Fred LeRoy Granville was born in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia, in 1896,[2] and educated in New Zealand.

The 1 February 1922, issue of American Cinematographer stated that he was "a bloody Britisher by birth" and "first saw the light at Worton Hall, Isleworth, Middlesex, England."

His first experience with cinematography came in 1913 under the guidance of James Crosby at the Selig Polyscope studio in Edendale, near downtown Los Angeles.

Granville photographed the documentary Rescue of the Stefansson Expedition (1914) and a number of features and serials for Universal, including Liberty, A Daughter of the USA (1916) and The Heart of Humanity (1918).

He also shot several of cowboy actor Tom Mix's early Fox features.