Hollywood Star Elke Sommer Dies at 85 as Stepson Reveals Her Final Wish
Hollywood actress Elke Sommer, one of the most recognizable faces of 1960s cinema, has died at the age of 85. The German-born star appeared alongside some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names, including Paul Newman, Peter Sellers, Dean Martin and Dick Van Dyke.
Sommer died at her home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, on Wednesday, October 28, according to her stepson, Sebastian Walther, who shared the news with German newspaper Bild.
The Los Angeles Police Department also confirmed to the Associated Press that officers responded to the death of an 85-year-old woman in the area that evening.
Walther revealed that Sommer had one final request: she wanted to be laid to rest in the family grave in Marloffstein, Germany.
A Difficult Childhood Before Hollywood Fame
Born Elke Schletz in Berlin on November 5, 1940, Sommer experienced a difficult childhood shaped by the Second World War. Her family left Berlin in 1942 and moved to southern Germany.
Her father, a Protestant pastor, died when she was just 14. The family subsequently faced serious financial difficulties, and Sommer later recalled how hard life had been before she found success as an actress.
In a 2014 interview with Film Talk, she described working on a farm, where she milked ten cows every day of the week to earn a small amount of money.
She also remembered that her family survived on just 70 marks a month after her father’s death.
Sommer once said she had been fortunate to find work as an actress, as it gave her an opportunity to escape the financial struggles she had experienced growing up.
An Unexpected Opportunity Changed Her Life
Sommer originally hoped to study languages, but a trip to Italy in 1958 unexpectedly changed the direction of her life.
While visiting the seaside resort of Viareggio, she won the title of Miss Viareggio. Photographs of her attracted the attention of celebrated Italian filmmaker Vittorio De Sica, who helped introduce her to the film industry.
She moved to Rome and secured her first film role in The Friend of the Jaguar. In 1959, German producer Artur Brauner signed her, leading to further opportunities, including a role alongside Horst Buchholz in The Death Ship.
Although she had begun building a career in Europe, Sommer eventually set her sights on Hollywood.
Her breakthrough came when producer Pandro S. Berman offered her a role in The Prize, a drama starring Paul Newman. The performance helped her gain recognition in the United States and earned her a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer.
Her career reached another milestone when she appeared in the popular comedy A Shot in the Dark, part of the Pink Panther series.
Sharing the Screen With Hollywood’s Biggest Names
In A Shot in the Dark, Sommer played Maria Gambrelli, a maid accused of murder who becomes the focus of Inspector Clouseau’s attention, with Peter Sellers playing the famous detective.
The role helped establish her as a familiar face among international audiences.
Throughout the 1960s, she continued appearing in major productions. Her film credits included The Art of Love, alongside James Garner and Dick Van Dyke, Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! and The Wrecking Crew, in which she starred with Dean Martin and Sharon Tate.
Her blonde hair and striking appearance often led the media to describe her as a sex symbol. However, Sommer said she was comfortable with the attention, while recognizing that much of her career involved performing characters created by other people.
In her 2014 interview with Film Talk, she reflected on how actors often work within the direction and expectations of filmmakers and producers.
Her Final Years and Last Wish
Sommer was married to German hotelier Wolf Walther, who died in July 2026 at the age of 77. Her death came only a few months after his passing.
According to her stepson, her final wish was to return to Germany and be buried in the family grave in Marloffstein.
Her journey from a childhood marked by poverty and loss to international film stardom made her one of the memorable actresses of her generation.
Elke Sommer leaves behind a film legacy that includes comedies, dramas and espionage films, as well as performances alongside some of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars.