Elke Sommer’s life and career read like the script of a glamorous 1960s film — a mix of beauty, talent, resilience, and drama. Rising to stardom in an era dominated by classic European allure, Sommer carved a niche for herself in both European and American cinema. But her story wasn’t just about lights, cameras, and red carpets. Behind the scenes, she became entangled in one of Hollywood’s most peculiar and long-standing feuds — with none other than Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Elke Sommer was born Elke Schletz on November 5, 1940, in Berlin, Germany, during the height of World War II. Her early years were marked by hardship. After her father, a Lutheran minister, died in 1955, Elke and her mother moved to Erlangen in Bavaria, where she began to dream of a different life. She was not initially drawn to the stage — she studied languages and aspired to become an interpreter. But fate had other plans.

While vacationing in Italy in the late 1950s, Sommer was discovered by famed director Vittorio De Sica. Her classic beauty and confident demeanor caught his eye, and soon she found herself transitioning into the world of cinema. She made her film debut in the 1958 Italian movie The Story of Joseph and His Brethren.

Her big break came in the early 1960s when she began appearing in Hollywood films. Her strong European accent did not hinder her career; instead, it became part of her charm. By 1964, she had made a name for herself with a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female, following her role in The Prize alongside Paul Newman.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Elke Sommer was one of the most recognizable faces in film and television. She starred in a wide range of movies, from comedy to horror. Some of her most notable films include A Shot in the Dark (1964) with Peter Sellers, The Art of Love (1965), and The Oscar (1966). She also worked with top-tier actors like Bob Hope, James Garner, and Dean Martin.

But Sommer was not just a glamorous screen siren. She had talent and versatility. She could play the ditzy blonde for laughs, then pivot to intense dramatic roles. Her multilingual skills (she spoke seven languages) and her poise helped her gain international fame.

As her acting career began to wind down in the late 1980s, Sommer reinvented herself yet again — this time as a painter. Her work, often colorful and expressive, was well received in artistic circles. She found peace and stability in this second act of her life, away from the relentless glare of the limelight.

If Elke Sommer’s career was marked by elegance and adaptability, her long-running feud with Zsa Zsa Gabor added a tabloid-worthy twist to her story.

The origin of their rivalry dates back to the late 1980s when Sommer and her husband, writer-producer Joe Hyams, were neighbors with Zsa Zsa Gabor and her then-husband Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt in Beverly Hills. Tensions escalated after a dinner party gone wrong and a series of public comments made by Gabor.

According to Sommer, the conflict began after Gabor insulted her and spread damaging rumors. Gabor reportedly told journalists that Sommer had bad hygiene and lacked talent — cutting jabs that did not go unnoticed.

Sommer did not stay silent. She sued Zsa Zsa Gabor and von Anhalt for defamation. The lawsuit dragged on for years and culminated in a 1993 court ruling in Sommer’s favor. The jury awarded her $3.3 million in damages. Gabor, predictably, appealed the verdict.

The legal drama, splashed across headlines at the time, captured the public’s attention. Two glamorous European-born stars fighting it out in American courts made for irresistible tabloid fodder. But for Sommer, the feud was less about scandal and more about defending her reputation.

Despite the courtroom chaos and media frenzy, Elke Sommer emerged with her dignity intact. She continued to act sporadically and focused more on her artwork. She held exhibitions in Europe and the United States, and her paintings often featured bold colors and abstract forms — a reflection, perhaps, of her vibrant and resilient spirit.

She also wrote poetry and essays, living a quiet, creative life in Los Angeles with her husband until his death in 2008. The couple had no children, and Sommer later admitted she never felt the need to follow traditional roles expected of women in her generation.

Today, Elke Sommer is remembered not only for her iconic beauty and screen presence but also for her strength and integrity. She stood firm against smear campaigns, reinvented herself as a respected artist, and weathered the ups and downs of fame with grace.

While her feud with Zsa Zsa Gabor remains one of the more colorful chapters of her life, it doesn’t define her. If anything, it showcased her determination to be respected not just as a beauty queen of the 1960s but as a serious artist and a woman of principle.

Her journey from war-torn Berlin to the glittering heights of Hollywood and then into the quiet world of painting is a testament to her talent, resilience, and the enduring charm of a woman who refused to be just a pretty face.