Although his age was given as 33 in the passenger list when he arrived in the USA in January 1938,[2] in his naturalization petition his birth year is stated as 1902.

He trained at Vienna's State Academy of Dramatic Arts, and made his film debut in the operetta The Emperor's Waltz (1933).

[4] He was active in the Viennese genre of shallow romantic comedies so popular in the Austria of the interwar period.

[4] Esmond fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, first to the UK and finally in January 1938 to the USA.

[1] Esmond continued to appear on stage as well as in British and American films.