Friedrich Basil joined the film business in 1918 and his first appearance in front of the camera was for "Kaena/Das Werk der Rachegöttin" (1918).
He also teached the later dictator Adolf Hitler in gesture and rhetoric in 1919.
Besides his activity as an actor and director Friedrich Basil also gave acting lessons. To his well-known students belonged Heinz Rühmann, Heinz Klingenberg and Franz Wedekind.
In the 20s followed his last cinematical works.
His brother Hans Basil became an actor and opera singer.
He became a Kammerschauspieler and was very successful.
He acted at the Deutsches Theater from 1891. Three years later he went to Munich where he became a regular actor at the Hoftheater till to the end of his career. In Munich he also realised plays as a director.
Before he started his career at the theater he studied philosophy but in his fourth year he dedicated to the acting. Finally he got an engagement at the theater union Heinrich Laube in Berlin.