In 1881 he debuted at the Frankfurt City Theater, playing King Lear, William Tell, and other title characters.

He performed in the well-known film Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel), where he played a ship captain who flirts with the lead actress (Marlene Dietrich).

The final film he starred in was the Theodor Storm adaptation of Der Schimmelreiter (The Rider on the White Horse).

He continued to make stage appearances after this, with his last role being in Rembrandt vor Gericht.

He was laid to rest at the Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery near Berlin, though the grave itself no longer exists.