LeRoy was born on October 15 , 1900 in San Francisco , to Jewish parents , Edna ( née Armer ) and Harry LeRoy . His family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake that destroyed his father 's import-export business . To make money , young Mervyn sold newspapers in front of the Alcazar Theater after his dad 's death in 1910 . From this newspaper sales location , he was given a bit part for a play . Through his winning a Charlie Chaplin impersonation contest , he moved into vaudeville then minor parts in silent movies
1906 earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Mervyn LeRoy