Herbert I. Leeds' professional journey began as a journeyman film editor, before he transitioned to directing in 1937. His extensive experience as an editor was noticeably reflected in the efficiency and tight pacing of his films, which were predominantly produced by 20th Century-Fox.
Initially, Leeds focused on directing westerns, but soon shifted his attention to mysteries and adventures. His war film, Manila Calling (1942),stood out from the typical flag-waving, jingoistic propaganda pieces of that era by eschewing phony heroics in its story of a group of American soldiers and civilians trapped on Luzon by the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
Notably, Leeds directed two enjoyable entries in the underrated Lloyd Nolan "Michael Shayne" private detective series. In contrast to many B directors, Leeds' final films maintained the same level of quality as his early ones, with his next-to-last picture, Bunco Squad (1950),being a solid, well-crafted, and well-acted little thriller despite its potboiler title.
