Paul Leni (born Paul Josef Levi; Stuttgart, July 8, 1885 – Los Angeles, September 2, 1929) was a German film director, set designer, and painter, and a prominent figure in German Expressionism. He began his career in the avant-garde art scene, working as a set designer before transitioning to directing, where he brought his distinctive visual sensibility. His best-known German film, *Waxworks* (1924), attracted international attention and led him to Hollywood under contract with Universal Pictures. In the United States, he directed films pivotal to the development of the horror genre, blending suspense and dark humor. His most celebrated American works include *The Cat and the Canary* (1927), the seminal film of the "old dark house" subgenre, and his masterpiece *The Man Who Laughs* (1928), a visually sumptuous drama. His promising career was cut short by his premature death at the age of 44. Today, Leni is recognized as a master of silent cinema, praised for his innovative direction and his ability to integrate European aesthetics into American genre filmmaking.