Wegener studied law, but dropped out of college to join Max Reinhardt’s acting troupe in 1906. He made his acting and directing debut on the film screen in 1913 with the film Der Student von Prag. He wrote, directed and starred in three films based on the legend of the Golem: The Golem (Der Golem, 1915), Golem and the dancing girl (Der Golem und die Tänzerin, 1917), Golem: How He Came into This World (Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam, 1920). His other films include Der Yogi ( 1916), Rübezahls Hochzeit (Old Nip\'s Wedding 1916), Der Rattenfänger von Hameln (The Pied Piper of Hamelin, 1918), Der Galeerensträfling (1919). He made several sound films such as Die Freundin eines großen Mannes (The Girl Friend of a Big Man, 1934), Der Weg nach Shanghai (1936), August der Starke (1936).