Friedrich Hollaender had a solid music and theatre family background. Born in London 1896, but the family returned to Berlin three years later. Having finished his studies, he composed music for productions by Max Reinhardt and became involved in Berlin's Kabarett scene. Together with Kurt Tucholsky, Klabund, Walter Mehring, Mischa Spoliansky and Joachim Ringelnatz he worked in venues like Reinhardt's Schall und Rauch ensemble at the Großes Schauspielhaus or the Wilde Bühne led by Trude Hesterberg at the Theater des Westens in Charlottenburg, where he established the Tingel-Tangel-Theater cabaret in 1931. Hollaender had his final breakthrough when he wrote the film score for "The Blue Angel" (1930).
—Vollfilm