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Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 - April 12, 1973) was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He was a lyricist and a Hollywood film producer.
Freed began his career in vaudeville, and he appeared with the likes of the Marx Brothers. He soon began to write songs, and was eventually hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. For years, he wrote lyrics for numerous films.
In 1939 he was promoted to the position of producer, and helped elevate MGM as the studio of the musical. Freed choose to surround himself with film directors such as Vincente Minnelli and Busby Berkeley. He also helped shape the careers of stars like Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. His team of writers, directors, composers and stars came to be known as the "Freed Unit" and produced a steady stream of popular, critically acclaimed musicals that lasted until the late 1950s.
Freed served as associate producer of The Wizard of Oz.
His most famous song is "Singin' in the Rain," and two of his films won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Those being An American in Paris (1951) and Gigi (1958).
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