Elke Sommer Dies: ‘A Shot In The Dark’, ‘The Wrecking Crew’ Actor Was 85

German-born actor Elke Sommer, a prominent star of 1960s films including *A Shot in the Dark* and *The Wrecking Crew*, has died aged 85. Her death marks the passing of an actor whose accent and screen presence helped define a run of international film and television roles.

Sommer died of heart failure at her home in Bel-Air on 28 October, according to an announcement by her stepson. She was discovered by director Vittorio De Sica while visiting Italy and rose to wider attention in *The Prize* (1963), earning a Golden Globe newcomer award. Her later work included European films, US television and *The Muppet Show*; she also won $3.3 million in a defamation case involving Zsa Zsa Gabor.