What jobs did Mitchell Leisen hold before becoming a film director?

Before establishing himself as a film director, Mitchell Leisen held several roles in the arts and the film industry:

• Advertising and Theatre: He worked in advertising artwork in Chicago and acted in local theatre.1
• Design and Art Direction: After moving to Los Angeles, he designed sets for community theatre. He was subsequently hired by Cecil B. DeMille as a costume designer for the film Male and Female (1919).1
• Production Roles: He continued his career in the film industry as a set decorator and art director, contributing to notable productions such as Robin Hood (1922), The Thief of Bagdad (1924), and The King of Kings (1927). His work on the film Dynamite (1929) earned him an Academy Award nomination for best art direction.1