Paul May (8 May 1909 – 25 February 1976) was a German

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

and

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...

. He directed 40 films between 1935 and 1972.

Biography

He was the son of

Peter Ostermayr Peter Ostermayr (18 July 1882 – 7 May 1967) was a German film producer, screenwriter and film director. Ostermayr was a pioneer during the early years of German cinema, with his brothers Franz Osten and Ottmar Ostermayr.Bock & Bergfelder p.350 I ...

, a film producer with

Universum Film AG UFA GmbH, shortened to UFA (), is a film and television production company that unites all production activities of the media conglomerate Bertelsmann in Germany. The original UFA was established as on December 18, 1917, as a direct response t ...

, and his wife Olga, ''née'' Wernhard. After secondary school in Feldkirch, he entered to film industry and trained in

film laboratory A film laboratory is a commercial service enterprise and technical facility for the film industry where specialists develop, print, and conform film material for classical film production and distribution which is based on film material, such as n ...

work. He became a

film editor Film editing is both a creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film stock, film which increasingly involves the use Digital cinema, of digital ...

in 1930 and

assistant director The role of an assistant director (AD) on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have ...

in 1935. His first film as director was ''Edelweißkönig'', in 1938. After the Second World War, he adopted the pseudonym Paul May. His greatest successes were '' 08/15'' (1954), ''

The Forests Sing Forever ''The Forests Sing Forever'' (German: ''Und ewig singen die Wälder'') is a 1959 Austrian Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Paul May and starring Gert Fröbe, Hansjörg Felmy and Joachim Hansen (actor), Joachim Hansen. It was f ...

'' (1959), ''

Via Mala Viamala or Via Mala ( Romansh: literally, "bad path") is a narrow gorge along the river Hinterrhein between Zillis-Reischen and Thusis in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, as well as the ancient and notorious pathway which traverses ...

'' (1961) from the book by

John Knittel John Knittel, originally Hermann Emanuel Knittel (March 24, 1891 in Dharwar, India – April 26, 1970 in Maienfeld, Graubünden) was a Swiss writer. Life John Knittel was the son of a Württemberg missionary, Hermann Wilhelm Knittel, who was in ...

, and '' Scotland Yard Hunts Dr. Mabuse'' (1963) with Peter van Eyck. He also directed for television. He directed more than forty films between 1935 and 1972.

Selected filmography

Editor

* '' Panic in Chicago'' (1931) * ''

Shooting Festival in Schilda ''Shooting Festival in Schilda'' (German: ''Schützenfest in Schilda'') is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Adolf Trotz and starring Sig Arno, Fritz Kampers and Eugen Rex. It was shot at the Halensee Studios in Berlin.Klaus p.257 Cast * Sig ...

'' (1931) * '' The Spanish Fly'' (1931) * ''

The Champion Shot ''The Champion Shot'' () is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Franz Seitz and starring Weiß Ferdl, Max Adalbert and Hugo Schrader.Waldman p. 32 The film's sets were designed by the art director Ludwig Reiber. It was shot at the Bavaria St ...

'' (1932) * ''

Secret of the Blue Room ''The Secret of the Blue Room'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas, and Edward Arnold. A remake of the German film '' Geheimnis des blauen Zimmers'' (1932), it ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Peak Scaler ''The Peak Scaler'' () is a 1933 German drama film directed by Franz Wenzler and starring Franz Schmid, Walter Krieger and Mizzl Bardorf.Waldman p. 151 The film's art direction was by Otto Erdmann (art director), Otto Erdmann and Hans Sohnle. Ca ...

'' (1933) * ''

William Tell William Tell (, ; ; ; ) is a legendary folk hero of Switzerland. He is known for shooting an apple off his son's head. According to the legend, Tell was an expert mountain climber and marksman with a crossbow who assassinated Albrecht Gessler, ...

'' (1934) * '' Holiday From Myself'' (1934) * '' The Four Musketeers'' (1934) *''

Peter, Paul and Nanette ''Peter, Paul and Nanette'' (German: ''Peter, Paul und Nanette'') is a 1935 German comedy film directed by Erich Engels and starring Hermann Thimig, Hans Junkermann and Hilde Krüger.Waldman p.255 Cast * Hermann Thimig as Peter Pellmann / Paul P ...

'' (1935) * '' Miracle of Flight'' (1935) * '' Home Guardsman Bruggler'' (1936) * '' The Hunter of Fall'' (1936) * '' His Best Friend'' (1937) * ''

Triad Triad or triade may refer to: * a group of three Humanities * Trichotomy (philosophy), often called triads * Triad (sociology), a group of three people as a unit of study * Triad (relationship), or ''ménage à trois'' Music * Triad (music ...

'' (1938) * ''

Frau Sixta ''Frau Sixta'' is a 1938 German historical drama film directed by Gustav Ucicky and starring Gustav Fröhlich, Franziska Kinz and Ilse Werner. It is based on the 1925 Frau Sixta (novel), novel of the same title by the Swiss writer Ernst Zahn. Th ...

'' (1938) * '' Storms in May'' (1938)

Screenwriter

* '' Night of the Twelve'' (1949)

Director

Film *1939: ''Der Edelweißkönig'' *1939: ''Waldrausch '' *1940: '' Beates Flitterwoche / Sonderbare Flitterwochen'' *1940: '' Left of the Isar, Right of the Spree'' *1942: ''

Violanta ''Violanta'', Op. 8, is a one-act opera by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The libretto is by the Austrian playwright Hans Müller-Einigen. It is Korngold's second opera, written when he was seventeen years old. Performance history It was premiered on ...

'' (also co-script) *1943: ''Die unheimliche Wandlung des Alex Roscher'' *1949: ''

Duel with Death ''Duel with Death'' (German: ''Duell mit dem Tod'') is a 1949 Austrian war drama film directed by Paul May and starring Rolf von Nauckhoff, Annelies Reinhold, and Fritz Hinz-Fabricius.Fritsche p.49 The film portrays the Austrian resistance to Nazi ...

'' (also script); Prod.

G. W. Pabst Georg Wilhelm Pabst (25 August 1885 – 29 May 1967) was an Austrian film director and screenwriter. He started as an actor and theater director, before becoming one of the most influential German-language filmmakers during the Weimar Republic. ...

*1950: ''

King for One Night ''King for One Night'' () is a 1950 West German historical comedy film directed by Paul May and starring Anton Walbrook, Willy Fritsch and Annelies Reinhold.Bock & Bergfelder p.134 It was made at the Bavaria Studios in Munich. The film's sets w ...

'' (also producer) *1952: '' Two People'' *1953: ''

Young Heart Full of Love ''Young Heart Full of Love'' () is a 1953 West German family film, family drama film directed by Paul May and starring Heinrich Gretler, Hans Brenner (actor), Hans Brenner and Lore Frisch.Holmstrom p. 210 Much of the film was shot location shootin ...

'' *1954: '' 08/15'' *1954: ''

The Phantom of the Big Tent ''The Phantom of the Big Tent'' () is a 1954 West German thriller film directed by Paul May and starring René Deltgen, Angelika Hauff and Ilse Steppat.Bock & Bergfelder p. 82 It was shot at the Spandau Studios in Berlin, with location filming ta ...

'' *1955: ''

Doctor Solm ''Doctor Solm'' () is a 1955 West German drama film directed by Paul May and starring Hans Söhnker, Sybil Werden and Antje Weisgerber.Bock & Bergfelder p.451 The film's sets were designed by the art director Mathias Matthies and Karl Vollbr ...

'' *1955: ' *1955: ' *1956: ''Weil du arm bist, mußt du früher sterben'' *1957: '' Weißer Holunder'' *1957: ' *1957: ''

The Fox of Paris ''The Fox of Paris'' (German: ''Der Fuchs von Paris'') is a 1957 war thriller film directed by Paul May and starring Martin Held, Marianne Koch and Hardy Krüger.Bock & Bergfelder p.306 It was a co-production between France and West Germany. It ...

'' *1958: ' *1959: ''

'' *1959: ''Heimat, deine Lieder'' *1960: ' *1960: ' *1961: ''

'' *1961: ''

Freddy and the Millionaire ''Freddy and the Millionaire'' (, ) is a 1961 Italian-West German musical film directed by Paul May and starring Freddy Quinn, Heinz Erhardt and Grit Boettcher. It was shot at the Baldham Studios in Bavaria and on location in Ischia. The film's ...

'' *1962: '' Waldrausch'' *1963: ' *1963: '' Scotland Yard Hunts Dr. Mabuse'' *1967: ' Television *1964: ''Die Truhe'' — (based on a play by James Liggat and Alan Reeve-Jones) *1965: ' (TV miniseries) — (remake of

Francis Durbridge Francis Henry Durbridge (; 25 November 1912 – 10 April 1998) was an English dramatist and author, best known for the creation of the character Paul Temple, the gentlemanly detective who appeared in 16 BBC multi-part radio serials from 1 ...

's ''The Desperate People'', 1963) *1965: ''Glück in Frankreich'' — (based on a story by

Ernst von Salomon Ernst von Salomon (25 September 1902 – 9 August 1972) was a German novelist and screenwriter. He was a Weimar-era national-revolutionary activist and right-wing Freikorps member. Family and education He was born in Kiel, in the Kingdom of Pr ...

) *1965: ''Acht Stunden Zeit'' — (based on a play by Charles Maître) *1966: ' (TV miniseries) — (remake of

's ''Melissa'', 1964) *1967: ''In Sachen Erzberger gegen Helfferich'' — (screenplay by Axel Eggebrecht) *1967–1968: ''

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

'' (TV series) — (remake of ''

'', 1965) *1968: ''Eine Gefangene bei Stalin und Hitler'' — (based on ''Under Two Dictators'' by

Margarete Buber-Neumann Margarete Buber-Neumann (née Thüring; 21 October 1901 – 6 November 1989) was a German writer. As a senior Communist Party of Germany member and Gulag survivor, she was turned into a staunch anti-communist. She wrote the famous memoir ''Under ...

) *1969–1972: ''

Königlich Bayerisches Amtsgericht ''Königlich Bayerisches Amtsgericht'' ''(Royal Bavarian District Court)'' is a German comedy television series. It was produced by ZDF in the years 1968 to 1972 and contains 52 episodes. It is set in the fictional town of Geisbach in Lower B ...

'' (TV series, 7 episodes) *1969: ''Nennen Sie mich Alex'' — (film about

Oleg Penkovsky Oleg Vladimirovich Penkovsky (; 23 April 1919 – 16 May 1963), codenamed Hero (by the CIA) and Yoga (by MI6) was a Soviet military intelligence (GRU) colonel during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Penkovsky informed the United States and the U ...

) *1970: ''Theatergarderobe'' (TV series) *1971: ''Die Schrott-Story'' *1971–1972: ''Fünf Tage hat die Woche'' (TV series) *1972: ''Nicht Lob – noch Furcht. Graf Galen, Bischof von Münster'' — (screenplay by

Luise Rinser Luise Rinser (30 April 1911 – 17 March 2002) was a German writer, best known for her novels and short stories. Early life and education Luise Rinser was born on 30 April 1911 in Pitzling, a constituent community of Landsberg am Lech, in Upper B ...

) *1972–1975: ' (TV series, 32 episodes)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:May, Paul 1909 births 1976 deaths Mass media people from Munich German film directors German film editors