Louis Burt Mayer (4 July 1884 – 29 October 1957), born Lazar Meir, was the head of the MGM movie studio during Hollywood's Golden Age. One of the most powerful executives in the history of the movies, he was ultimately in charge of the making of the studio's 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. His official title at MGM was Vic-President in Charge of Production, which did not quite reflect his status as the effective head and final arbiter of the studio's moviemaking activities.