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Paul Leni


Bild: Paul Leni (1885-1929)

1885 - 1929

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The production designer and director Paul Leni was born as Paul Levi in Stuttgart. He first got an education as an illustrator in an art metal works before he joined the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Berlin. Afterwards he began his professional career as a stage painter and set designer at the theater.
Beside it he used his artistic abilities for caricatures, illustrations and the creation of movie posters.

He joined the film business in 1913 and he was responsible as a production designer for many movies during the 10s.
To his first movies belong "Sutart Webbs: Die geheimnisvolle Villa" (14), "Stuart Webbs: Das Panzergewölbe" (14), "Das achte Gebot" (15), "Das Tagebuch des Dr. Hart/Der Feldarzt" (16), "Dornröschen" (17), "Das Rätsel von Bangalor" (18), "Mania "(18), "Veritas vincit" (19), "Prinz Kuckuck" (19) and "Rausch" (19).

He realised his first movies as a director from 1916. To these works belong "Das Tagebuch des Dr. Hart/Der Feldarzt" (16), "Prima Vera" (17), "Dornröschen" (17), "Das Rätsel von Bangalor" (18) and "Prinz Kuckuck" (19).

In the 20s came many movies into being again for which he was responsible as a production designer.
To these productions belong "Patience" (20), "Die Verschwörung zu Genua" (21), "Die Geierwally" (21), "Lady Hamilton" (21), "Hintertreppe" (21), "Kinder der Finsternis" (21), "Tragödie der Liebe" (23), "Das Wachsfigurenkabinett" (24), "Der Farmer aus Texas" (25) and "Der goldene Schmetterling" (26).

He also continued his activity as a movie director and he shot "Die Verschwörung zu Genua" (21), "Hintertreppe" (21) and "Das Wachsfigurenkabinett" (24).

Paul Leni left Germany in 1926 together with his wife and they went to Hollywood. There he was able to continue his film career as a director for the producion company of Carl Laemmle. He realised the productions "The Cat and the Canary" (27), "The Chinese Parrot" (27), "The Man Who Laughs" (28) and "The Last Warning" (29).

When he contracted a blood poisoning it followed a heart fever and he died shortly afterwards at the age of only 44.


Other movies from Paul Leni (Production Designer):
Ein Ausgestossener, 1. Teil: Der junge Chef (13) SStuart Webbs: Der Mann im Keller (14) Stuart Webbs: Der Spuk im Haus des Professors (14) Stuart Webbs: Die Toten erwachen (15) Der ewige Friede (15) Der Katzensteg (15) Der Blusenkönig (17) Der Fall Rosentopf (18) Der Ring der Giuditta Foscari (18) Der weisse Pfau (19) Die platonische Ehe (19)Die Schuld der Lavinia Morland (20) Frauenopfer (22) Liebesbriefe der Baronin von S... (24) Die Frau von vierzig Jahren (25) Der Tänzer meiner Frau (25) Fiaker Nr. 13 (26) Wie einst im Mai (26)

Director:
Die platonische Ehe (19) Patience (20) Rebus Film (26)

Costume Designer:
Dornröschen (17) Die Geierwally (21) Lady Hamilton (21) Manon Lescaut (26) Wie einst im Mai (26)

Writer:
Dornröschen (17) Das Rätsel von Bangalor (18) Der weisse Pfau (20)

Actor:
Der Katzensteg (15)

 
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