Horak emigrated to the United States in 1951 with his parents and twin brother. After schooling in Chicago, he returned to Germany with his family in 1964. Gratuating from Frankfurt American High School, he attended Ohio University, University of Delaware (B.A.),and Boston University (M.S.), before completing a PhD. at the University of Muenster in Germany. His career as a film archivist, restorationist, and historian has taken him from George Eastman House (1984-1994) to the Munich Filmmuseum (1994-1998), Universal Studios (1998-2000), and the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. He has published ten books and over 200 articles on various film historical topics.