born Jan. 28, 1892, Berlin, Ger.
died Nov. 30, 1947, Hollywood, Calif., U.S.
German-U.S. film director.
He acted with Max Reinhardt 's German stage company (1911–14) and in short film comedies, then turned to directing costume dramas that were the first German films shown abroad, including Passion (1919), Deception (1920), and The Loves of Pharaoh (1921), as well as comedies such as The Doll (1919) and The Oyster Princess (1919). He moved to Hollywood in 1923 and developed a style of sophisticated wit and unerring narrative timing
the famous "Lubitsch touch"
in successful comedies such as The Marriage Circle (1924), The Love Parade (1929), Trouble in Paradise (1932), Ninotchka (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), To Be or Not to Be (1942), and Heaven Can Wait (1943).