Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, better known as F.W. Murnau (December 28, 1888 - March 11, 1931), was one of the most influential directors of the silent film era.
He was one of a number of directors who were part of the expressionist movement in German cinema during the 1920s, and he directed many movies that were influential. While some of Murnau's films from the silent era have been lost, most still survive. They are widely acknowledged among film scholars as masterpieces.
He studied art and literature history at the University of Heidelberg. During World War I, he was a combat pilot.
Director. First was assistant to Max Reinhardt. Began making movies in Germany in 1919. Went to the USA in 1926.
