Elke Sommer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elke Sommer
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Sommer in 1965
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| Born |
Elke Schletz
5 November 1940 Berlin, Germany
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| Died | 28 October 2026 (aged 85) Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 1959–2026 |
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Joe Hyams
(m. 1964; div. 1981)Wolf Walther
(m. 1993; died 2026) |
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Elke Sommer (born Elke Schletz; 5 November 1940 – 28 October 2026) was a talented German actress, artist, and singer. She became an international movie star during the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared in nearly one hundred different film and television roles around the world. Sommer was famous for starring in funny comedies, exciting mysteries, and adventure stories.
She acted alongside many top Hollywood stars, including comedy legend Peter Sellers and actor Paul Newman. Later in life, she became celebrated for her beautiful oil paintings and her incredible ability to speak seven different languages.
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Early Life and Growing Up in Germany
Elke Schletz was born in Berlin, Germany, on 5 November 1940. Her father was Baron Peter von Schletz, a Lutheran minister, and her mother was named Renata. When she was a toddler, the family had to relocate because of the Second World War.
In 1942, her family moved to the quiet village of Niederndorf. This rural town was located near Erlangen in the region of Franconia. Young Elke grew up surrounded by beautiful countryside, which later inspired her artwork.
School Days and Learning Languages
In 1950, Sommer began studying at a gymnasium, an advanced secondary school in Germany. She showed an extraordinary gift for learning foreign languages at an early age. However, she found mathematics and science classes much more difficult to master. Her father sadly died when she was just 14 years old.
With her mother's permission, she left school in 1957 to pursue real-world experience. She moved across the sea to London, England. There, she worked as an au pair, helping take care of children for a local family. That family included the future actress Vicki Michelle. While living in the United Kingdom, Sommer took classes at an English-language institute to perfect her English.
How Elke Sommer Began Her Acting Career
Sommer did not plan to become a movie star right away. Her career began almost like a fairy tale while she was relaxing on holiday in Italy.
Discovered on an Italian Holiday
While vacationing by the sea, an acclaimed Italian director named Vittorio De Sica spotted her. He noticed her bright personality and asked her to appear in motion pictures. That lucky moment completely changed the course of her life.
In 1958, she started acting in Italian movies like Men and Noblemen. She decided to change her surname from Schletz to Sommer because it was easier for international audiences to remember.
Heading to Hollywood
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Soon, major film studios in America noticed her natural screen presence. Sommer packed her bags and moved to Hollywood during the early 1960s. She quickly became one of the most sought-after young performers in the whole entertainment industry.
Big Movie Roles of the 1960s
The 1960s turned out to be the busiest decade of Sommer's entire acting career. She landed starring roles across a huge variety of movie genres.
Winning a Golden Globe Award
In 1963, Sommer co-starred in a major Hollywood mystery called The Prize. She worked alongside screen icons Paul Newman and Edward G. Robinson. Her performance impressed critics across the country.
In 1964, she won a prestigious Golden Globe award for Most Promising Newcomer Actress. This victory made her an official A-list star in the film industry.
Starring in Famous Detective Comedies
Sommer teamed up with funny man Peter Sellers for the famous 1964 mystery-comedy A Shot in the Dark. This film was a hit entry in The Pink Panther series. In the movie, she played Maria Gambrelli, a character caught up in hilarious misunderstandings with Inspector Clouseau.
She also starred alongside legendary comedian Bob Hope in the laugh-out-loud movie Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966). She proved she had fantastic comedic timing.
Action and Adventure Films
Sommer acted in the romantic comedy The Art of Love (1965) with James Garner and Dick Van Dyke. She joined actor Stephen Boyd in the drama The Oscar (1966).
Next, she jumped into spy adventures. She took on a leading role in the Bulldog Drummond adventure story Deadlier Than the Male (1966). Later in 1968, she starred with singer Dean Martin and actress Sharon Tate in The Wrecking Crew. That same year, she played the title heroine in The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz.
Television Shows and European Movies in the 1970s
Sommer was also a familiar face on television sets across North America and Europe. She frequently sang songs and performed funny sketches on The Dean Martin Show. She appeared on variety specials with Bob Hope and visited The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ten separate times. She even performed on The Muppet Show!
Exciting Mystery and Thriller Roles
During the 1970s, Sommer chose to work more frequently in Europe. In 1971, she starred in the high-flying historical airship adventure Zeppelin alongside British actor Michael York.
She loved mystery stories and appeared in a 1974 film version of Agatha Christie's classic novel And Then There Were None, also released as Ten Little Indians. She also worked with Italian director Mario Bava on suspenseful films such as Baron Blood (1972) and Lisa and the Devil.
Setting a Record in British Comedy
In 1975, producer Peter Rogers selected Sommer for a major role in the British comedy Carry On Behind. This film belonged to the beloved and long-running British Carry On franchise.
Sommer played a quirky Russian archaeology professor named Professor Vrooshka. For her work in the movie, she earned £30,000. That set a record, making her the joint highest-paid performer in the history of the Carry On movies, matching comedy star Phil Silvers.
She teamed up with Peter Sellers again in 1979 for The Prisoner of Zenda. Afterward, she decided to step away from full-time Hollywood movie roles.
Artistic Talents and Later Projects
Acting was only one of Elke Sommer's creative talents. She was also a gifted musician and released multiple studio albums as a singer.
Painting on Canvas
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From the 1990s onward, Sommer spent most of her creative energy painting. She was an accomplished painter whose work showed deep influences from the painter Marc Chagall.
Because she had worked on movie sets in six different nations, Sommer spoke seven languages fluently. She used the rich memories of her global travels to create vivid scenes on canvas. Her art exhibitions attracted fans from around the globe.
Voice Acting for Disney
Sommer used her memorable voice for animation as well. When the hit animated film The Emperor's New Groove came out in 2000, she provided the voice for the hilarious villain Yzma in the German-language version of the film.
In 2001, she received a Golden Palm Star on the celebrated Palm Springs Walk of Stars to honor her entertainment legacy.
Personal Life and Legacy
In 1964, Sommer married American journalist Joe Hyams. They stayed together for seventeen years before parting as good friends in 1981.
In 1989, while starring in the interactive stage play Tamara, she met hotel director Wolf Walther at the famous Essex House in New York City. The two fell in love and married in Franconia, Germany, on 29 August 1993. Walther soon moved to Los Angeles, California, to make a home with her.
Elke Sommer passed away peacefully from heart failure at her home in Los Angeles on 28 October 2026 at the age of 85. She is remembered as a bright, versatile artist who entertained millions through acting, singing, and fine art.
See also
In Spanish: Elke Sommer para niños
