From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Louis Burt Mayer (born Lazar Meir in the Russian Empire; July 12, 1884 – October 29, 1957) was an American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM). Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industry's most prestigious movie studio, accumulating the largest concentration of leading writers, directors and stars in Hollywood. Mayer was one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.