Elke Sommer Dies: ‘A Shot In The Dark’, ‘The Wrecking Crew’ Actor Was 85 — SkimNews
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- Elke Sommer died of heart failure on October 28 at her home in Bel-Air, California, at age 85, her stepson confirmed through a spokesperson to German newspaper Bild.
- Elke Sommer was discovered by director Vittorio De Sica in Italy in 1958, began acting under the name Sommer, and earned a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer for her 1963 film The Prize.
- Elke Sommer starred in the 1964 Pink Panther sequel A Shot in the Dark alongside Peter Sellers and appeared in a string of 1960s caper comedies including The Art of Love, Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!, and The Wrecking Crew with Dean Martin.
- Elke Sommer won $3.3 million in a defamation lawsuit against Zsa Zsa Gabor and her husband after a 1984 incident on Circus of the Stars sparked a public feud fueled by reported remarks about Gabor’s weight.
- Elke Sommer shifted to television in the 1980s and ’90s, appearing on The Love Boat, St. Elsewhere, The Muppet Show, and the ABC miniseries Inside the Third Reich, where she portrayed Joseph Goebbels’ wife.
- Elke Sommer was married to hotelier Wolf Walther from 1993 until his death in July 2023, and her stepson stated she ‘can finally be with her beloved husband again’ following her passing.
Why it matters: Sommer’s death closes a chapter on a transatlantic 1960s film career that bridged European art cinema and Hollywood studio fare, with her legal win over Gabor underscoring the real-world stakes of celebrity feuds in the media age. Her later TV roles added depth to her legacy beyond the glamorous persona she was often cast in.
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