# German-born actor Elke Sommer, star of 1960s Hollywood films, dies aged 85

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/elke-sommer-actress-in-a-shot-in-the-dark-and-the-prize-dies-at-85/
- Published: 2026-11-04T10:59:44+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T17:55:33+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hollywood Reporter
- Original article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/elke-sommer-dead-shot-in-the-dark-the-prize-1236742548/
- Topics: Europe, Film, World

## Key points

- Elke Sommer has died aged 85.
- She won a Golden Globe for *The Prize*.
- Her career spanned Hollywood and European cinema.

## Summary

German-born actor Elke Sommer, known for *A Shot in the Dark* and *The Prize*, has died aged 85. A prominent presence in 1960s Hollywood, she also worked in films across Europe and later appeared in Italian horror films.

Sommer died of heart failure at her Bel-Air home, her stepson told German newspaper Bild. She won a Golden Globe for best female newcomer for *The Prize* (1963) and played Maria Gambrelli opposite Peter Sellers in *A Shot in the Dark* (1964). Fluent in five languages, she later starred in Mario Bava’s *Baron Blood* and *Lisa and the Devil*.

## Coverage

- [The Hollywood Reporter: German-born actor Elke Sommer, star of 1960s Hollywood films, dies aged 85](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/elke-sommer-dead-shot-in-the-dark-the-prize-1236742548/)
- [Variety: Elke Sommer, ‘Pink Panther’ and ‘The Prize’ Star, Dies at 85](https://variety.com/2026/film/news/elke-sommer-dead-pink-panther-shot-in-the-dark-1236934138/)
- [Deadline: Actor Elke Sommer dies aged 85 after heart failure](https://deadline.com/2026/10/elke-sommer-dead-1237208109/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.