Former race car driver and chauffeur who began his film career as a cinematographer, working with Allan Dwan, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith before graduating to directing in 1919. Fleming's talent for spectacular action and his ability to elicit strong performances from leading stars made him one of the most popular directors of the 1930s. He is most widely known for "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) and for taking over the direction of "Gone with the Wind" (1939) from George Cukor.