The director Willy Zeyn first finished an education as an actor in 1895 before he got first engagements at smaller theaters in Germany and abroad.
Upon recommendation of the movie director Paul von Woringen he was also engaged as a movie director.
He already shot his first movies in 1911 with "Die falsche Banknote" (1911) and "Ein guter Einfall" (1911) and Willy Zeyn realised numerous other movies as a director in the next years.
His film career diminished at the beginning of the 20s and Willy Zeyn only realised movies as a director till to the middle of the 20s.
Beside his activity as a movie director Willy Zeyn also wrote screenplays and he also appeared in front of the camera as an actor occasionally like "In den Krallen des Vampyrs" (1919) and "Eine Frauenschönheit unter dem Seziermesser" (1920).
His son Willy Zeyn jr. became a well-known film producer and cutter.