Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg (29 May 1894 – 22 December 1969) was an Austrian-American film director. He is one of the earliest examples of 'auteur' filmmakers, and practised many other skills while making his films including cinematographer, writer, and editor. Sternberg's style has had a vast influence on later directors, particularly during the film noir movement. His mastery of mise-en-scene, lighting and soft lens is unrivaled, an...
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Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg (29 May 1894 – 22 December 1969) was an Austrian-American film director. He is one of the earliest examples of 'auteur' filmmakers, and practised many other skills while making his films including cinematographer, writer, and editor. Sternberg's style has had a vast influence on later directors, particularly during the film noir movement. His mastery of mise-en-scene, lighting and soft lens is unrivaled, and his collaboration with sultry actress Marlene Dietrich is internationally celebrated.
Josef von Sternberg was born Jonas Sternberg to a Jewish family in Vienna but spent most of his childhood in New York City and Lynbrook, New Jersey. His father, Moses (Morris) Sternberg, a former soldier in the army of Austria-Hungary, twice tried to make a home for the family in the US before finding employment as a lace worker.
Sternberg dropped out of the Jamaica High School and worked as an errand boy in a lace warehouse. He later obtained a job...
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