Born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, Wilhelm Dieterle was the youngest of nine children of parents Jacob and Berthe Dieterle. They lived in poverty, and when he was old enough to work, young Wilhelm earned money as a carpenter and a scrap dealer. He dreamed of better things, though, and theater caught his eye as a teen. By the age of 16 he had joined a traveling theater company. He was ambitious and handsome, both of which opened the door to leading romantic roles in theater productions. Though he had acted in his first film in 1913, it was six more years before he made another one. In that year he was noticed by producer/director/designer/impresario 'Max Reinhardt was too libertarian to keep him completely away from the shadow of suspicion as a "socialist" / "communist" sympathizer. In 1958 he returned to Germany and directed a few films there and in Italy before retiring in 1965. Though regrettably not as well known as his German and European directorial compatriots in Hollywood, he had great artistic style and worked with much energy in providing some of Hollywood's and the world's crown jewels of cinematic art.
His last name is pronounced "Dee-ter-leh".
He always wore white gloves on the set.
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 245-251. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Directed five different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Paul Muni , Joseph Schildkraut , Brian Aherne , Walter Huston and Jennifer Jones. Muni and Schildkraut won for their performances in one of Dieterles movies.
Is perhaps the only person to have directed two film versions of William Shakespeare s "A Midsummer Nights Dream". With Max Reinhardt , he co-directed the all-star, big-budget 1935 film version ( A Midsummer Nights Dream (1935) ) and by himself directed a German made-for-TV version ( Ein Sommernachtstraum ).
Took over direction of Duel in the Sun after director King Vidor walked off the production, tired of the constant meddling by producer David O. Selznick. Although he went uncredited, Dieterle attempted to appeal to the Directors Guild Of America, but they turned down his claim.
His career declined in the 1950s during the time of the McCarthy "Red Scare" era. Although he was never blacklisted directly, his libertarian film Blockade --in addition to people he had worked with--was thought to be "suspect". Also, in the 1930s he and his wife had worked to help get people out of Nazi Germany and given aid to many left-wing friends, including Bertolt Brecht. Of this period Dieterle said, "Although I was never to my knowledge on any blacklist, I must have been on some kind of gray list because I couldnt get any work".
He found work for many German and German Jewish film people who escaped from Nazi Germany in the 1930s and wound up in Hollywood. He often used them in his films, even if in small parts, and did everything he could to get them work in the productions of other directors.
With his engagement at the Max Reinhardt Theater in Berlin he became established as a serious stage actor in Germany.
Production for Elephant Walk with Elizabeth Taylor was held up for three months when the US State Department would not allow Dieterle to travel to Ceylon, where the film was to be shot.
He first made his name as a stage actor and director in Germany.
He was famous for always wearing a large hat and white gloves on set. This was due to needing to quickly change roles from actor to technician without dirtying his hands during his early career.
After his return to Germany he directed Herrin der Welt and worked for several productions for the Bad Hersferlder festival.
Corinne Calvet says in her biography that Dieterle was never seen having lunch and that he was also a great believer in astrology.
