---
name: "Karl Freund"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/karl-freund"
fi1m_id: "karl-freund"
imdb_id: "nm0005713"
tmdb_id: 70
wikidata_id: "Q62099"
roles: ["Cinematographer","Director"]
born: "16 January 1890"
died: "3 May 1969"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-25T05:59:01.544862+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Karl Freund

## Identity

Karl Freund

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/karl-freund
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** karl-freund
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005713
- **TMDB ID:** 70
- **Wikidata ID:** Q62099
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Freund, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62099, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005713/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/70

Cinematographer and director. Born 16 January 1890 in Königinhof, Bohemia, Czech Republic. Died 3 May 1969.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer, Director
- **Born:** 16 January 1890, Königinhof, Bohemia, Czech Republic
- **Died:** 3 May 1969
- **Active:** 1924–1941
- **Also known as:** Carl Freund, Karl W. Freund
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 7: 1 directing, 6 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Erich Pommer](https://film.one/person/erich-pommer.md), [Irving Thalberg](https://film.one/person/irving-thalberg.md), [Luise Rainer](https://film.one/person/luise-rainer.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 2 nominated)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1920s 86 (2), 1930s 71 (4), 1940s 58 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 75 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Romance 4, History 2, Music 1, Science Fiction 1
- **Screen time:** 13 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $10m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Freund, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62099, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005713/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/70

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Metropolis*](https://film.one/film/metropolis.md) (87)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Last Laugh*](https://film.one/film/the-last-laugh.md) (84)
- **Peacock:** [*Dracula*](https://film.one/film/dracula.md) (75)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Karl Freund was a cinematographer and film director. Born on 16 January 1890 in Dvůr Králové, Bohemia (then Austria-Hungary), he began working in the film industry in Berlin in 1905 and became a leading cinematographer during the German Expressionist period.

He shot over 100 films, including *The Golem* (1920), *The Last Laugh* (1924) and *Metropolis* (1927). Freund emigrated to the United States in 1929 and continued as director of photography on *All Quiet on the Western Front* (1930), *Dracula* (1931), *Camille* (1936), *Pride and Prejudice* (1940) and *Key Largo* (1948). He directed *The Mummy* (1932) and won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for *The Good Earth* (1937). In the 1950s he worked on the television series *I Love Lucy*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (7)

### Directed (1)

- *Dracula* (1931), Fi1m 75, Co-Director, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/dracula.md)

### Crew (6) — the average rests on these

- *Blossoms in the Dust* (1941), Fi1m 58, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/blossoms-in-the-dust.md)
- *The Good Earth* (1937), Fi1m 64, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-good-earth.md)
- *Camille* (1936), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/camille.md)
- *The Great Ziegfeld* (1936), Fi1m 64, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-great-ziegfeld.md)
- *Metropolis* (1927), Fi1m 87, Cinematography, Director of Photography, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/metropolis.md)
- *The Last Laugh* (1924), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-laugh.md)

## Complete filmography (136)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Golem* (1960), Director of Photography
- *I Love Lucy: The Movie* (1953), Director of Photography
- *Bright Leaf* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Montana* (1950), Director of Photography
- *South of St. Louis* (1949), Director of Photography
- *The Decision of Christopher Blake* (1948), Director of Photography
- *Key Largo* (1948), Director of Photography
- *Wallflower* (1948), Director of Photography
- *That Hagen Girl* (1947), Director of Photography
- *This Time for Keeps* (1947), Director of Photography
- *Undercurrent* (1946), Director of Photography
- *A Letter for Evie* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Two Smart People* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Dangerous Partners* (1945), Director of Photography
- *Without Love* (1945), Director of Photography
- *The Thin Man Goes Home* (1944), Director of Photography
- *The Seventh Cross* (1944), Director of Photography
- *A Guy Named Joe* (1944), Director of Photography
- *Cry 'Havoc'* (1943), Director of Photography
- *Du Barry Was a Lady* (1943), Director of Photography
- *A Yank at Eton* (1942), Director of Photography
- *The War Against Mrs. Hadley* (1942), Director of Photography
- *The Affairs of Martha* (1942), Director of Photography
- *Tortilla Flat* (1942), Director of Photography
- *The Chocolate Soldier* (1941), Director of Photography
- *Blossoms in the Dust* (1941), Director of Photography — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/blossoms-in-the-dust.md)
- *Comrade X* (1940), Camera Operator
- *Pride and Prejudice* (1940), Director of Photography
- *We Who Are Young* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Florian* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Green Hell* (1940), Director of Photography
- *The Earl of Chicago* (1940), Director of Photography
- *Balalaika* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Barricade* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Golden Boy* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Rose of Washington Square* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Tail Spin* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Letter of Introduction* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Port of Seven Seas* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Three Comrades* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Man-Proof* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Conquest* (1937), Director of Photography
- *Parnell* (1937), Director of Photography
- *The Good Earth* (1937), Director of Photography — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-good-earth.md)
- *Camille* (1936), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/camille.md)
- *The Great Ziegfeld* (1936), Director of Photography — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-great-ziegfeld.md)
- *Mad Love* (1935), Director
- *Gift of Gab* (1934), Director
- *I Give My Love* (1934), Director
- *Uncertain Lady* (1934), Director
- *The Countess of Monte Cristo* (1934), Director
- *Madame Spy* (1934), Director
- *Moonlight and Pretzels* (1933), Director
- *The Kiss Before the Mirror* (1933), Director of Photography
- *The Mummy* (1932), Director
- *Afraid to Talk* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Air Mail* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Back Street* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Scandal for Sale* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Murders in the Rue Morgue* (1932), Director of Photography
- *Strictly Dishonorable* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Personal Maid* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Up for Murder* (1931), Director of Photography
- *The Bad Sister* (1931), Director of Photography
- *Dracula* (1931), Director of Photography, Co-Director — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/dracula.md)
- *The Boudoir Diplomat* (1930), Director of Photography
- *The Lottery Bride* (1930), Director of Photography
- *All Quiet on the Western Front* (1930), Director of Photography
- *Sleeping Partners* (1930), Director of Photography
- *Fräulein Else* (1929), Director of Photography
- *A Knight in London* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Lady Juan* (1928), Director of Photography
- *Berlin: Symphony of a Great City* (1927), Director of Photography, Producer
- *Metropolis* (1927), Director of Photography, Camera Operator — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/metropolis.md)
- *Madame Wants No Children* (1926), Producer
- *Adventures of a Ten Mark Note* (1926), Production Supervisor
- *Manon Lescaut* (1926), Director of Photography
- *Tartuffe* (1926), Director of Photography
- *Variety* (1925), Director of Photography
- *The Last Laugh* (1924), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-laugh.md)
- *Michael* (1924), as LeBlanc - Art Dealer · Director of Photography
- *The Finances of the Grand Duke* (1924), Director of Photography
- *The Expulsion* (1923), Director of Photography
- *Der Tiger des Zirkus Farini* (1923), Director of Photography
- *Herzog Ferrantes Ende* (1922), Director of Photography
- *Lucrezia Borgia* (1922), Director of Photography
- *The Burning Soil* (1922), Director of Photography
- *Marizza* (1922), Director of Photography
- *Das blinde Glück* (1922), Director of Photography
- *Torgus* (1921), Director of Photography
- *The Rats* (1921), Director of Photography
- *The Boy in Blue* (1921), Director of Photography
- *The Lost Shadow* (1921), Director of Photography
- *The Golem: How He Came into the World* (1920), Director of Photography
- *Catherine the Great* (1920), Cinematography
- *Panic in the House of Ardon* (1920), Director of Photography
- *The Head of Janus* (1920), Director of Photography
- *The Hunchback and the Dancer* (1920), Director of Photography
- *Die Nacht auf Goldenhall* (1920), Director of Photography
- *The Spiders: Part 2 - The Diamond Ship* (1920), Director of Photography
- *Satan* (1920), Director of Photography
- *The Spiders: Part 1 - The Golden Sea* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Die Arche. 2. Teil: Die letzten Menschen* (1919), Director of Photography
- *The Arc* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Intoxication* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Phantome des Lebens* (1919), Director of Photography
- *Augen* (1919), Cinematography, Camera Department Manager
- *Die Dame, der Teufel und die Probiermamsell* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Die blaue Laterne* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Die Heimkehr des Odysseus* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Das Maskenfest des Lebens* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Agnes Arnau und ihre drei Freier* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Das Geschlecht derer von Ringwall* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Auf Probe gestellt* (1918), Director of Photography
- *Countess Kitchenmaid* (1918), Director of Photography
- *The Giant's Fist* (1917), Director of Photography
- *Die Claudi vom Geiserhof* (1917), Director of Photography
- *Gefangene Seele* (1917), Director of Photography
- *Christa Hartungen* (1917), Director of Photography
- *Der Liebesbrief der Königin* (1917), Director of Photography
- *Die Ehe der Luise Rohrbach* (1917), Director of Photography
- *The White Roses* (1916), Director of Photography
- *The Robber Bride* (1916), Director of Photography
- *Das wandernde Licht* (1916), Director of Photography
- *Little Angel's Wedding* (1916), Camera Operator
- *Frau Eva* (1916), Director of Photography
- *Bummelstudenten* (1916), Director of Photography
- *The Man in the Mirror* (1916), Director of Photography
- *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1914), Director of Photography
- *A Venetian Night* (1914), Director of Photography
- *Das Feuer* (1914), Director of Photography
- *Zapata's Gang* (1914), Director of Photography
- *Little Angel* (1914), Director of Photography
- *The Film Prima Donna* (1913), Director of Photography
- *The Suffragette* (1913), Director of Photography
- *Poor Mother* (1912), Director of Photography

## Gallery

- ![Karl Freund](https://film.one/media/person/104064/gallery-23c812e543df.jpg) Karl Freund — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Karl-Freund-1932.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Photograph of Karl Freund directing Boris Karloff on the set of The Mummy (1932). Caption reads as follows:Here is Karl Freund, long time cameraman and now dire](https://film.one/media/person/104064/gallery-3adbc3b417a2.jpg) Photograph of Karl Freund directing Boris Karloff on the set of The Mummy (1932). Caption reads as follows:Here is Karl Freund, long time cameraman and now dire — Fred R. Archer, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Freund-Karloff-The-Mummy-1932.jpg/1280px-Freund-Karloff-The-Mummy-1932.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Karl Freund](https://film.one/media/person/104064/gallery-feb5a1f4c245.jpg) Karl Freund — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 2 nominated

- 1942: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (nominated), for *The Chocolate Soldier*
- 1942: Best Cinematography, Color (nominated), for *Blossoms in the Dust*
- 1938: Best Cinematography (won), for *The Good Earth*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/karl-freund