Paul Verhoeven

Paul Verhoeven (1901–1975) was a German director and actor. He successfully established himself in theater and film from the 1930s onwards. After his feature film debut Der Kaiser von Kalifornien (1936), he directed over 60 productions, including Die Fledermaus (1937) and his most famous film Das kalte Herz (1950). Verhoeven worked with well-known stars such as Heinz Rühmann and Ruth Leuwerik and left his mark on post-war cinema and early TV films. In addition to directing, he always remained an actor and played characterful supporting roles. In 1949 he founded his own production company. Verhoeven's style was characterized by realism and narrative power, which is how he created audience successes such as Heidelberger Romanze (1951). Married to Doris Kiesow, he was the father of the director Michael Verhoeven.