Hermann Picha(1865-1936)

Eccentric mime and silent screen comedian of immensely prolific output. Acted on stage from 1885, with long residencies at the Bellevue Theater in Stettin (1890-1905), the Berliner Theater and the Großen Schauspielhaus. A specialist in grotesques or highly idiosyncratic types, he was key supporting player in German silent cinema and a mainstay for prominent directors like Leni, Murnau, Lang and May. Occasional starring roles include "Schneider Wibbel" (1920) and "Der Hauptmann von Köpenick" (1926).