Carl Goetz (1885-1963) was a German actor, a prolific and versatile figure in silent cinema and the early sound era. Primarily recognized as a character actor, he specialized in supporting roles, often portraying elderly, authoritative, or bureaucratic figures, sometimes with a touch of severity, eccentricity, or subtle disquiet.

His film career was studded with appearances in iconic films. Among his most memorable performances are the role of the "Man with the Gun" in F.W. Murnau's *Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans* (1927), the doorman in *The Blue Angel* (Der Blaue Engel, 1930) alongside Marlene Dietrich, and a crucial witness in Fritz Lang's *M* (1931). Goetz was a master at embodying characters who, while not protagonists, lent depth and realism to scenes with their discreet yet incisive presence.