Will Meisel was a German composer born on September 17, 1897, in Rixdorf, Berlin. He began his career in the arts as a dancer, joining the royal opera of Berlin at a young age. During World War I, Meisel served in the German army and was wounded near Ypres. After the war, he returned to Berlin's Staatsoper as a dancer until 1923. Transitioning from dance to music composition, Meisel found success with his operettas and film scores. He founded Edition Meisel & Co., a music publishing company, in 1926.

Meisel composed over fifty film scores and eight operettas, including "Eine Freundin so goldig wie Du" (1930) and "Königin einer Nacht" (1951). His career was marked by his membership in the Nazi Party from 1933, which allowed him to benefit from the aryanisation policies of the time. After World War II, his denazification application was rejected, temporarily barring him from running his business.

Despite these challenges, Meisel continued to compose and was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz in 1962 and the Paul-Lincke-Ring in 1964 for his contributions to music. He was married to soprano Eliza Illiard, with whom he had two sons. Will Meisel passed away on April 29, 1967, in Müllheim, Baden-Württemberg.