E. W. Emo

E. W. Emo (Emerich Walter Emo, born Emerich Josef Wojtek, 11 July 1898; died 2 December 1975) was an Austrian film director. Emo specialized in comedies, 21 of them with the actor Hans Moser. He also worked outside Austria and wrote screenplays. Life Emerich Josef Wojtek, born in Seebarn near Grafenwörth in Austria, was the son of a teacher. He attended the Provincial Secondary School (Landesrealschule) in Krems an der Donau and did military service during World War I. In 1919 he worked at first as a bit-part actor, then as a director's assistant and production manager, and finally as an assistant film director. In that capacity in 1927 he moved to Berlin, where he also worked as a cutter and dramaturgist with a number of different directors. In 1928 he directed his first film drama, called Flitterwochen ("Honeymoon"). After that he made many light entertainment films, and with the advent of sound films, also filmed several musicals and operettas. As a director Emo contributed much to the popularity of actors such as Paul Hörbiger, Theo Lingen and above all Hans Moser, who appeared in 21 of his films altogether. In 1936 Emo founded in Berlin, with Paul Hörbiger and the Austrian consul Karl Künzel, the Algefa-Film company. In the same year he officially changed his name to his business name, Emerich Walter Emo. He later ran the film company Emo-Film.