Leo McCarey (1898-1969) was an influential American director, screenwriter, and producer, pivotal to classic Hollywood comedy. He began with silent comedies, defining the Laurel & Hardy duo and perfecting a humor based on interaction and spontaneity. A master of improvisation, his films often seemed to emerge from genuine spontaneity.

Among his most celebrated works are the irreverent Marx Brothers comedy *Duck Soup* (1933), *The Awful Truth* (1937), a screwball comedy masterpiece starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, and the melancholic *Make Way for Tomorrow* (1937), which demonstrated his ability to touch dramatic chords. Other significant works include *Love Affair* (1939) and *Going My Way* (1944), for which he won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay. McCarey excelled at blending humor and pathos, creating complex characters and bittersweet situations.