William LeBaron

William LeBaron
LeBaron c. 1919
Born	(1883-02-16)February 16, 1883 Elgin, Illinois
Died	February 9, 1958(1958-02-09) (aged 74) Santa Monica, California
Occupation(s)	Film producer, playwright, screen writer, lyricist
Years active	1920–1947
Spouse	Mabel Hollins

William LeBaron (February 16, 1883 – February 9, 1958) was an American film producer, lyricist, librettist, playwright, and screenwriter.

LeBaron authored several plays for Broadway; including the books and lyrics for several musicals in addition to non-musical works staged in New York City between 1911 and 1925. Some of these plays were adapted into films; including his 1917 play The Very Idea, which was made into a silent film in 1920 and a talking picture in 1929; and his 1921 play Nobody's Money, which was adapted into a film in 1923.^[1] He also authored the libretti to operettas composed by Victor Herbert, Emmerich Kálmán, Fritz Kreisler and Victor Jacobi.^[2]

By 1926 LeBaron had relocated from New York City to Los Angeles, and was thereafter predominantly active as a film producer. His film credits included Cimarron, which won the Academy Award for Outstanding Production at the 4th Academy Awards ceremony for 1930/1931. LeBaron also produced landmark comedy features from W. C. Fields, Mae West and Wheeler and Woolsey. In addition to being a producer, LeBaron served as the last production chief of Film Booking Offices of America and at FBO's successor, RKO Pictures, where he was replaced by David O. Selznick.