German actress, daughter of the actor-manager of Berlin's Urania Theater. She appeared on stage from 1900 and was an ensemble member of Max Reinhardt's Deutsche Theater from 1907 to 1925. Kupfer proved an extremely versatile and prolific character player, adept at comedic roles or as resolute or mild-mannered, abrasive or kindly matrons, mothers, aunts, innkeepers, cooks or landladies. Her best period was during the 1920's, when she acted in several classic silent pictures under the direction of master film makers like Murnau, Leni and Lubitsch.
