Paul Leni (8 July 1885, Stuttgart – 2 September 1929, Los Angeles) born Paul Josef Levi was a German filmmaker and a key figure in German Expressionist filmmaking, making Backstairs (Hintertreppe, 1921) and Waxworks (1924) in Germany, and The Cat and the Canary (1927), The Chinese Parrot (1927), The Man Who Laughs (1928), and The Last Warning (1929) in the U.S.
Expressionist German director, whose work influenced Eisenstein in Russia, as well as Hollywood film makers at Universal and RKO in the 1930's and 40's. A master at Gothic horror, he began as a stage designer for Max Reinhardt and Leopold Jessner. Directed films from 1913, as well as doubling up as art director, using stylized sets and accentuated contrasts between light and shade. His most famous films were Waxworks (1924) in Germany, and - during his spell at Universal from 1927-28 - the definitive classic haunted house mystery, The Cat and the Canary (1927).
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Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 649-651. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Art Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Wie einst im Mai
1926
The Golden Butterfly
1926
Fiaker Nr. 13
1926
Dance Fever
1925
Der Farmer aus Texas
1925
Die Frau von vierzig Jahren
1925
Liebesbriefe der Baronin von S...
1924
Waxworks
1924
Love Tragedy
1923
Frauenopfer
1922
Kinder der Finsternis - 2. Kämpfende Welten
1922
Kinder der Finsternis - 1. Der Mann aus Neapel
1921
Hintertreppe
1921
Lady Hamilton
1921
Die Geierwally
1921
The Genoa Conspiracy
1921
Die Schuld der Lavinia Morland
1920
Patience
1920
Prinz Kuckuck - Die Höllenfahrt eines Wollüstlings
1919
Rausch
1919
Veritas vincit
1919
Die platonische Ehe
1919
Mania. Die Geschichte einer Zigarettenarbeiterin
1918
Der Fall Rosentopf
1918
Das Rätsel von Bangalor
1918
Dornröschen
1917
Der Blusenkönig
1917
Short
Das Tagebuch des Dr. Hart 'Dr. Hart's Diary'
1916
Der Katzensteg
1915
Der ewige Friede
1915
Das achte Gebot
1915
Short
Ein Ausgestoßener: 1. Teil - Der junge Chef
1913
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Last Warning
1929
The Man Who Laughs
1928
The Chinese Parrot
1927
The Cat and the Canary
1927
Rebus Film Nr. 4
1926
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 5
1926
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 6
1926
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 7
1926
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 8
1926
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 1
1925
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 2
1925
Short
Rebus Film Nr. 3
1925
Short
Waxworks
1924
Hintertreppe
1921
The Genoa Conspiracy
1921
Patience
1920
Prinz Kuckuck - Die Höllenfahrt eines Wollüstlings
$1.4 Million
