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Oscar Schmetterling was born on the 15th of may 1900 in Vienna. Little is known about his early years. He emigrated, along with many other Eastern Europeans, to the ‘land of opportunity’ the United States of America in 1925. Resolutely heading for California, Oscar met up with a travelling dance band with whom he rediscovered his ukulele skills. working his way down the west coast, Oscar Schmetterling finally arrived at his chosen destination, Hollywood. Swiftly, he managed to secure a job as a stuntman for many boisterous westerns and adventure films. With amazing good luck on his side and an obvious talent for taking to anything he applied himself to, Oscar spent the the next thirty years going from strength to strength within the portals of H.B.C. productions. By 1955 he was directing all the B-Movies made at the studios including the cult classics 'Diamante Devil', 'Spurs of Sin' and 'It Can't Be Human'. During this period Oscar Schmetterlings' private life was in a turmoil. His romantic entanglements with various studio starlets ended in three divorces, a custody battle over family pets and two attempted suicides. Oscar Schmetterling was described by colleagues as "a lively drinker, but always the first one on the set the next morning!". Oscars' career seemed to wane during the mid to late fifties and personally, he was tiring of the B-Movie treadmill, feeling that it was time that H.B.C. productions entrusted a bigger budget and rather more highbrow subject matter to their most prolific and devoted director. After a period of abstinence from the studios, Oscar Schmetterling was called to 'a most important meeting' with Horace B Candor himself where, finally after a five hour session, it was decided that Oscar Schmetterling would be entrusted with the highest budget and free run over choice and content of the studios number one priority movie. Oscar Schmetterling was about to embark on his first and last masterpiece, little realising that this historic psychological thriller 'Neurotica' based on the mystery novel by Stella Vane would be his swansong. Many film historians and enthusiasts hold this film in great esteem considering it a forerunner to subsequent films of this genre, that is why the THE MINI INSTITUTE OF THRILLER HISTORY is proud to present this tribute exhibition of the 40th anniversary of the making of the 1960 Oscar Schmetterling classic 'Neurotica'. Oscar schmetterling,along with the films glamourous co-star Rose English, were tragically killed in a freak boating accident shortly after the completion of 'NEUROTICA'.
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