John M. Stahl (1886-1950) was an American film director and producer, primarily active between the silent era and the 1940s. Considered one of the masters of Hollywood melodrama, his career is associated with highly successful films such as *Imitation of Life* (1934), *Magnificent Obsession* (1935), and *The Keys of the Kingdom* (1944). He reached the peak of his fame with the Technicolor noir *Leave Her to Heaven* (1945), whose visual style and themes profoundly influenced later directors such as Douglas Sirk. Although he never received an Oscar for Best Director, his films garnered significant accolades: *Imitation of Life* was nominated for Best Picture, while *Leave Her to Heaven* earned Gene Tierney a Best Actress nomination and won the Oscar for Best Color Cinematography. Stahl was also one of the 36 founding members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization that presents the Academy Awards.