Born in Giessen, Germany. A set and costume designer for German ballet, he designed imaginative fantasy sets and costumes for British films from the mid-1940s, often for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Academy Award for THE RED SHOES (1948); his designs for the film are preserved in the Museum of Modern Art (New York) and the British Film Institute (London). Other non-nominated Powell-Pressburger pictures as production designer include THE SMALL BACK ROOM (1949), GONE TO EARTH and THE ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL (1950), THE WILD HEART (1952) and OH... ROSALINDA! (1955). He designed the costumes for their BLACK NARCISSUS (1947).  Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1948: THE RED SHOES - Art Direction  Nominated for Costume Design (Color) 1951: TALES OF HOFFMAN  Nominated for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Color) 1951: TALES OF HOFFMAN - Art Direction 3 nominations, 1 Award