German leading actor, singer, writer and director, educated the Art Academy in Dresden. Initially wanted to study theology, but instead learned acting under Erich Ponto. He made his theatrical debut in 1922, thereafter playing youthful bon vivants and romantic leads, as well as performing in classic plays by Shakespeare and Shaw. In films, usually in charming roles, graduating to character parts after the war. Gave arguably his best performance as SS-Gruppenführer Schmidt-Lausitz in
The Devil's General (1955).