Rupert Julian

New Zealand-born Rupert Julian, a talented thespian, embarked on a journey to the United States at the age of 34, marking the beginning of his remarkable career in the world of stage and screen. Prior to his US arrival, Julian honed his acting skills by touring Australia and New Zealand, establishing himself as a versatile performer. His breakthrough role as a doppelganger for Kaiser Wilhelm II in the 1918 film "The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin" (1918) catapulted him to fame, earning him a cool million for Universal. This notable success paved the way for Julian to transition into directing, although his initial output was largely unremarkable. However, his fortunes changed when he was tasked with completing the film "Merry-Go-Round" (1923) after director Erich von Stroheim was abruptly fired from the project. Julian's most renowned film remains the iconic "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925),starring the inimitable Lon Chaney, although he was subsequently replaced before the film's completion. Despite this setback, Julian continued to direct for a brief period, producing only a handful of films before the advent of sound. Unfortunately, his career eventually stagnated, and he faded into relative obscurity.