Erwin C. Dietrich was involved in every aspect of film production, distribution, and exhibition. At various stages in his career he was considered Europe's biggest film producer, often with an annual output of more than 10 films. From early in his career Dietrich, a trained actor, recognized the potential of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s and started producing and directing erotic movies, which were enjoying huge success at the box office. Dietrich employed some of Europe's finest exploitation directors, such as Jesús Franco or Antonio Margheriti, who were provided excellent working conditions, reasonable budgets and name actors. In the 1980s he shifted focus to action movies such as Geheimcode Wildgänse (1984) with Klaus Kinski and to comedies such as Ein Schweizer namens Nötzli (1988). Dietrich also owns an independent film distribution company and movie theaters in Zurich, Switzerland.