Left Germany for Hollywood in 1922, invited by Mary Pickford. His German citizenship was annihilated by the Nazi regime in 1935. Died of a heart attack in 1947 while shooting 'That Lady in Ermine (1948)' (later completed by Otto Preminger).
1929, discovered actress/operatic singer, Jeanette MacDonald while in New York Gave the film industry and made famous the phrase, "The Lubitsch Touch" due to his sophisticated wit and style Brought together one of Hollywood's greatest screen pairing, of Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald. Ernst was known for always playing practical jokes on his film sets. He directed a "mummy' movie. It wasn't one of the post-Boris Karloff films, but the silent German production "Die Augen der Mumie Ma" (1918). Retrospective at the 34th Berlin International Film Festival. [1984] Was vote the 16th Greatst Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 692-700. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987. He had a daughter, Nicola, with wife Sanya Bezencenet. The term "MOS" is used, on a slate, when a scene is filmed without sync sound (or any sound). This directive is widely thought to be a homage to Lubitsch who would say, in his thick Berlin accent, that he wished to shoot some footage "mitout sound." "Mit" means "with" in German...ergo...without sound..."mitout sound"- "M-O-S." Over the years film directors sometimes shoot particular footage silently, without the use of a live microphone. It is known in the industry as shooting "MOS." The origin of who and where it was coined maybe lost in the mists of time but we do know that it was homage to Lubitsch who used to say, in his thick Berlin accent.. "Let's shoot this one 'mit' out sound." Without sound. 'MOS.' Directed 3 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Lewis Stone, Maurice Chevalier and Greta Garbo