Hugo Münsterberg (1863–1916) was a leading psychologist and philosopher who worked in Germany and the United States. He studied medicine and experimental psychology (with Wilhelm Wundt), and become Professor of Psychology at the University of Freiburg in 1892. His friendship with American psychologist and philosopher William James led to his appointment to the faculty at Harvard University in 1897. While in America, he became a famous academic, publishing numerous books on applied psychology, including The Principles of Art Education (1905), Psychology and Crime (1908), Psychotherapy (1909), Vocation and Learning (1912), Psychology and Industrial Efficiency (1913), American Patriotism and other Social Studies (1913), Business Psychology (1915) and Psychology (1916). In his final book, The Photoplay (1916), Münsterberg argued for the psychological and aesthetic distinctiveness of film as a serious art form. Following the outbreak of the First World War and his increasing criticisms of American life, Münsterberg's work fell out of favour with the public. Despite almost a century of neglect, The Photoplay is generally recognized today as the first genuine work of film theory.

How could we not have known him all these years? In 1916 this man understood cinema about as well as anyone ever will.