The actor Paul Henckels made his film debut at the beginning of the 10's as a theater actor, one of his greatest successes was his performance of "Schneider Wibbel" for the play "Die deutschen Kleinstädter" in 1913.
During the wartime he appeared normally in very popular entertainment movies where he impersonated historical figures.
From 1919 to 1920 he was besides Fritz Holl the director of the "Düsseldorfer theater.
Paul Henckels shone with his Rhinelander humor in the 30's and he convinced in roles of cranky or stubborn types.
After the war he continued playing in a numerous of movies, but his talent was only seldom demanded as in "Wozzeck" (1947).
When the sound film was near at the hand he was enthusiastic about the idea of a talking movie.
He worked at the "practice of the sound film actor", beside it he realised his only short movie as a director called "Paul Graets als Berliner Zeitungsjunge" (1929).
He was also notable as a stage actor and appeared at the Schauspielhaus Berlin for many years. His most popular stage role was Wibbel the Tailor, which he played more than 1000 times.
Paul Henckels had started his acting career on the stage in the 1900s.
As a rare exception, Henckels was allowed to work during the Third Reich. He apparently owed this exception to the intervention of his friend Gustaf Gründgens and to his continuing popularity as a character actor.