Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 245-251. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Directed 5 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Paul Muni, Joseph Schildkraut, Brian Aherne, Walter Huston and Jennifer Jones. Muni and Schildkraut won Oscar for their performances in one of Dieterle's movies.
He always wore white gloves on the set.
His last name is pronounced "Dee-ter-leh".
Is perhaps the only person to have directed two film versions of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". With Max Reinhardt, he co-directed the all-star, big budget 1935 film version, and by himself directed a German made-for-TV version in 1968.
Took over direction of Duel In The Sun (1946) after director King Vidor walked off the production, tired of the constant meddling by producer David O. Selznick. Although he went uncredited, Dieterle attempted to appeal to the Directors Guild Of America, but they turned down his claim.