Biography

German writer-director of commercially successful mainstream entertainments. The son of a theologian, Weiss began his career on stage in 1927 at the Staatstheater Berlin, turning to films in 1935. He gained experience as an assistant director to Kurt Hoffmann in the early 40's and made his first mark as a director in his own right with the hugely successful remake of the classic comedy The Punch Bowl (1944), starring Heinz Rühmann. Weiss was the first German director to be permitted to make films after the war, his most popular output ranging from romantic Heimatfilms (Das Schweigen im Walde (1955)) to farce (Drei Mann in einem Boot (1961)).

He also worked as a writer from 1943. Especially his first scripts as "Ich vertraue dir meine Frau an" (1943), "Sophienlund" (1944) and "Der Engel mit dem Saitenspiel" (1944) were very successful. Later he often directed his scripts himself, among them "Das Schweigen im Walde" (1955) and "Verlobung am Wolfgangsee" (1956).

To his well-known post-war movies belong "Geheimnis einer Ehe" (1951), "Lemkes sel. Witwe" (1957), "Drei Mann in einem Boot" (1961) and "Donnerwetter! Donnerwetter! Bonifatious Kiesewetter! (1969).

After the war followed only few more movies in front of the camera, so "Liebe und Trompetenblasen" (1954) and "Fanny Hill" (1964).

After the war he normally worked as a director.